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.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

Want to attend the Lincoln blogger meet up? Find out more information here

Fake Tanning Routine Featuring Xen-Tan, Dove & He-Shi

Quite frankly, I am pale. And what's worse, I don't tan. If I go on holiday, no matter how much sun tan lotion I put on, I will burn. And after I've burnt, I will go back to being white - it's hard being me you see. So fake tan is a must for me. I haven't had much luck with fake tan in the past; whenever I apply it I normally end up looking like a mess. But now, I'm pretty experienced in tanning and it's something that I've incorporated into a nice routine.

Xen-Tan Perfect Blend - £34.99*

I was a little bit sceptical when I first heard about this.. sceptical but excited. This fake tan self tan for the face and the body on one side and a shimmer bronzer on the other. You turn a dial so you can custom build your own colour. Also I must add, don't be put off by the word 'shimmer..' I've not found any shimmer in the bronze colour but I find it just leaves a healthy, deep glow on the skin. It ranges from 100% light self tan to 100% cosmetic bronzer. You mix them both together and within 3 hours, your tan has developed into a beautiful deep glow. I really cannot recommend this enough. It's very moisturising on the skin and even if I don't exfoliate it applies beautifully and doesn't go streaky. It doesn't smell of biscuits like most fake tan products do but instead leaves a nice, natural smell on this skin. I use this every Sunday night. I'm starting off light and slowly building the colour up to make it look more natural.

Xen-Tan Mousse Intense - £23.99*

I will admit it, before this product I had never used a mousse fake tan before. Crazy right? Especially because there are endless amounts of good reviews about mousse self tanners. This is in the colour medium/dark and it is just that. I don't use this very often as like I said, I'm building my colour up gradually. But I have used this and I can't rave about it enough. It's streak free and once again doesn't smell like fake tan. It's quick drying and gives an instant colour that develops into a beautiful, deep tan that looks natural due to its olive undertone. Once again, this isn't drying on the skin and adds a nice moisture to it. Whilst I don't use this in my routine all the time, I know that when I'm going on big nights out or on holiday this will be the tan that I'll apply beforehand. It lasts a really long time and fades evenly as well. Very beautiful for those who want a quick and easy deep tan.

Dove Summer Glow Nourishing Lotion - £5.69

When I was younger I tried out a lot of the gradual tanners but I ended up being left disappointed. They were patchy, hard to apply and the moisturiser just didn't sink into the skin easily. But when I read this post from The Sunday Girl, I knew I had to invest in the Dove Summer Glow gradual tanner. I use this every other day (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) to up keep my tan and also to moisturise the skin. I have this in the colour fair to normal so it doesn't apply a lot of colour but saves me from using my Xen-Tan all the time as it's pretty expensive (but worth it). I love this but I hate the way it smells. It definitely adds a nasty fake tan smell but when I shower, it does disappear thank god!

He-Shi Facial Tanning Gel - £17.50*

Even though I can use my Xen-Tan on my face I don't like to so I use my He-Shi facial tanning gel. I'm not very sure on this. When I first tried it, I loved it. But since trying Xen-Tan I just don't feel it's as good. It isn't drying on the skin and it doesn't smell bad but it sometimes applies really patchy. So I'm hoping to try out the Xen-Tan Face Tanner (£16.99). If I do, I'll let you know how they both compare.

And to apply all of these products (except the facial tanning gel) I use the Xen-Tan Luxury Tanning Mitt - £3.99*. When I first received this I thought 'how can it be a luxury tanning mitt? Surely it's just like the rest?' But it isn't. It feels really lovely on the skin and whether it's the fake tan or the tanning mitt, I don't get streaks! It's lovely to use and helps to keep my palms clean which is of course, what you want.

What fake tanning products do you use? Have you tried these?

xxx

*PR sample

My Must-Have Summer Products!

With the sun shining beautifully down on England today I thought that today is the perfect day to show you my summer must-have products! If you click on the product names then you can see some past posts where I've mentioned these products. Some of them are full reviews and even have swatches!

 Back Row L-R 

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist* This mist is perfect for taking in my handbag on long days out. It really refreshes the skin and also balances it out. In summer, I tend to get very oily skin and this keeps it shine free throughout the day.

Wilko Suncare Facial Sun Cream SPF 15* My skin is very fair and I burn exceptionally easily. I've been loving this sun cream for the face so far as it isn't greasy and sinks instantly into the skin. I apply it after my moisturiser and before make up and it keeps me protected throughout the day.

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint SPF 15* In summer, I never want a full face of make up so when my skin is looking half decent, I turn to this skin tint. It provides sheer/medium coverage that can be built up and it doesn't cake the skin. It's really lovely and even lasts throughout the day.

Britney Spears Fantasy Perfume A beautiful, girly perfume that lasts throughout the day and makes me smell really sweet! I love this for summer.

ProActiv Daily Oil Control* Like I previously said, my skin is very oily in summer so I use this daily oil control cream with my foundation and it ensures that my skin doesn't look greasy. I also don't like powdering in summer so this and the balancing mist work great together to keep shine at bay.

Wilko Suncare Scalp Protector SPF 15* My hair is very delicate and in the summer, it falls out and breaks even more. I've started using this scalp protector to make sure my scalp and hair doesn't burn and so far, it's doing a lovely job!

No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Me! Me! Me! A really bright in-your-face pink that is perfect for summer. When I'm wearing this, I just feel happy and ready for summer!

Front Row L-R

Boots Extracts Brazil Nut Body Butter This body butter smells beautiful and it lingers on the skin throughout the day aswell. It smells just like summer and reminds me of sun tan lotion. It's also wonderful for keeping skin soft and supple which is a must have for when you have your legs out in summer!

JML Ped Egg* In summer, I always wear sandals so I use the Ped Egg daily to make sure that my feet are in tip-top condition. It buffs away dead skin and reveals smooth skin without causing any pain. It also collects all the dead skin inside the egg so it doesn't get everywhere.

Vaseline Sun Protection SPF15 Of course, the lips need protecting in the summer and this one is lovely. It's just like the other Vaseline's and it keeps the lips feeling soft.

He-Shi Fusion Multi Bronze* I don't tan very easily so I use this bronzer on my cheekbones to give me a lovely, healthy glow. It's a really pretty colour that adds a little bit of shimmer and doesn't have a hint of orange inside it.

Lancome Juicy Tubes in Fraise This lipgloss is wonderful in summer. It's not too bright but it adds a nice shimmery colour to the lips that's an instant perk-me-up. It's also not sticky so you don't have to worry about getting your hair in your lipgloss.

Nivea Glamorous Gloss in Natural This lipgloss is wonderful for moisturising the lips and keeping them glossy. I also have a few matte lipsticks that for in winter are lovely but in summer, I want a bit of gloss so I use this as it's a clear colour.

And finally of course, you want your nails to look beautiful and tidy in the summer so I use the Dirty Works Cuticle Trimmer* to get rid of any nasty, unwanted cuticles. I was a bit worried about using this at first in case it hurts but it's completely pain free. I then use the Dirty Works Fingernail Clipper* to cut my nails down so they're not too long. I don't like long nails as I find it hard to type and text. I also use the Dirty Works 4 Sided Buffer Block* to file and shine my nails. It ensures that nail polish applies lovely and it makes sure that it doesn't go on streaky. It's also great for when you don't want to wear any nail polish as it buffs away any ridges. 

What are your must-have summer products? Have you tried any of the above?

xxx

*PR Sample but this doesn't affect my review at all!

January Favourites

My first monthly favourites post of this year! I didn't really stick to my monthly favourites last year and sometimes they just randomly appeared but I'm going to try my hardest to do these monthly this year. So keep an eye out for them!

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

I really adore this palette. It's very versatile and perfect for creating a nude smokey eye that is suitable for both day time and night time. You can view my full review and swatches here.

Ardell False Eye Lashes

I've been loving wearing false eye lashes at the moment. They really emphasise the eyes and makes them stand out a lot more. These eye lashes are the easiest to use in my opinion and just look so beautiful on. You can see what they look like on here.

He-Shi Express Liquid Tan *

Fake tan has recently become my best friend and I really can't get enough of this He-Shi one. It's easy to apply, doesn't streak and gives a natural looking tan. You can see my (very old) full review of this here.

No7 Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser

I've fallen in love with this cleanser since buying it. A full review will be coming soon but for now I'll just say that it's very refreshing, helps oil, doesn't dry the skin out and also removes all my make up.

Pantene Heat Defence

I wanted to try out a new heat defence and this Pantene one is great because it protects the hair and adds shine at the same time. It also smells beautiful and doesn't weigh the hair down.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush

Dry shampoo is a must have at university as sometimes you're rushed for time. But I also use this one as a sort of hairspray to get volume into my roots. And at the moment, it's half price at Superdrug.

Charlie Body Spray in Essence

I've been loving wearing body spray in the day time and this Charlie one smells so beautiful. It's an 'enchanting creation of zesty fruits, velvety florals and musk.'

Listerine Total Care Zero Mouth Wash

The nicest mouth wash ever! It tastes just like the dentist and oh my, I just can't get enough of it! My favourite mouth wash ever to be honest.

Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy Perfume

My favourite perfume at the moment. It's sweet smelling but also sophisticated. I also love how my friends now recognise this as 'my scent.' You can view my Britney perfume post here.

Avon Colour and Contour in Rose Gold

You can see a swatch of this blusher here. It's so pretty and really brightens up the complexion. The highlight side is also really pretty!

Revlon's Double Twist Mascara

I bought this at the beginning of January as it was on offer for just £5 and I really, really love it. It's very easy to use, grips every eye lash and really extends and volumises. But it doesn't clump up.

Candles

Candles are banned in university hauls but that doesn't stop me! I can't stop using them as they just smell so beautiful. What are your favourite candles?

What products have you been loving this month?

xxx


* PR sample

OTN's

So last night was Carnage at university and although my outfit isn't anything special, I thought I'd show you my face of the evening, my outfit and a picture of me and my friends!

Fake Tan - He-Shi*

Foundation - Estee Lauder's Double Wear

Concealer - Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection

Blush & Highlight - Avon's Colour and Contour in Rose Glow

Bronzer - Sleek's Contour Kit

Eye Shadows - Urban Decay's Verve, Pistol, Gunmetal and Sin

Eye Liner - 17's Liquid Liner

Mascara - Revlon's Double Twist

Lip Stick - MAC's Please Me

Hair - courtesy of my GHD's

The t-shirt is just a Carnage t-shirt and my skirt is just a plain black one from Debenhams.

xxx

TAG: Seven Deadly Beauty Sins!

After watching Gemma's video I decided that this tag would be an interesting thing to do! I didn't fancy doing it on YouTube as I'm still a bit nervous about putting myself on there so I decided to do it in a blog post instead.

Gluttony - What are your most delicious beauty products?

Lip balms! I'm definitely obsessed with them and they're something that I can't stop buying. I love different scents, tastes and feels of them and I must have over 30 of them.

Greed - What is your most inexpensive beauty product? What is your most expensive?

My most inexpensive beauty product was my MUA eyeshadow in the colour Shade 11 - Pearl. As with the basic MUA line, this eye shadow was just £1 and it has wonderful pigmentation and it lasts throughout the day. You can see a swatch of this eyeshadow here. My most expensive beauty product was the Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette (I think) which was definitely worth the price! You can see my full review of this palette with swatches here.

Wrath - What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What has been the hardest to find?

Some days I love this foundation but other days I don't like it. In general it's a lovely foundation that provides medium/full coverage. The only problem is that it doesn't last very well (without a primer) and sometimes can look orange on the skin. But it doesn't stop me from using it as it can look flawless on the skin. Oh I don't know, I'm generally just confused about this foundation!

Sloth - What beauty product do you neglect due to laziness?

Definitely my He-Shi Fushion Multi Bronze*. I adore this bronzer; it's a really natural shade that gives me an instant glow and makes me look tanned but in general, I find bronzers hard to work with. So whenever I'm in a rush, I will skip over bronzer which is a shame because when they're applied properly, they end up completing make up. You can see a swatch of this bronzer here. 

Pride - What beauty product gives you more confidence?

Foundation and concealer! I don't have the best skin in the world; it's spot-prone, full of scars and can sometimes be blotchy. But foundation and concealer are my lifesavers. Especially Estee Lauder's Double Wear and Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection. These two together work wonderfully to create natural looking skin that just looks entirely flawless throughout the day.

Lust - What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?

Looks wise? Zac Efron. He's just a god. But personality wise? Just someone who is easy going, can make me laugh and doesn't take themselves too seriously.

Envy - What item would you most like to receive as a gift?

The beautiful product that is Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Eclat. A wonderful product. A classic. THE product that is perfect for making you look like you've had the most perfect nights sleep you could imagine. I need this in my life. But I can't bring myself to spend £25 on it. So if you're willing to, please feel free! 

If you do this tag on either YouTube or your blog, please let me know as I really love reading/watching them! If you don't, let me know your 7 deadly sins in the comments!

xxx

SUMMER SERIES: Pt 3 - Shimmer/Glowy Products

When the sun starts shining we want to ensure that our skin looks beautiful, glowy and alive right? Well in this weeks Summer Series, I'll be showing you my favourite products to do just that!

 If you read my blog often then you'll know that I'm in love with lip products - and this is no exception! It smells of that classic Liz Earle smell and taste's gorgeous too. Just like the Superbalm, this really moisturises the lips and ensures that they're smooth except it has a hint of colour! It has a pink shimmer running throughout it and a sort of iridescent blue shine aswell. It's absolutely gorgeous! It also looks beautiful over lipstick & I've been using it over my MAC Kinda Sexy lipstick which takes the matte finish to a lovely sheen finish. I'd highly highly recommend the Sheer Pink Lip Shimmer not just for the summer, but forever! 

L-R He Shi Fusion Multi Bronze, Accessorize Merged Blush in Pretty Pink, Liz Earle Sheer Pink Lip Shimmer

Click on the links to take you to the reviews of these products. The He Shi bronzer is perfect for summer, it adds a tan to your skin whilst also subtly highlighting it. As for the Accessorize Merged Blush? I'd highly recommend getting one of these if you haven't already - they're perfect for highlighting/adding colour.

 I am in love with Liz Earle's Sheer Gold Shimmer. This can be used anywhere on your body (within reason of course) and it just adds the most beautiful, natural looking glow! I use this on my cheekbones and it really emphasises them without adding chunky glitter and looking tacky. Another Liz Earle product that I'd highly, highly recommend! 

L-R Nivea Lip Shine in Natural, Two Body Shop Glitters

The Nivea lipshine is something that I received in a giftset off of my sister for Christmas and it really is something that everyone should have in their make up bags. If you're using a matte lipstick, this immediately makes it look shiny and adds dimension. It's also lovely to use over normal lipsticks incase you want an extra glow.

As for the TBS Glitters, I'm not sure if they do them anymore but you can usually find them around Christmas time/sales. They're really great for adding a dab of glitter in case you have a party. And they're cheap!

 

This is from Sainsbury's bodycare range and you can see some other products of theirs that I tried out here. This smells absolutely incredible! On the powder puff, the glitter looks very chunky and like it's going to look tacky. But as you can see from the swatch, it doesn't. It adds a lovely subtle glow for the skin and I've even been using it on my cheekbones to lightly highlight.

I adore all of these products and if you're like me and love a glow when it comes to summer then I highly recommend you checking a few out!

Has anyone tried any of these? Any other recommendations or just comments/questions? Let me know!

xxx