Self Tanning Tips

Most people would agree that having tanned skin looks better than having white pasty pale skin.

People with tans are generally perceived as being more attractive and having better looking skin, so it’s no wonder tanned skin is so fashionable nowadays.

The trouble however is that staying in the sun to get a tan is really bad for your skin.

Even though you may get a really nice tan now and look great for a few summers, eventually you will have to pay the price for that tan when you get older.

What’s the price of a good tan? Well, depending on how long you stayed in the sun unprotected you can expect to see fine lines or wrinkles in your early 30′s, sagging skin in your late 30′s to early 40′s and pigmented skin in your 40′s, 50′s or 60′s.

Sunless Tanning

Fortunately there is a way to look tanned without exposing your skin to the harmful rays of the sun.

Self tanners and bronzers allow you to sport a great looking tan all year round without having to go sunbathing or go under a sun bed.

This means that not only will your skin look great now, but it will also look great when you are older.

How To Choose The Right Fake Tan

Just like any other skin care product, the secret to getting good results lies in the type of product you buy and how you apply it.

The first thing you should be looking at is your own skin. Do you have naturally very white skin, or do you already have some colour to your face?

Depending on your natural skin tone you may need either a light, medium or dark tanning lotion.

Be sure you experiment and get the right type, because if you get a tanning lotion which is too dark your face will look unnaturally dark and it will be obvious you have applied some fake tan.

Likewise, if you use a tanning lotion that is too light for your skin, you probably won’t notice any difference after it has been applied.

The trick therefore to getting a great looking fake tan is to use a product that complements your natural skin tone, and something that gives you a hint of colour rather than painting your face completely brown, or worse, orange!

How To Apply

In order to avoid streaks and have an even tan it is important that you exfoliate the area of skin you will be applying the tanning cream to.

This should be done once or twice a week and not before every application. When you have properly exfoliated your skin your tan will look much more natural.

To apply a tanner of bronzer spread a thin layer over your skin being careful not to go over the same area twice. Doing so could lead to streaks.

Tanning lotion should be applied to naked skin, so make sure you are not wearing any clothes that could rub against the skin while it is drying otherwise you will get streaks or patches.

Leaving To Dry

Once you have applied your tan and allowed it to dry, avoid doing any exercise and don’t get your skin wet such as by taking a shower or going for a swim.

Most tanning lotions do not give instant results, but rather take about 2-3 hours before you will see the full results.

Washing Your Hands

After you have applied your tan remember to wash your hands! You don’t want patches of tan on your hands or your fingers, as this will not only look horrible, but will be a real giveaway that your tan is fake.

For women with long nails, use a nailbrush to make sure you don’t have any tanner under your nails or on the tips of your fingers.

If you find that washing your hands doesn’t remove all the tanner, try using an exfoliant scrub and that should do the trick.

How Often Should You Apply Fake Tan?

How often you apply fake tan really comes down to personal preference and the type of product you are using.

Some people who want a very gentle tan will apply tanner to their skin for two days, have one day break, then apply tanner for another two days and so on.

Other people may apply tanner for one week and then have one week off before reapplying it again the next week.

And then you have people who apply fake tan everyday. These are usually the people who look very brown and sometimes orange all year round.

So experiment with how often you will apply your tanner until you find a system that works best for you.

One thing worth remembering however is that your tan will eventually come off as your skin cells die and shed themselves. So if you exfoliate often, then you may need to apply your tanning lotion more frequently.

Bronzers are a little bit different than self tanners. Whereas self tans tend to take longer to develop and last longer, bronzers give you immediate colour to your skin but don’t tend to last as long.

Full Body Tanning Spray

Whilst most people choose only to tan their face, some people like to have a full body tan.

One of the best ways to do this is to go into a tanning studio where you can get your whole body sprayed with tan.

To do this you stand naked in a small chamber with a shower cap, close your eyes and hold your breath while a series of sprayers spray an even amount of tan over your entire body.

After a few minutes you will have an extremely good looking tan that will make you the envy of your friends.

Be aware however that little is know about the safety of spray tans, especially if you inhale it. So it is up to you to decide if you want to give it a go, and how often you will get it done.

Chances are though, it’s probably not very good for you if you breath it in through your mouth or nose.