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.
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.
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.
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.
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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