Golden Girls: How To Perfect Your Tan This Summer

REMOVING AN OLD TAN – WHAT?S THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD?

Swim in chlorinated water – the chlorine will soften the tan. Follow this by a sauna to encourage skin to sweat, and then scrub with exfoliating gloves. Repeat in a hot bath with bath oils. To remove stubborn tan build-up, take an exfoliating wipe, soak it in facial oil and rub it away.

TIPS FOR PREPPING SKIN FOR A NEW TAN?

? Don’t wax before tanning – this will open pores and leave you looking more plucked chicken than chic.

? Remove deodorant, make-up and perfume pre-tan.

? Exfoliate too, concentrating on feet, knees, and elbows, where we tend to have dry skin.
? Use a cotton bud to apply a tiny amount of Vaseline or Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream around the nails, brows, lips and hairline to stop tan taking there.

APPLYING TAN – ANY TIPS?

Using an applicator mitt ensures the mousse is distributed evenly across the skin’s surface. When tanning hands and feet, don’t add any additional product to the mitt – just use the residue from the body application.

HOW TO ENSURE AN EVEN TAN?

Before you apply self-tan, moisturise dry areas with St Tropez Tan Enhancing Moisturiser – this is rich in aloe vera (the secret ingredient for perfect tanning) and stops the tan from going too dark in key areas.

THE LATEST TREND IN PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY?

Tanning isn’t just about achieving golden skin – it’s now about creating shades, depth and definition on our frames – as well as highlighting, strobing, and blurring skin. We’re seeing many products combining from three or two products into one. Take St Tropez Gradual Tan Tinted Everyday Body Lotion, for example. The product has a base of a gradual tan, building a colour on the skin every day it’s used. The lotion is formulated with a rich golden topcoat that gives an instant hit of bronze. Infused within this topcoat is a rich stream of silicone, which aids in the visual appearance of skin blurring. Together, this creates a blurred, golden and hydrated skin tone.

 

STREAKING/TRANSFERRING/ODOUR – HOW TO LIMIT THESE?

Practice makes perfect. You will build confidence after each application. Exfoliate prior to any tan application to ensure an even skin base, and don’t forget to wipe palms and nails after to ensure no tan is left there.

HOW TO EXTEND A GOOD TAN?

Once you have built the desired colour, apply St Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower in either Golden Glow Light or Medium every second or third day. Avoid swimming and hot saunas. Exfoliate to preserve the tan’s even appearance, remove older tan, and encourage a natural fade.

WHAT IF A TAN ISN?T EVEN?

Many women find tan doesn’t take as well to certain areas, like the legs. As a rule of thumb, the darker the tan, the more it will cling to the’skin; so if you’re finding tan doesn’t take, opt for a deeper version. You can also apply St Tropez Gradual Tan Tinted Everyday Body Lotion, which has an instant golden tint that can help match up the colour. As it contains gradual tan, it will also top up the colour, making an area such as legs look completely even. And to avoid ?leg fade?, steer clear of skinny jeans, as they tend to rub.

TIPS FOR OPTIMUM WEAR-OFF?

Moisturise – to prolong your colour and ensure an even fade.

DO I NEED A DIFFERENT PRODUCT FOR MY FACE?

Not necessarily. Sometimes I mix tan in with a normal moisturiser. Always splash the face with cold water to close pores before applying tan.

The tools …

1 Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, €35?2 St Tropez Self Tan Luxe Facial Oil 30ml, €33.99?3 Sanctuary Gentle Polish Body Scrub, €8

This article can be found in the July issue of IMAGE which is now available nationwide.