3 Things You Never Knew About Self Tanning

She may have sold out in America, caught the attention of Kylie Jenner and countless others, but Marissa Carter of Cocoa Brown always has time for us here at IMAGE.ie. Here, she exclusively shares her tanning tips, and the tricks you may never have considered when it comes to applying your Cocoa Brown at home.

1) Be mindful. Your shower gel and shampoo affects how your self tan develops. Sunless tanners that develop on the skin and then last for up to a week contain an active tanning agent called DHA that is affected by the pH levels of your skin. DHA develops best on skin when the pH is lower. Shampoos and shower gels generally have a higher pH level so if you shower immediately before applying your self tan it might not develop to its full potential! To ensure your tan reaches its full faux glow, shower a couple of hours before applying tan so that your skin’s pH can return to normal.

2) Ever wondered why self tan on your face doesn’t last as long as the rest of your body? You might think it’s because you wash your face more or because you wear make-up daily. The real reason is down to the fact that the skin cells on your face renew themselves up to five times faster than other parts of your body. My top tip for facial tanning is to use a light gradual tan that you can apply daily. Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze for example is a moisturiser that contains a small enough amount of active tanning agent that can be applied every day on your face without the worry of going too dark.

3) There are some parts of your body that don’t ‘take’ self tan as well as other parts. I often hear the complaint that shins or the chest area won’t go as dark as the rest of the body. This is down to the fact that the epidermis layer of skin is thinner on those areas but I won’t get into too much science! To fix this problem, take some lemon juice on a cotton pad and rub it over your shins and d?colletage and then apply your self tan over it. You won’t notice a difference immediately but over a few hours you should notice that your tan goes darker than it normally would on those areas. Make sure you patch test your skin with lemon juice beforehand to make sure it doesn’t cause sensitivity!

Marissa Carter, Cocoa Brown.