This time of the year the arms and legs come out and it seems that every week there is a new tan available to buy. Self-tan is something that I wear all year round and I have tried and tested many. The preparation that goes into a tan is the most important factor though as your tan will only apply easily if you have put in the ground work. The day before exfoliate your skin using a mitt or scrub. Make sure that your skin isn’t dry or flaky and if it is, use an intense body butter straight after the shower. The day of tan application avoid using any heavy lotions or creams, shower but don’t exfoliate. Pat your skin dry. Avoid using any deodorant as this can turn the tan green, but if you do wash the area with a flannel prior to tanning. Apply a light lotion to the dry areas of your body such as knees elbows and ankles. Tan can sometimes gather here giving an uneven appearance to the overall look. Cocoa brown developed Chocolate whip, an oil free moisturiser that is suitable to use after tanning also.Fake tan is something that isn’t a one type will suit all type of product and whether you are a tan aficionado or a complete novice there is a tan to suit you. The most important factor in choosing a tan is that is suited to your skin type and your abilities as some tans , particularly those with no colour guide can be tricky to apply, and if they dry and develop you can end up with a streaky finish, even the ones that claim to be streak free. I think the most fool proof tool to use is a tanning mitt or tanning glove. I have found three of the best tanning applicators and they are all under €15 and reusable. The Glove your body is a dual sided glove that is made of a heavy fabric. It fits on your hand literally like a glove so it won’t slip off during application. It retails at €14.99 and is available on http://www.gloveyourbody.com. They also sell tan removal mitts. Cocoa Brown Deluxe double sided mitt has a velvet soft finish and ensures no leakage of product onto the hands, I have tested this with even the runniest textured tan and it applies them flawlessly. Available in pharmacies at €5.99 and finally the Bellmianta glove is super soft and especially good for applying tanning lotion or liquid. The plush black glove is suitable for left or right handed people and will ensure an even coverage, available in Minihans prices at €9.99. Lets start off with the instant tans of the moment and what I call the Tinder tan, packed with instant gratification and ready and waiting to be applied last minute is the Fake Bake 5 minute mousse. It smells of coconut so even if you get up close and personal right after applying it will not only stay put but it also smells uh-mazing. If you want to be dark then Thats So tan, glam mousse in dark should be your go to tan. It develops overnight to give you that spent a week on a boat in Cannes look, the one favoured by olive skinned beauties like VB. There is no danger of this tan ever going orange and it smells like chocolate. Decadent? Very.
For dry or mature skin the best type of tan to use is a cream or a gel. These are hydrating and glide on well. I love The Tan hydrating gel, it gives instant colour, won’t dry out your skin and offers the most perfect fade, I like it especially at this time of year when I wear tan every day as there is no build up at all. It retails at €22.99from Dollface Vanity.
If I had to choose a favourite mousse tan the latest addition to the BBold family is a winner. This tan is suitable for dry or normal skin types and there depth of colour depends on how long you leave the smart mousse on your skin for, you can do 1,2,or 3 hours and shower it off, leaving you to go to bed with an already developed tan and wake up bronzed and ready to go. If gradual is more your style then check out the Moroccan tan gradual tan. It is light and really easy to build, a godsend for paler skin tones as it just gives a hint of colour. One of the most iconic tans available is the Lancome flash bronzer leg gel. Developed for the legs which are hard to get right colour wise I have used this on many occasions on areas other than the legs with great success. Post tan there are some great options out there in the format of oils and gels to add sheen to your already bronzed look. Cocoa Brown Golden Goddess Oil smells lovely and adds such a nice sheer glittery glow to arms and legs. I can honestly say that the product is easy to apply and lasts well without feeling too oily. If you like to darken the glow slightly then try the Body Shop Honey Glow which as well as sparkle adds a nice sheer bronze glow. Great over a natural tan too. He-Shi take a different approach with a tinted gel that can be worn alone or over tan. I wore this to a concert recently and was delighted with the extra colour especially on my legs.
GlamityJane 