| | | | |  |
| | | |
Thankfully, gone are the days of the George Hamilton tangerine tan. Today every sensible person knows that it’s best to fake, rather than bake. And with current formulas making application easier than ever, you’ll make no more mistakes if you follow our advice.
Preparation
A good prep is the key to an even, natural-looking tan.
Despite exfoliating, if the skin is too dry colour will still cling. Moisturise with a non-AHA formula (AHAs can interfere with the chemicals) about 20 minutes before applying the tanner, after which time skin shouldn’t feel tacky. Try: Molton Brown Coco De Mer Body Lotion. For face: Molton Brown Moisture Lock 24hr Replenisher.
Wet skin is a no-no – even a little steam in the bathroom can affect your application, so ensure skin is perfectly dry, and set aside a space out of the bathroom to apply your tan, preferably in front of a mirror.
The face
TIP: Look for a face-specific self-tan as these are formulated with facial care in mind and often come with added extras – vitamins, non-sensitisers, moisturisers – and are less likely to block pores.
- Put on latex gloves, or wash hands if going glove-free.
- Apply a 5p-sized dot of self-tan to your forehead, each cheek, your nose and your chin, blending each outwards towards the hair line and over the jawline (avoid actually touching the hairline as bleached or grey hair will absorb the colour).
- Run a cotton bud or tissue over eyebrows to collect any residue that may have been caught (you can combine this small excess with moisturiser to cover the ears).
- To avoid the tell-tale tanned-face-white-neck situation, blend the tanner with moisturiser and place another 5p-dot of self-tan underneath the chin, work down towards your collar-bone. If necessary, add another dot of tanner to your palm, and re-cover the area, again blending downwards.
- Wash palms immediately if not wearing gloves
- After tanning avoid bathing, tight light-coloured clothes, exercise and brushing teeth (lifts colour from around the mouth) for as long as possible, while your tan dries and starts to form colour.
The body
- Starting from the feet upwards (to avoid smudging when bending), apply the tan, spreading evenly to an area at a time. For dry and tricky areas such as the feet, ankles, knees, and elbows, dilute the self-tanner slightly with moisturiser.
- If you make a mistake, wipe the area with a damp flannel. If colour still develops after drying, use a Self Tan Remover, or gently exfoliate the area with a body polish.
- in case of a tan emergency, with no Self Tan Remover in sight, hot foot it to your local swimming pool; the chlorine will bleach the tan and encourage it to fade. Alternatively, for small areas, lemon juice or whitening toothpaste will have a similar effect.
Common tide-mark areas to be aware of:
- The wrists and palms
- Feet and ankles
- Elbows and knees.
If in doubt, dilute the self-tan with moisturiser, for scaled down colour.
For a selection of self tanning products click here. |
|  | | |
|
