With the warmer weather waning, you might be looking to extend that summer tan and allow that healthy bronze glow to live on a little longer. The idea of slathering on fake tan can be scary to some so I’ve put together some of my top tips for tanning, along with my favourite products.
Tan Babe Instant Mousse
This is sort of a “rapid tan” in a bottle. You apply the mousse formula and wait only about an hour (you can leave it on for longer if you want a deeper tan, I did) before washing it off. I love a mousse formula as I find them the easiest to apply and blend. The colour is great - not too dark but definitely a noticeable difference. This is also 100% vegan and organic.
Oasis Supertan
It’s always good to have a gradual tan on hand for times when you didn’t get round to tanning fully, or you just want to top up your colour a bit before heading out. This is a fast drying cream formula with an instant bronzer so you get immediate results but the full colour comes through after a few hours. It contains antioxidant rich vitamin E, as well as calendula and jojoba oils for a silky hydrated finish. Also 100% vegan and comes with a tanning mitt.
MoroccanTan Instant Exotic Mousse
It’s safe to say you have zero chance of going orange with this one. The colour is spot on what a natural sun kissed tan would look like - nice and olive. I’ve found it can take slightly longer to rub in perfectly but it’s not hard and it’s worth it to me for the deep olive result. It starts off as a mousse but almost transforms into somewhat of a tanning oil when you start rubbing it in. It has a pleasant scent and you can see where you’re applying it.
Manuka Doctor Age Defying Facial Bronzing Gel
I find this a great tanner to use on my face, while I use something else on the rest of my body. The tan on my face wears off much faster than my body (probably due to multiple cleanses etc) so I don’t always tan them together. You might also find your face is naturally much lighter than the rest of your body (maybe you wear a high spf daily on your face) and so this comes in handy to even everything out. It’s lightly tinted to give a natural even tone and contains iconic Purified Bee Venom, as well enzymes, peptides and amino acids to improve skin elasticity.
Eco Tan Invisible Tan
I’ve used EcoTan for a long time and still enjoy it. It’s a moisturising cream that you rub in and I find it great particularly for face. It doesn’t have a colour guide so you have to be aware of where you’re putting it at the time. It delivers a nice golden summery tan, nothing too dark but still worth the effort. No fake tan smell and doesn’t come off on sheets.
TOP TANNING TIPS
Always exfoliate before tanning. Use exfoliation gloves or a loofah and a body scrub to remove dead skin cells. The reason a fake tan doesn’t last is because it only affects the top layers of the epidermis, which are regularly replacing themselves. Any areas that are dry will do this faster and your tan in these areas will go patchy. By exfoliating first you’re ensuring you remove any skin that’s close to coming off so that you can enjoy the most even tan possible for the longest.
Moisturise dry skin before tanning. Don’t moisturise your entire body, only the parts that are prone to picking up more colour than others. generally these are elbows and knees, hands and feet and face. Apply minimal tan to these areas to ensure you can blend it out well - I usually just apply what’s left of my mitt over my hands and feet to avoid a buildup in those areas.
Make it even. So here’s the deal: don't just tan your face, tan your entire body or at least all the skin that’s going to be on show, otherwise you’ll look like you have the wrong shade of foundation on, which is not cute.
Rinse and Repeat. Most tans last 4-5 days before becoming patchy or fading. Once this starts to happen, scrub it off in the shower and start again. The best way to ‘loosen’ or remove a tan? Soak in a tub with epsom salts.