Hey guys!
Every summer when I was in middle school, I would lather myself in half a bottle of tanning oil, and lay out on the dock at our cottage and BAKE myself in the sun! ahhh it was so so bad for my skin, and after doing some research on sun damage, I am terrified of stepping out into the sun without at least SPF 60 on! I already notice fine lines on my forehead, (they’re fine but there there!!) and it’s from my obsession with being tanned when I am younger! Even though I am only 17, I still want to take care of my skin while I am young, because my skin is at it’s peak and it’s only downhill form here haha. As well, since it’s the dead of winter in BC, it is rare to see the sun. I still want a bit of a glow, so self-tanning has been my go-to solution these last few weeks!
I have known about self-tanning for a while, I have just been paranoid that I would end up with bright orange skin like in the movies! But now that I have been doing it for a while, here are a few tips and tricks that I have learned!!
XO,
Rebecca
- Find a good self-tanner! I have heard incredible things about the St. Tropez ones, as well as the Loving Tan ones. I use the Australian Gold Instant Sunless Tanner, and I really like it!
- Shaving is so important to do before you self-tan, because it ensures you will have an even tan. Something I have learned form self-tanning is to wait at least 2 hours after you shave before applying self-tanner. After you shave, the pores in your legs open up (gross, I know, but it’s true!) and the self-tanner can get trapped in the pores and you can get little brown spots all over your legs.
- Exfoliate! This will make the application go a lot smoother, and your tan will last longer. You will also want to get rid of any old tan you have before you apply a new one, so a quick exfoliation – even if it’s with some basic white sugar – is a must!
- I like to apply a gentle moisturizer to prep for the self-tanner.
- Going in even strokes, apply your self-tanner. I use my hands, but I think using a mit or glove might be better! If you are using your hands, be sure to use dish soap to get the tan off your hands, otherwise they will be super orange!
- After a 2 hours, (according to the instructions on my bottle) rise off in the shower so it doesn’t transfer onto your clothes.
- Every evening be sure to moisturize lots to help your tan last longer!
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when self-tanning
- Be sure to do self-tanning during an afternoon when you have a lot of time! It is important to give your tan lots of time to set, and the last thing you want is for your light wash jeans to be stained with your self-tanner!
- Follow the instructions on the bottle. Each self-tanner is different, and although they usually follow the same generic instructions, be sure to follow the ones specifically for your self tanner for best results.
St. Tropez | Australian Gold | Loving Tan
