Welcome back! Today’s blog post is all about fake tanning. While it is a scary thing, especially when you are very pale, self tanner can be a great way to give your skin a UV-free glow! There are a few simple steps that I follow to achieve a (relatively) even fake tan, and I thought I’d share them with you all 🙂
- Exfoliate. This is a super important step! Exfoliating your skin before applying fake tan will help to ensure an even finish. If you don’t exfoliate the lotion may build up on any rough or dry patches of skin which can lead to patchiness.
- Apply it at night. If you apply the lotion at night it will allow it to dry and you don’t have to worry about it rubbing off on your clothes. I just find that my fake tan absorbs better when I put it on right after I shower before bed.
- Start with your arms and work your way down. By starting with your arms, they will be drier once you have finished the rest of your body. Then when you put on your robe or towel, the product is less likely to rub off.
- Don’t fake tan your face.I know that this may sound silly, but I just don’t like the idea of putting tanning chemicals on my face. I’d way rather walk around with my face 3 shades lighter than the rest of my body. Of course, you don’t have to do that, you can tan your face or you can do what I do and just use a foundation that matches the rest of your body. Just make sure to blend it down your neck so that everything matches!
- Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! I have found that by moisturizing my skin every morning it helps to keep my tan looking fresh and glowy. Giving your skin some added moisturizer will also help keep it from being damaged by the heat and hot air that can sometimes dry it out in the summer. Of course you should always also apply sunscreen if you are going to be outside in the sun for a long period of time.
And now to some products that are tried and try!
Dove Dermaspa Summer Revived Self Tanning Lotion in Fair-Medium. This is my go to self tanner, and the best choice for newbies and very fair skinned folks. It is a gradual tanner and it is almost fool proof. It provides a nice, subtle colour and can be used in the Winter or early Spring as it won’t make you “too tan” and most importantly it won’t make you appear orange. This one costs $12CAN and I get mine at lookfantastic.com.
L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Self Tanning Lotion in Medium. This tanner is best if you are slightly more advanced when it coms applying fake tan, as well I find it works better if you already have a bit of a tan. That may be because I have it in the Medium shade, which is why it would appear more orange applied to very fair skin. It comes out white, and then the colour develops over a few hours. This colour lasts for 3 days and I find that continues to develop even after the first day.
L’Oreal Luminous Bronze Instant Action Self Tanning Lotion. If you need a deep tan quickly that is also a gradual tanner, this is the best out of the three. It is a tinted gel that has lots of bronze shimmer. While it is very pretty and you can see where you have applied the product, it dries very quickly, and you need to make sure that you blend it very well. This is definitely the scariest self tanner that I own, I honestly only us it in a pinch, like if I had forgotten to fake tan that week and had a dinner that I needed to go to.
A great way to keep your tan fresh and lasting longer is to moisturize everyday! My favourite are the Victoria’s Secret Vanilla Coconut Hydrating Body Lotion and Victoria’s Secret Coconut Milk Luminous Perfecting Cream, but honestly any moisturizers works well!
Hope you’re all having a lovely day, and if you would like to watch my video all about fake tans (featuring my adorable dog) than you can click here.
xo Jessica
Jessica Kinnari 