How And When To Use Fake Tan

Let’s be honest, almost nothing makes us feel happier than having sun-kissed skin. Pale is beautiful and elegant, but bronze says sexy and wild and the best thing is that you can look like you have spent your entire summer in Greece or St. Tropez.

Fake tans are light years ahead of what they used to be and now you can achieve an entire spectrum of instant bronziness with minimum fuss and maximum impact. It’s always better to start with something that’s soft, subtle and barely there if you are really pale. Go for a peachier bronze that’s subtle and matte rather than full-on and shiny.

Start by buffing with a gentle but effective scrub, moisturize thoroughly and then use your fingers to dab on a really sheer base. For glistering eyes you can use a bit of cosmetic alchemy and mix powdery eye-shadows with pencil. You can create smoldering eyes using a combination of coppery-gold eye-shadows and gold pencil.

Don’t forget that whatever fake tan you opt for, the golden rule is to make it look natural. Spray your body with one coat of self-tan allow it to develop overnight and then spray the areas you want to slim down the next day.

Sculpting at home takes practice but you can cheat your way to lighter-looking limbs with carefully placed color.

How does a tanning product work
The active substance required for achieving fake tan is called Dihydroxyacetone also known as DHA / a non-toxic substance that reacts with cells in the outermost layer of the skin and produces a brown pigment /. This is a substance which enters into reaction with the body protein and colors the surface cells of the skin in light brown. The method is absolutely harmless.

Peeling before fake tan
To achieve even and natural result your skin should be well exfoliated. So a day before applying a tanning product make sure you exfoliate your whole body even the face – use a mild exfoliating product which is appropriate for your skin type or a coffee. Exfoliating is a must once or twice a week as it will remove the dead skin cells of your skin and will create an even surface.

Epilating before fake tan
If you are hairy you may not be satisfied with the results, The day before tanning you should remove the unwanted hairs by shaving or waxing otherwise your new tan may look spotty.

Apply a moisturizing lotion
30 minutes before using the tanning product you should apply a moisturizing lotion all over your body – this will moisturize your skin, creating an even surface. Remember: on elbows, knees and fingers the color often becomes more saturated than desired.

Proper application of tanning products
Use latex gloves to avoid turning the palms of your hands orange. You should always apply a tanning product bottom up starting from the feet focusing on dry areas such as elbows, knees, heels and ankles. Washing a tanning product could be very difficult, therefore you should try to apply it evenly especially on your face. It is very important to smooth evenly at the base of the hair and chin and do not forget the neck and the neckline. Do not forget to wash your hands every 3 or 5 minutes. Tanning products can be applied everyday to build up a deeper tan.

Removal of fake tan
About 1/3 of the fake tan is being washed while you are taking a shower. If you want to make your tan stay longer you should apply a tanning product every second day. If you are not satisfied with the results and want to get rid of the tan you should exfoliate your skin every time you are taking a shower.

IMPORTANT: Remember: the tanning products do not protect your skin from the harmful sun’s rays. It is essential to apply a product with SPF every time you are going out.

Useful:

It is very important to exfoliate your body prior to applying tanning products – take a quick shower and exfoliate, concentrating on dry areas like knees, ankles, feet and elbows. If you do not brush off the dead skin cells then you may get strange flaky patches
To avoid staining your hands, put on a pair of thin, disposable latex gloves.
Remember: dry skin absorbs tanner at a faster rate, resulting in a patchy finish.
You should wait for at least 15 minutes before getting dressed otherwise you can stain your clothes.
Use a formula that gives a tint when you apply, so you can see where it’s gone on already and you can blend to avoid streaks.
Make sure the tanning lotion match your skin tone , it should never be too dark or too light.
Avoid contact with water for at least three hours after applying a tanning product.
Before using a self-tanner or other tanning product you can rub Vaseline on cuticles and nails- this will protect your manicure and will keep fingertips and nails from staining.
You can use a facial fake tan product for your face, if you don’t have one you can simply use your body product, diluted with a little moisturizer.
Remember: most of the tanning products take around two to three hours to develop.
Before applying the product read carefully the instructions on the bottle.
The tanned look you get from products that contain DHA normally lasts about a week.
If you use a fake tanning product you will still need to protect yourself from the sun using the different ways (wear a hat, sun-protective clothing that covers as much of the body as possible, wrap-around sunglasses, SPF 15+ sunscreen and seek shade especially during the hot summer months).
To get the best coverage and avoid unsightly streaks, apply the tanner in circular motions.
Although there are no known dangers of using tanning lotions, they can sometimes cause an allergic reaction if the skin is hypersensitive.
To maintain your new tan and to make it last longer reapply the tanning product every week or every three days, depending on the color you want to achieve.
Never apply tanner on your lips, nipples, around the bikini line, over moles or freckles.
Don’t cleanse your body with too harsh soaps or shower gels – they may fade your tan faster.
Use products that are appropriate for your skin type – if your skin is sensitive or dry look for a more moisturizing formula.
Never wear foundation, face powder, eyeshadows or lipstick when applying self-tanner.