Tips for Sunless Tanning
I got a wonderfully surprising call from my cousin in Texarkana this morning! So she has prompted me to give some tips to those of us who are trying to go sunless with our tanning efforts. I am hard to tan, so I have used self-tanners for years. I even remember "back in the day" when QT first came out...ooohhhh the streaking, ooooohhh the orange hued skin! No more, ladies! There are tons of products out there that will work great on anybody.
STEP 1: Buy a GOOD QUALITY self tanner suited to your skin type. They even come in different shades now, so if you are really fair skinned like me, DO NOT buy the ones that say DARK. Start out with a light color to build a base, then after a couple of applications, move up to a darker color. I love Neutrogena spray because it is not a lotion, and it sprays upside down to reach hard places. Some of our local retailer carry good brands, but shy away from cheapy-delux. Some people use gloves, but I don't. It's smoother if you use your bare hands, and you can wash them afterward.
STEP 2: Prepare your skin for the process. This means allowing time for a good bath/shower and exfoliation. When you bathe, use an exfoliator (buffer gloves, bath scrub, etc.) all over your body. But concentrate on these areas especially; elbows, hands, knees, tops of feet, toes, ankles and heels. These areas are almost always dry, and tend to "soak up" too much tanner. Scrub 'em 'till they tingle...afterward apply an all-over body lotion to give you a smooth base to work with.
STEP 3: Get some old, and very loose lounging clothes and an old towel ready. Starting with your legs, apply tanner one small section at a time, i.e. left lower leg, right lower leg. Don't use too much tanner, or you will be blotchy. When you get to those aforementioned dry areas, use tanner sparingly. Use long strokes and move quickly over your whole body.
You may have to solicit the help of a really good friend to apply tanner to your back. I still haven't figured out a good way to do that alone.
STEP 4: Using the old towel or an old wash cloth that has been moinstened, gently go over those dry places we talked about, rubbing lightly to remove excess tanner. Next, wash your hands THOROUGHLY using soap, hot water, and a scrubber. Don't forget the underside of your wrist, your palm and between fingers. Then using a cosmetic sponge, re-apply a small amount of tanner to the backs of your hands. Don't overdo it, or your hands will be too dark.
STEP 5: Don your loose clothing, lay the old towel on the couch, chair or bed and relax. Give your tanner plenty of time to soak in and dry before you get dressed...I'd say 1-2 hours. Before I dress, I apply moisturizer one more time. This helps the tan develop evenly.
THAT'S IT! It soundS very involved, but I just try to make it into a pampering session for myself. Remember all the skin damage you are avoiding, and hours baking in the sun! Let me know what you think, and post any hints you have on comments. HAPPY TANNING!
STEP 1: Buy a GOOD QUALITY self tanner suited to your skin type. They even come in different shades now, so if you are really fair skinned like me, DO NOT buy the ones that say DARK. Start out with a light color to build a base, then after a couple of applications, move up to a darker color. I love Neutrogena spray because it is not a lotion, and it sprays upside down to reach hard places. Some of our local retailer carry good brands, but shy away from cheapy-delux. Some people use gloves, but I don't. It's smoother if you use your bare hands, and you can wash them afterward.
STEP 2: Prepare your skin for the process. This means allowing time for a good bath/shower and exfoliation. When you bathe, use an exfoliator (buffer gloves, bath scrub, etc.) all over your body. But concentrate on these areas especially; elbows, hands, knees, tops of feet, toes, ankles and heels. These areas are almost always dry, and tend to "soak up" too much tanner. Scrub 'em 'till they tingle...afterward apply an all-over body lotion to give you a smooth base to work with.
STEP 3: Get some old, and very loose lounging clothes and an old towel ready. Starting with your legs, apply tanner one small section at a time, i.e. left lower leg, right lower leg. Don't use too much tanner, or you will be blotchy. When you get to those aforementioned dry areas, use tanner sparingly. Use long strokes and move quickly over your whole body.
You may have to solicit the help of a really good friend to apply tanner to your back. I still haven't figured out a good way to do that alone.
STEP 4: Using the old towel or an old wash cloth that has been moinstened, gently go over those dry places we talked about, rubbing lightly to remove excess tanner. Next, wash your hands THOROUGHLY using soap, hot water, and a scrubber. Don't forget the underside of your wrist, your palm and between fingers. Then using a cosmetic sponge, re-apply a small amount of tanner to the backs of your hands. Don't overdo it, or your hands will be too dark.
STEP 5: Don your loose clothing, lay the old towel on the couch, chair or bed and relax. Give your tanner plenty of time to soak in and dry before you get dressed...I'd say 1-2 hours. Before I dress, I apply moisturizer one more time. This helps the tan develop evenly.
THAT'S IT! It soundS very involved, but I just try to make it into a pampering session for myself. Remember all the skin damage you are avoiding, and hours baking in the sun! Let me know what you think, and post any hints you have on comments. HAPPY TANNING!
posted by Reality Chick at 12:54 PM
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