Fake Tan

Christmas Time Beauty Tips

Christmas is only days away and I have neglected to pamper and prep myself for the big day until the last minute as usual!  If you are in the same position I will be covering a few beauty musts to consider to be Christmas ready over the following posts which may help. 

Tan or not to tan?

Using fake tan in winter can be tricky. Too much fake tan in a cold and winter climate can look unnatural and so in this season less is definitely more. For this reason you may decide to say no thanks to fake tan and go au naturel. With my pale Irish skin I feel more confident with a light healthy glow to perk up my complexion. If you decide on using tan this Christmas here are a new tips and tricks I have picked up along the way.

Before tanning 

Before tanning it is vital to prepare the skin. Similar to using primer before foundation- prepared skin will give fake tan a smooth and even base to build tan upon. Plan your tanning session in advance as it is better to start getting your skin ready a day or two prior to applying. 

First things first, exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Using a combination of an exfoliating mitt and exfoliating scrub seems to work best for me. Give your skin a good rub in the shower to remove dead skin cells. Pay particular attention to the rougher areas of skin such as the elbows and knees. The reason you want to remove the dead skin is because these cells will colour darker than the rest of your skin when they react to the fake tan leaving your tan blotchy or patchy. 

After exfoliating your skin it is important to moisturize- preferably with a non-scented light moisturizer which will not interfere with the tan you will apply the next day.

N.B. If you are shaving your legs as part of this skin preparation it is even more important that you leave the skin at least a day to relax before tanning as otherwise you may end up with irritated skin or lots of little dots where the fake tan has got caught in open pores. 

(I have been in a rush before and literally applied tan straight after shaving and the results were awful - I ended up wearing tights that night instead of bare legs... oopps) 

Tanning Tips

Always use a tanning mitt when applying fake tan. Tanning mitts are useful for a number of reasons- they help to apply an even layer of tan on the skin, they protect your hands from fake tan staining and they are quick and easy to wash after use. 

If applying a gradual tan try and get one which has a dye in it. This helps as you can see where you have missed before it develops. Let your tan dry naturally for as long as possible. I would generally do my tan at night so after the tan dried I can put on loose clothing and hop in to bed and let it dry further during the night so that I don't smudge it by getting into an outfit too soon.  

When applying fake tan to your hands the last thing you want is to get a line down the side of your hand or to forget to tan between you fingers. Remember the hands are the most visible and so you don't want them to turn out a bit funky looking! The best tip is to use whatever is left on the mitt and rub it in to your hands- remember less is more. After you do this use some hand-cream and apply as normal making sure to get between your fingers and wrists. This will give you a light tan on your hands ans help to avoid any unsightly disasters! 

  

Looking after your tan

Once your tan is finished and dried it is important to look after it. Moisturize daily with a non-scented light moisturizer. 

Do not spray perfume on your neck/ chest- the alcohol in it will remove some of the tan and you will have a circle of pale skin or drip marks (unfortunately I am speaking for experience!). I tend to spray some perfume in a mist and walk through it so it doesn't damage the tan or another good trick to to spray some perfume in your hair and it will last the day.    

Removing fake tan

Sometimes fake tan can fade away gracefully but other times it can be stubborn and you are stuck with a few lingering patches here and there. Exfoliation tends to work best for getting rid of any patches of left over tan. 

Some useful tanning products I use 

• Coco Brown One Hour Tan
• Sally Hansen Instant Tan
• Soltan Tanning Mitt

If you do decide to use fake tan this festive season I hope these tips and tricks help you! Happy tanning!