fake tan

Despite it being a pretty wet and miserable day as I write this post, the days have been getting a little warmer of late and soon it’ll be the time of year all girls dread…it’s time to get your legs out and sadly they haven’t seen daylight since last September. That’s right girls it’s pasty legs time, but fear not, I’m here to help…or rather, fake tan is.

Now, don’t be scared. I know you fear the orange streaks and patchy tan mistakes of days gone by, but things are different now. Follow my step my step guide below and trust me…fake tan can be your friend again.

TIP 1: Scrub up

Say it with me now…exfoliate, exfoliate exfoliate. Exfoliating your body will remove dead skin cells and create a smooth and uniform surface on the skin for your tan to be applied to, which will help result in an even colour. You’ll want to make sure you stay clear of exfoliators that contain oils as these will create a barrier on the skin so are not really ideal for tanning. Make sure you pay special attention to your elbows, knees and ankle areas as this is wear rough and dry skin tends to build up. I always opt for Thalgo Descomask Body Scrub.

TIP 2: Hair removal

This is where timing is key. Any hair removal, whether it’s waxing or shaving should be carried out 24 hours before you tan. This ensures that the skin is calm and ready for tanning. Never, EVER try to wax after applying tan ladies as all you’ll do is remove every last bit of tan in that area. Not the best move.

TIP 3: Moisturise

On the day of your tan application, don’t moisturise your body, or wear deodorant or perfume. Again, the moisturiser acts as a barrier to the tan and will prevent an even application. By all means (and please do) moisturise the night before, just not on the day. More on that later.

TIP 4: Showertime

If you have a shower just before your tan application make sure you blast your skin with cold water before you get out. It might not be your favourite thing to do, but it will shrink all of your pores and therefore reduce the chance of them getting blocked

TAN TIP 5: Aloe Vera

Moisturise your hands, elbows, knees and feet as well as your nails with an aloe vera based moisturiser. Also, If you have blonde hair, add a light layer of moisturiser to your hairline and eyebrows to stop them from absorbing tan and changing colour.

TAN TIP 6: Which brand?

With fake tan you really get what you pay for and if you opt for a brand that specialises in tanning, then you’re sure to get better results. A no brainer really. I will always go for St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse. It’s quick-drying, so easy to apply and best of all it’s what I call an intelligent tan – it matches your skin tones and reacts with your amino acids to develop into a shade that is reflective of you, i.e. no orange or luminous fake looking tans. Winner.

TAN TIP 7: Application

Always apply using an applicator mitt. Pump your product onto the mitt and apply to the skin using sweeping motions, rather than circular motions - remember you want to evenly distribute the product. Make sure you start at the ankles and work your way up. When it comes to your back, flip the mitt back to front, you’ll find it easier to apply.

TAN TIP 8: Face time

When it comes to your face, the best tip I ever received is to mix the self tan with a small amount of moisturiser. This softens the formula to minimise the chance of breakouts.

One last tip – make sure to apply moisturiser to your hands before you start to stop you getting orange palms…never a good look.

Happy tanning! Feel free to share any of your own tips below.

xoxo

It’s a bit of a cliché for stylists to ask their clients if they are going anywhere nice for their holiday. But we love a good old chat about our hols at the salon, so pah. But in my case, it’s my clients who ask me! Well actually they constantly ask me where I’ve been and if I had a good time.

How to envoke holiday envy

Keeping up with the beach holiday look

I’ll let you into a little secret. I may look as if I’ve just stepped off the plane, you know all tanned and tousled, but I haven’t. No, my holiday was weeks ago...sshh don’t tell anyone! So how do I evoke holiday envy? It’s easy with my trusted fab hair and skincare products of choice.

Tan-tastic

Let’s start with the tan. This always gets loads of oohs and aahs. Everyone wants to know how I keep my great colour for so long. Well, I swear by St Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Lotion 240ml for a long lasting, even and natural looking tan. And do you know what I love most about this product? It’s really easy to apply and delivers brilliant results every time. Apparently it works with the Melanin in your skin, so it won’t make you look like you’ve been tangoed. I’m talking streak-free and even colour without the tell-tale smell of fake tan. Mind you, our therapist is very partial to bronze body powder; you know the stuff you brush on? Admittedly she always looks lovely and tanned.

Top tip

To keep your fake tan looking the business for longer, always exfoliate and moisturise any dry areas before applying. I know, sounds like a chore but it’s not. Especially when it ensures those pesky knee, elbow and ankle areas don’t give you away. My faves for the job are St Tropez Body Polisher and St Tropez Body Moisturiser. Also make sure you don’t spray any perfume or deodorant before you apply as this can make the tan patchy. Oh and remember to wash any excess tan off your hands – no one likes tanned palms.

Face it

Now I don’t know about you, but I always seem to lose the colour from my face first. I guess that has something to do with cleansing, toning and moisturising. So to top up my tan on a daily basis, I like to apply St Tropez Everyday Gradual Face Medium/Dark. It’s like a tinted moisturiser and gradually builds an even, natural glow, which means I can get away without using foundation too. Not that I’m lazy. Wink.

Blonde bombshell

Now I know peeps still squirt lemon over their hair and apply sunshine to get that sun-kissed effect, but I prefer to enhance my natural highlights with a great hair colour. Not that I mind smelling of lemon, but to be honest I prefer it in my drinks. Right now I’m into Garnier Nutrisse Creme Natural Light Beige Blonde 10.23A. I’ll tell you why. Not only does it give lovely blonde and golden tones, it includes lovely fruit oil to nourish my tresses. The result, positively sun-kissed hair that looks revived after a long, relaxing holiday.

Positively sun-kissed hair with nourishing fruit oil

Pretty pinkies

Have you noticed how healthy your nails look whilst on holiday? It seems they can’t get enough of all that sun and sea. Who can blame them? To keep that healthy look, I use an Essie White Bright Nail Pen, but I also can’t resist a splash of colour against my tan either. So what’ll it be? Hot pink, orange or red?