We all want that suble glow in the summer, but what if we don't tan? Don't be afraid of those self tanner anymore with the below tips! These will help smooth out the color and make it long lasting.
Get your canvas ready
Your skin sheds its top layer every 7 to 10 days, so you have to apply the tanning product soon after exfoliating to guarantee your tan is perfectly even, and that it lasts the longest.
Get a gentle body scrub and polish away. An exfoliating cloth, like the one by Dermalogica, will also do the trick if used gently. Once you're so-fresh-and-so-clean, moisturise your whole body, paying extra attention to notoriously dry patches on elbows, knees, and ankles.
Wear gloves
In the interest of not having orange palms, wear a tanning glove. These help you apply the product evenly, and keep palms and the webbing between your fingers from turning an orangey-brown colour.
You're ready to glow
Now that you're suited up and smooth, start applying the product limb by limb, starting with calves and moving up to the thigh. It's best to get a bestie or boyfriend to help you with your back, since you can't really see or reach. We recommend that when it comes to hands, neck, and feet, you mix the product with a little bit of your moisturiser to dilute it and allow your tan to “fade off” instead of just abruptly stopping at the ankles and wrists. Pay very close attention to your fingers, and toes. These should be done last and with just a tiny bit of diluted product.
Face application
Typically, most brands don't advise you use the same tanner for your face as you do for your body. Whatever you use, apply from the middle outwards, careful to not overdo it. Do your upper-lip area last, with just a smidgen of tanner so you don't accidentally give yourself a moustache (as funny as they may be).
Wait a few hours (different products, different wait times), rinse, moisturise, and you should be a bronzed goddess ready to embrace summer!
