Well, I'm going to hazard a guess and say that I think Summer is nearly over. We've had a sudden drop in temperature and I think although we might have the odd warm day, that's it. Face it, we're nearly done!
It's not a bad thing though, we've got so much to look forwards to with Winter coming but what about that lovely Summer glow we had. How can we keep that going so we don't fade into a pasty looking October?
Please don't fear! Here are my top tips how you can keep your tan going and also how you can 'extend' your tan yourself at home.
If you have still got a natural tan from your holiday, then to maintain it you need to keep your skin moisturised and hydrated. Look for shower gels that are more creamy based instead of foaming types. Maybe splash out in a slightly more expensive shower cream that will nourish your skin better. Like this one for example.
Add lots of moisturising into your daily routine. Why not try doubling up on moisturisers so try an 'in shower' moisturiser like this one and then follow it up with a nice body oil too. This should keep your skin well nourished and hopefully prevent it from peeling so much.
Avoid anything that claims to exfoliate your skin as this will make your tan disappear quicker. Also, pat your skin dry after showering instead of rubbing it dry.
Marvellous! But what happens when it goes? Has it gone forever or can we fake it? No, we can't fake it, it will streak and look awful! Not with these tips! This is my tanning technique that I've done for the past 10 years or more. Get your pen and paper at the ready, I'm about to give out all my tanning secrets!
Firstly, decide what day you need your tan to look best on. For me, it's usually a Friday night or a Saturday. Therefore every week on a Thursday night I do myself a false tan to give me a 'glow' over the weekend and then into the following week too.
When you come to do your tan, make sure you have done a really good exfoliation. Use a nice body scrub and then an exfoliating mitt too. This will allow the tan to apply easily and not 'grab' to dry areas. I also like to do this in the morning and do my tan at night so my skin isn't too warm after the shower when applying.
Before you begin, make sure you have everything you need nearby. This includes body cream/lotion, gloves, tanning mitt and loose, dark baggy clothes to put on afterwards. Make sure your hair is tied back and you've removed all your makeup.
Right, let's go! Put on your sexy latex gloves (powder free always!) and apply some moisturiser to all the dry patches on your body - this includes feet, knees, elbows and ankles. Apply some false tan to your tanning mitt and start applying. I like to work on my lower legs first and then work up the body - DO NOT DO YOUR FEET FIRST!
This is the order I work in (also where I break to add more product) - Face and neck (very small amount to mitt - you can apply moisturiser here first if you wish and make sure you blend!), lower legs, thighs, bottom and lower back, upper back, tummy, chest, arms. Do not apply so much product that you end up with brown goo everywhere, but enough to coat your body thoroughly. Keep massaging the product in and blend, blend, blend. Also, just lightly skim over the areas you have applied moisturiser to for now (except feet - leave them till the end).
When you have done your body, take the tanning mitt off and blend over knees, ankles and elbows to 'soften' the colour with your gloves. If you have enough cream on these areas, it shouldn't grip to them. Then, whatever is left on the tanning mitt, use to blend over your feet and then go over with your gloved hands to blend some more - avoiding the soles of your feet!
Finally, remove your gloves and moisturiser the back of your hands. Then, with whatever is left on your mitt use to blend over the backs of your hands. Rub the backs of your hands together, the little finger sides of your hands and also your wrists together. This should help blend out any harsh edges.
Once your done, allow your tan to dry and put on your loose, dark clothing. I recommend sleeping in the tan and then washing it off in the morning.
If it's the first time you're doing this, then do not do it before a big event as you should ideally have a couple of practice runs first. Always check all over incase there's any bits you've missed, trust me once you've missed a bit once, you'll never do it again! So there you go! How to do a tan at home without the cost of a spray tan.
If you still don't feel confident though, go and get a spray tan done. Still do a good exfoliation first, but the salon should apply cream to dry areas and also some vaseline to your nails to protect them turning brown. Avoid oils after your false tan (home or salon treatment) as this can break down the product, as can the chlorine from a swimming pool.
My fav tan to use is always Xen Tan. It doesn't contain any alcohol and so stops it fading patchy. Anything with alcohol inside can cause it to fade unevenly around the inside of elbows and back of knees so be sure to check the ingredients list first.
I hope you've learnt something new and do give it a try!
Thanks so much for reading,
Emmaline x