How to Get The Perfect Fake Tan.
Whether you are applying at home by yourself or visiting your Skin tonal enhancement technician for spray tan, the principals of good thorough prep, and meticulous aftercare will always ensure a tan that goes on evenly, drys perfectly, and maintains a natural healthy glow for at least 7 days.
Your Ultimate Guide to Mastering that Fake Tan.
Follow these easy steps and you can go from felling like an awright 3 and take it up to a good 9!
- VASELINE IS YOUR FRIEND.
If you’re going to have a manicure / pedicure for special occasion, get it done 1st, then a light layer of Vaseline prior to tan to protect it. Dotting small amount of Vaseline to the eyebrows & hairline to stop tan sticking to these areas and prevent dodgy tide marks appearing. This is really important if your hair is very light
- EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE…………………..EXFOLIATE!
- HAIR REMOVAL.
Always perform any hair removal (waxing, shaving, etc.) at least 8 hours but preferably a day prior to applying your tan. This way your skin won’t be too sensitised & reactive to the tanning solution. Smooth skin = best results
- APPLY WITH MITT
Apply 2 or 3 dabs, then FOLD the mitt in half to soak up any excess product off. When applying self-tan to face on the tanning mitt, you can if you want, combine a small amount of moisturizer & product to give natural lighter finish. This is good if you are nervous about the finish or the desired look is more natural.
- START WITH FACE
Then work down the body in stages, leaving the hands and feet until last. Work in circular motion on the neck, down onto the chest then stomach. Go across the shoulders over the back letting the mitt do the work. Do the lower back, then round the sides ensuring even coverage. Do the legs in downward circular motion, turning the mitt around the legs as you move down. Bend the knees and sweep across, this will stop any crease marks.
- FEET & HANDS
This is a tricky 1 and is the easiest thing to get wrong. When applying fake tan to feet, use excess product from the legs over the feet & ankles. The same rules apply to the hands, do not put product directly onto the hands, but simply work the product down from the arms across the wrists on the hands. It will ensure even, not too dark, tan.
- CHECK IT................TWICE
When applying tan, make sure you’re done ALL OVER. Don’t worry if you do the same area twice, tan will only be patchy if you miss. Don’t be tempted to reapply Fake Tan everyday this could leave your tan looking far from natural! Continually moisturize to prolong.
- HOT BATHS.
Can dehydrate your skin. Stick to cool showers, & use a moisturizing shower oil to lock-down your colour. Do NOT use bar soap! Beware: Soaps that contain Sulphates and Phosphates can Fade and Streak your tan.
- Moisturize, Moisturize……………..Moisturize!!
Morning After & Evening. Hydrated skin makes your tan last longer & your skin will look LUSH! This means inside and out, to make sure your tan endures, you need to stay hydrated. Drink lots of water & apply moisturiser daily. Use water-based moisturizer to ensure skin absorbs all the tanning product
- 5-7 Days After
Gently exfoliate skin. Repeat every 2 days thereafter to ensure tan fades evenly. This will get rid of any dead skin cells, help the tan fade evenly & stop any patches so you are ready for next 1. A gentle exfoliating shower gel every other day is ideal for this.
Bonus Tips
Take That Tan Up a Notch!!
- Glistening limbs look leaner & sexier. A perfect way to set off your new tan is to run a shimmer stick along the shins to help elongate the legs.
- Get noticed! Maximize your cleavage by contouring. Put on push-up bra then shade from the top of breasts down into the cleavage, to create the illusion of shadow, and ……oomph.
- Apply thick moisturizer after self-tan application to give the skin that glowing, holiday, just out of the sea look.
Follow those simple rules and you will be on your way to ultimate tan perfection.
For more help, & advice check out our other Blogs & look out for our regular #TopTanTips on Twitter.
Angela @ Beautyrokz x
This post first appeared on Tanning Information - Beautyrokz Blog. Insight Int, please read the originial post: here
