Fake Tanning Preparation Products

When it comes to fake tanning, preparation is key. There's no point in applying fake tan if you don't have a good base to start off with. It sounds silly but there really is an art to fake tanning. If you don't prepare your skin correctly, then you will without a doubt end up with patchy, streaky, nasty fake looking tan - and who wants that?!

To start off with, all body hair must be removed. It allows the fake tan to apply more evenly and it means that it won't cling onto the hairs. I use the EOS Vanilla Bliss Shave Cream* - £9.45 as it's my favourite shaving cream. You can use this shaving cream wet or dry which is amazing in itself. Since using this, I haven't cut myself once shaving. Which is amazing considering I'm extremely clumsy. It also smells lovely - not overpowering but nice, sweet and fresh - and it moisturises the skin. Secondly, it's incredibly important to exfoliate your skin to get rid of any dead skin cells which will allow a smooth application. I love the Burt's Bees Cranberry & Pomegranate Sugar Scrub* - £12.99. Once again, this smells lovely. It's a big, fruity mess that does a wonderful job at buffing away any dead skin. I prefer sugar scrubs to normal exfoliators when preparing my skin for fake tan as I find that they do a really good, abrasive job yet without being harsh. And this one doesn't let me down.. I use a moisturising body wash just so that I can get as much moisture into my skin as possible so I'm not left with any dry patches. This step isn't a necessity but I do it anyway just in case. I love the Naked Ooh La La Coco De Mer Body Wash* - £3.79 and the Philosophy Christmas Cookie Body Wash - £14. These two smell incredible and they do a great job at adding moisture into my skin. Finally it's so important to moisturise your skin - especially your elbows, knees, ankles and hands. If you don't, the fake tan will go patchy on your dry areas and that really isn't attractive. I either use the Dove Summer Glow Nourishing Body Lotion* - £4.99 or the Jergens Original Beauty Lotion* - £3.49. I use the Dove Summer Glow as a sort of primer as it adds a little bit of a glow/colour to my skin while moisturising it. The Jergens moisturiser is without a doubt my all time favourite moisturiser. It smells so delicious, sinks into the skin quickly and adds so much moisture without being sticky.

What are your must-have fake tanning preparation products?

xxx
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TOP 5: Shower Gels

Ahh, shower gels. My obsession. I currently have over 10 shower gels in my shower alone. This doesn't include the vast array of them lingering around in my drawers. I just love shower gels! And I've picked out my current 5 favourites to show you...

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash, £6.50 - The famous Sugar Crush scent! From the moment I first smelt this, I fell in love with it. I used to (and still do) smell this every Sunday at work and just literally die in a bubble of all things sugary and lime scented. It reminds for of the smell of lemon/lime meringue - so beautiful. The shower gel itself is also very lovely, as are all Soap & Glory ones. It's just urgh, perfection. 

Naked Ooh La La Coco De Mer Body Wash*, £3.79 - which is currently on offer for just £2.53! This is a lovely moisturising body wash. It has coconut derivatives and passion flower extracts inside it which leaves the skin feeling irresistible. The smell itself reminds me of being abroad which in this awful weather we're currently having is just a dream. The Naked brand is also a natural brand as they aim to leave out as many synthetic things that they can.

Philosophy Christmas Cookie Shower Gel, £14.00 - Before I get you all excited, I will just say that this is a Christmas limited edition product and you can no longer get a hold of it (well, not until next Christmas anyway). I bought this on Boxing Day with my Boots points as owning a Philosophy Shower Gel has always been a beauty blogging dream of mine. I've read unlimited posts on how beautiful the Christmas Cookie smell is and as soon as I smelt it in store, I picked it up without a doubt. The shower gel itself did retail for £14 but it was on offer for £7 which is still expensive but oh my, it's worth every single penny.

Lush Ponche Shower Gel - Once again, unfortunately this is a limited edition Christmas shower gel. I smelt this on the off chance that I might like it and surprisingly, I did. The shower gel itself was inspired by traditional Mexican Christmas punch so it smells like orange juice, plum, cinnamon and tequila. It's a really uplifting clean smell and it really wakes me up in the morning. 

Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel - Of course, the cult classic. Another Christmas limited edition I'm afraid but the good news is, there's a 99.9% chance it will be back next Christmas. I buy a bottle of this every year and it's my favourite shower gel, ever. It smells like all things girly and it even contains glitter inside of it. What more could you possibly want? It's extremely sweet and sugary and just beautiful and fun!

What shower gels are you loving at the moment?

xxx

*PR Sample

Skin Care Overhaul

From a young age I've suffered with blemish-prone skin and from then on, I've always been in the mindset that I need to buy products for oily/blemish prone skin. However, I've started to realise that recently, my skin has changed. If I apply foundation it will soon start to look patchy, horrible and dull and it's not just the foundation either as I've switched many times. So it must be my skin care routine. I now think that I have normal-combination skin that suffers with the odd breakout and my skin is definitely very dull. So I've recently decided that I need a skin care overall. I've chosen a few products from Boots and I'm going to do a lot of research into them and visit a few counters to find out if they're perfect for me. As you can see, they're pretty expensive so I don't want to rush into buying them straight away. I will also add that I will be keeping my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish as my nighttime cleanser, my PanOxyl as my spot treatment and my No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream for Normal/Oily skin as my night cream just because I love them so much!

Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel - £11.00

As soon as I read this I knew that I needed to have it. It's a foaming gel that promises to remove make up and pollution for clean, blemish-free, detoxified skin. The Clarins Daily Energizer range sounds wonderful and it's targeted for 18-late 20 year olds and ensures that young skin looks clear, fresh and glowing and feels soft and smooth every day. This is thanks to its energy boosting shot of vitamin C which stimulates the skin's natural defences. It also has turmeric which is a powerful antioxidant, alchemilla which regulates sebum production and ginkgo biloba which brightens the skin and boosts its radiance.

Philosophy Hope in a Jar Original Formula Moisturiser - £34.00

A good moisturiser is key to good skin and great looking make up and I wanted one that boosts radiance whilst protecting the skin. This moisturiser is lightweight and provides antioxidant protection whilst improving skin texture and tone to leave is smooth and radiant. The moisturise improves skin radiance and gently exfoliates to reveal smoother, healthier looking skin and texture.

Biotherm Biopur Pore Reducer Gentle Purifying Lotion - £15.32

This toner is designed with plant extract which helps to refine skin texture and brighten the complexion. I'm still a bit unsure whether to go for this toner or the Clarins Daily Energizer one. I do have enlarged pores but even though this one claims to be gentle I'm still worried about toners completely stripping my skin. But then again I don't want to go for a moisturising one as my make up would literally slide off my face. Or maybe I should leave a toner out altogether? Or maybe I should just buy another Caudalie Beauty Elixir as I loved it so much last time. Or maybe the Caudalie Grape Water as it's pretty cheap and sounds decent. Decisions!

With my staff discount I would get these products for £52.82 which to be honest, I don't think is that bad. Especially because I'll just be using them once a day so they're guaranteed to last me a while. And also, the moisturiser is 60ml which is huge!

Have you tried any of these products? Would you recommend any of them? Or would you warn me to stay clear of any?

xxx