Although more and more of us are these days choosing to remain beyond the pale, so to speak, many of us still prefer not to spend the summer looking like a vampire.
Fake tans should be the simple answer but, frustratingly, you can’t just slosh it on as blithely as the average foundation.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve applied it at night in the ‘mood’ lighting of my bedroom, then woken up looking like the love child of Dale Winton and a Jaffa orange. But with the advice of fake tan supremo James Harknett, and a Iot of personal experience, here are the secrets of what you should – and shouldn’t – do.
- DO get your waxing, shaving and exfoliating done 24 hours beforehand to give your skin time to settle down. This is also when to have a pedicure done since scrubbing and soaking your feet after tanning will remove some of the tan from them. No-one wants brown legs and pale feet.
- DON’T use a face or body moisturiser containing oils, AHAs or retinol shortly before self-tanning. Choose an oil-free product instead. Only extra-dry, roughness-prone areas such as elbows, knees, feet and ankles need extra moisture to prevent colour ‘grabbing’, while AHAs and retinol increase cell turnover and, consequently, colour shedding.
- DO work downwards, so start with your face and work from neck to knees and feet. It means you’re less likely to smudge or remove the colour you’ve already applied it.
- DON’T rush. Take your time and you’ll get a smoother, more mistake-proof result. If you’re new to self-tanning it’s often a good idea to start with one area only, such as the legs, while choosing a product with a guide colour is also helpful. Not only can you then see what you’re doing, along with any areas you might have missed, but you get instant colour, too.
- DO prevent giveaway demarcation lines around your hairline by rubbing in the edges of the product with tiny circles rather than long, smooth strokes. And use any residual colour still on your mitt to add a little colour to your ears.
- DON’T use latex gloves or bare hands to apply self-tan. A sponge mitt gives the smoothest, most even colour application. You can even tie it over the top of a wooden spoon to cover your back.
- DO, if you have blonde or fair eyebrows, go over them with a dry (not damp) cotton bud to remove excess product, otherwise they can end up looking gingery.
- DON’T forget that that your hands will probably start shedding colour first because they get washed most often. To preserve their colour, keep them well lubricated with hand cream.
- DO take showers instead of baths after tanning since long soaks can dry your skin, breaking up the colour and causing it to look patchy. Using a moisturising body wash and daily body lotion will also help you keep your tan by helping to keep the skin hydrated.
- DON’T scrub with a towel to dry yourself after washing because any rubbing will have an exfoliating effect. Use a mopping, blotting action instead.
Have you had any fake tan horrors? Tell us below!
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