The fake tan cheat sheet

Tan yourself

These days, tanning yourself at home couldn't be easier. There are hundreds of products out there on the market and sometimes, it can be a little bit overwhelming. I work at Boots and the amount of times I've been asked for fake tan recommendations is unreal but when I stand back and look at the shelf, it's full of products which claim to do different things. For me, finding that perfect fake tan really is all down to personal preference but there are a few different elements which could help.

Light, medium or dark

Fake tans tend to come in three different shade categories: light, medium and dark. It really is down to you how deep in colour you'd like to go but the rule tends to be that if you're pale, start without something light and then build your colour intensity up. If you are a pale gal then I really love the KIKO Self Tanning Spray in Light* (£5.90) as it's easy to apply and provides the skin with a nice and light natural tan. Nowadays, I use a medium tanner on my arms and a dark tanner on my legs mainly because my legs barely see the sun. 

Liquid, mousse or spray

At home spray tanners used to be messy but with new technology comes new and improved formulas. The spray tans that I've used are wonderful but you do have to be careful about getting them all over your walls. To avoid this, I use mine in the shower and spray a light layer of product onto my skin and then buff it in using a tanning mitt. I love GloTan* (£21.99) a lot. I've reviewed it before here and it really does airbrush your skin whilst added a natural and healthy looking glow. The diego dalla palma Calze Spray* (£23.49) is more like make up for your skin. If you have a bruise that you'd like to cover up then this is your go-to spray tan. It provides a hint of colour and coverage to cover up anything you'd like it to.

Personally, I find mousse tanners hard to use and I don't seem to get on with them. I find them hard to spread across the skin and I tend to go blotchy when using them. However, lots of people find that they're the way forward so I would recommend having a go with one to see how it suits you.

My favourite type of tanner is without a doubt liquid ones. They're easy to apply, moisturise the skin a little bit and I find them to be completely foolproof. I'd recommend any liquid tanner by Fake Bake as I'm yet to find one that streaks. Their Original, Flawless and 60 Minute* (which I've reviewed here) tanners are absolutely perfect and I haven't found a fault in one of them yet.

Gradual and one day 

If you're new to fake tan then you might want to try a gradual or wash-off tan.Wash-off fake tans are wonderful for a one day event as you can simply pop them on in the morning and wash them away once you're done with it. The only problem with one day tans is that at the sign of water, they will go patchy in the affected area so if rain has been forecast, I'd stay clear.

I use gradual tanners to "top up" my weekly tan and to moisturise the skin. They work in the same way as a moisturiser does and you can be pretty careless with your application as they don't give off much colour pay-off. Always remember to wash your hands or use a mitt with them though - orange hands is a no-no. The KIKO Self Tanning Day by Day Lotion* (£5.90) has the most delicious smell ever. The texture is very thick and takes some working into the skin but over time, it turns the skin a beautiful golden colour that shines in the sun. I'd also recommend the Dove Summer Glow range* as they're currently on offer for £2.49 and can be easily picked up in supermarkets and in Boots.

Facial

For me, it's important to have a separate facial tanner to my body tanner. This is because I am prone to breakouts and I don't want something heavy on my face. If you're an avid fake tanner then you'll know that the fake tan on your face fades a lot quicker than the one on your body so finding a fake tan that is easy to apply and layer is key. The He-Shi Face and Body Tanning Gel * (£14.90) is my facial tanner of choice. It's a light gel that glides over the skin and leaves it looking healthy and tanned. It's easy to layer and doesn't have the nasty fake tan smell. The James Read Sleep Mask Tan* (£25.00) is a great product if you're wanting to top-up your tan midweek. It tans your face whilst you sleep so not only do you wake up to beautifully soft skin but to a natural tan too. I've done a full review of this product here.

Fake tan prep

The key to a good fake tan is preparation. You can invest is the most expensive and wonderful fake tanner in the world but it still isn't going to fade evenly or apply nicely if you don't prep your skin beforehand. It's recommended that you shave and exfoliate 24 hours before applying your fake tan to create a nice and even base for it.

Exfoliators

Buffing away dead skin cells will make your fake tan apply much more smoothly and evenly. Like I've mentioned above, it's recommended that you do this a day before applying your fake tan. I also like to exfoliate my skin gently every couple of days to ensure that my tan fades evenly. If you don't do this, you will end up looking like you have some weird skin disease which isn't a good look at all. For both fake tan prep and fake tan upkeep, I'd recommend the Fake Bake Passion Fruit Body Polish (£11.25). Not only does it smell delicious but it gently buffs away dead skin cells whilst adding moisture to the skin.

Moisturisers

I don't moisturise the whole of my skin before applying fake tan - just the areas that need it. I apply an intense moisturiser on my elbows, wrists, knees and ankles and leave it for a couple of minutes to sink into the skin. I love using the DermaSalve Body Cream* (£5.99-£9.99) or the Lotil Original Cream* (£3.59) as they're both very moisturising and don't mess with the formula of the fake tan. Another top tip of mine is to make sure your elbows and knees are bent when applying fake tan to them - if not, the tan will sit in the cracks and look messy.

Moisturising everyday after you've applied your tan is key to ensure it fades evenly and stays vibrant and lovely. Like I've mentioned, I like to use gradual tanners at times however I'd also recommend the Fake Bake Tan Enhancing Lotion (£13.00) as it's been special formulated to enhance the life of your tan or the Veet Hair Minimising Body Moisturiser (£5.25) as it's light and minimises the appearance of hairs which is wonderful as shaving makes your tan fade quicker.

The special occasion tan

Spray tans

I've only ever had one spray tan in my life and I absolutely loved it. If it was up to me, I'd go for one every single week as they provide the skin with a beautiful, deep, fool-proof colour. If you do have a special occasion coming up (like a wedding, graduation or birthday) then I would highly recommend looking for a local spray tanning centre. My spray tan was the Xen-Tan Signature Spray Tan* which you can find out more about here. It was at Saks Hair & Beauty and you can find a voucher for a £15 spray tan here.

So there we have it, my fake tan cheat sheet. I'd just like to point out that I'm by no means a professional and I've experienced a lot of fake tanning disasters in the past. For me, it's taken a lot of trial and error including many times going out looking like an orange to reach the stage that I'm at now. I thought I'd compile this cheat sheet to help you along the way as like I've mentioned before, there are so many products out there that it can be extremely overwhelming if you're new to the fake tanning world.

If you have any top tips then please do leave them below and I hope you found this helpful. What's your favourite fake tanner?

*PR Sample

Everything in my blog sale has been reduced. I'm moving out of university in a few weeks time so I need everything to be sold. If you're after a bargain, you can find my blog sale here. I'm also selling the pink/coral dress above on eBay. It's BNWT, has only one bid with two days left and you can find it here. The starting price is 99p.

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What I Use On... My Legs

When it comes to nights out, I always try and make sure that my legs look good and I thought it'd be interesting to show you which products I use on them as I think I've found some true gems!

Dove Summer Glow + Soft Shimmer* £4.99 - I use this to top up my fake tan throughout the week. I probably use it two-three times and it's the only gradual tanner that doesn't leave the skin looking streaky. It also has a pleasant smell that doesn't smell like nasty biscuits. It's great on the legs because it adds subtle shimmer.

Jergens Original Beauty Lotion* £3.49 - This is the only body lotion I'll ever use. It's definitely my go-to one as it's my favourite ever smell, cheap and it does the job. It sinks in nice and quickly and doesn't leave a nasty film on the skin. The moisture also lasts a while as I only need to use it once a day.

L'Oreal Perfect Slim £6.95 - I use this a couple of times a week to tighten up and tone my thighs and arms. It's a nice gel formula that's quite cooling. I'm not sure if it works but it feels nice so I continue to use it.

Dr Ceuticals Leg Tone & Shimmer* £8.49 - This is another toning moisturiser and I use this whenever I go on a night out as it adds a lovely amount of shimmer to the skin which really highlights the legs.

Xen-Tan Mousse Intense* £23.99 - My perfect fake tan! When this runs out, I need to get the lotion version as I prefer lotions to mousses but this is amazing. It leaves the skin a natural olive colour and although it has a green guide colour, it doesn't stain bedsheets. It's also very easy to use, doesn't leave streaks and lasts for around a week while fading evenly. Perfection!

Ministry of Waxing Ice Cream* £21 - Even though this is supposed to be used after waxing, I use it after shaving if I ever accidently cut my legs. It cools the skin and stops little nicks from irritating it.

diego dalla palma Spray on Tights* £22.61 - I hate tights with a passion! But I love how they leave the skin looking perfect. So I've found a middle ground. This Calze Spray is pretty much a foundation to the legs and if I have a bruise on my legs, I'll spray this before going out and it lasts all night and covers it up perfectly.

Caudalie Divine Oil* £25.00 - As well as using moisturiser, I also enjoy using oil. This is a spray bottle so it's easy to apply and it leaves my skin looking glowing, healthy and feeling soft and smooth.

Soap and Glory The Breakfast Scrub* £9.50 - My favourite body scrub! This smells beautiful and does a great job as keeping my skin smooth. Whenever people ask me why my legs are so soft, I say it's because of this beauty! 

What products do you use on your legs? Have you tried any of the above?

xxx

*PR Sample

Snow White & The Huntsman Palette by Diego Dalla Palma.

To celebrate the launch of Snow White & The Huntsman, Universal Films has selected diego dalla palma as the only official cosmetics partner. 

The brand has created a beautiful, magical palette that contains a collection of 6 easily blendable eyeshadows that have been inspired by the adventurous film. Also included in the palette is a full sized lipstick and an eye pencil. Three of the eyeshadows are shimmers and the other three are complementing matte shades: Snow, Shield, Mirror Mirror, Fairest, Destiny and Battleground. The Wicked Queen Lipstick is in vivid blood red and the Dark Night eye pencil in darkest black. The palette retails for just £25 even though the value is of £105! I'd recommend looking at this post by Fee to see the palette up more closely. 

The palette launches online at Tesco Direct on the 1st of May and it will appear in Tesco stores nationwide from May the 21st.

xxx

University Survival Kit!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush - Dry Shampoo is a must-have at university because you will mainly have late nights and early mornings. So if you have to be up early and you wake up late but you don't have time to wash your hair, dry shampoo is a life saver. Also, if you're like me and your hair is often flat, dry shampoo will inject so much volume into your roots.

John Frieda Root Awakening - Hairspray is very important as it will hold your style which is perfect for bad weather! I love this hairspray because it adds volume to the hair and holds the style all day.

TRESemme Split Remedy Split Mend & Protect Leave in Treatment - My hair requires a lot of looking after and this leave in treatment is incredible. It helps seal the hair and fix and prevent any split ends. 

Liz Earle Foot Repair Moisturiser - If you're at university and you love to party then a decent foot moisturiser is a definite must-have. After a night out, my feet are a wreck and I just slaver this all over my feet, leave it to soak in and my feet feel refreshed, soft lovely! 

Liz Earle Foot Spritzer - Same goes for this foot spritzer. It eliminates odour and gives the feet a lovely boost.

Impulse Goddess Body Spray - I adore body sprays and at the moment, this one is my favourite. It smells all citrusy and is perfect for quickly spraying before going anywhere.

Murine Bright & Moist Eyes - A lot of late nights take their toll on you and if you don't want to arrive at a lecture looking half-dead, eye drops are perfect for you. I love these ones because they brighten the eyes as well as moisturising them. They're all really easy to apply and have lasted me a long time. 

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter - When you're going out, there is nothing worse than scaly legs. The Righteous Butter by Soap & Glory is wonderful as it's not only moisturising but it smells gorgeous too!

Dirty Works Pore-fect Face Scrub - Another problem with going out a lot and staying up late is that your skin will probably end up looking dull. This face scrub gets rid of dead skin cells and wakens the skin up. 

Dirty Works Belle of the Ball Face Mask - The same goes for this face mask. You leave it on for 5 minutes whilst it sets and when you wipe it away, your skin will be very radiant and lovely!

Soap & Glory Flake Away - When it gets to winter and your skin starts drying out, there is literally nothing better than this body scrub. It's vigorous but not too vigorous, it smells beautiful and it's also perfect for applying before fake tan.

Johnson's Baby Bedtime Cream - I sometimes struggle to sleep and I apply this moisturising before going to bed. I wake up with soft skin and also the smell helps me get a decent nights sleep. 

Keromask Camouflage Cream - Full coverage foundation is wonderful for when you're taking pictures on a night out/your skin isn't perfect. This is my favourite foundation at the moment as it's the fullest coverage you will get. It's designed to cover up scars and tattoos. It lasts throughout the day/night and is easy to blend.

Diego Dalla Palma Make Up Fixer - Holds make up in place all day and all night. There's nothing more to say except that it's wonderful.

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Primer - Primers are also a great product to keep handy. This one minimises pores, makes make up last all day, brightens the skin and mattifies it.

Blistex Lip Conditioner - Especially in winter months your lips will take a battering. I adore this lip conditioner as it tastes nice and really softens the lips. It's also perfect for throwing in your bag.

Corn Silk Semi-Matt Pressed Powder - I love love love this face powder. When you're up all day and out all night, there's nothing worse than a shiny face. This semi-matt powder ensures your skin looks radiant without looking greasy.

What are your favourite products for nights out etc?

xxx

November Favourites

L-R Tigi Bed Head Sugar Shock Hair Bodifying Sugar Spray, Boots Essentials Nail Polish Remover, Diego Dalla Palma Make Up Fixer, Diego Dalla Palma Calze Spray (Body Foundation), Boots Extracts Cranberry Body Wash, Britney Spears Cosmic Radiance Perfume.

The Bed Head Sugar Spray is a product that I've been using non-stop whenever I'm going on a night out. It adds volume but doesn't leave a sticky layer on the hair. It's easy to brush out and smells beautiful. The smell takes me back to my childhood - it reminds me of this doll. I absolutely adore the Boots Nail Polish remover.. it's better than some of the more expensive brand that I've tried and it's only around £1. The Make Up Fixer and Body Foundation are the first products I've tried from Diego Dalla Palma and I absolutely love them! The Make Up Fixer keeps my make up in place all day and all night long - it doesn't budge when I've sprayed this. The Body Foundation is like a fake tan with the added bonus of covering up imperfections. I've had a lot of bruises on my legs recently and this covered them all! The Boots Extract Body Wash is the only body wash I've been using this month. It smells absolutely beautiful! I also have the matching body lotion and I wouldn't be with them. And of course, I've been loving Britney's Cosmic Radiance fragrance. It's probably my favourite Britney perfume ever! It can be worn during the day and at nighttime - it's versatile. 

L-R Corn Silk Face Powder Semi-Matt, TRESemme Split Remedy Split Med Intense Recovery Masque, HD Brow Palette.

The Corn Silk Face Powder is the only face powder I've been using recently. A woman in Boots mentioned it to me and she recommended it as well.. So I had to have it. It isn't cakey and it leaves the skin looking healthy and pore-free! Of course, I don't have my hair cut so I have to look after my hair really well and the TRESemme Split Remedy range has done a great job of ensuring that my hair is healthy and vibrant. I love the hair masque - it really detangles my hair and adds shine but without weighing it down. My friend has recently sorted my eyebrows out for me and the HD Brow Palette is my number 1 love at the moment. It's amazing what a difference good eyebrows make. And finally, my Pan Oxyl has helped me out a lot this month as my skin has been a nightmare!

What have you been loving this month?

xxx