Spring has officially arrived, which means that the semester is almost over and summer is so close. This also means that it is almost time to lounge on the beach with friends all summer long. After a long winter in State College, it’s almost guaranteed that your skin has not seen much sun and you’re the palest you’ve ever been. We have all been there. Having even a subtle glow when you put on that bathing suit for the first time of the summer can make you feel so much more ready to hit the beach. Using self-tanner is much safer and healthier than using tanning beds or laying out in the sun. It’s hard to get your self-tan to look perfect, but following these six tips can help you get that look of a natural, sun-kissed glow without too much effort.
Make sure you shave before
It is so important that you do everything else in your beauty routine before you tan, like painting your nails or putting on a face mask. This is especially important when it comes to shaving. Always shave your legs 24 hours before you plan on self-tanning. Shaving after you tan can remove the tanning product and leave your tan streaky and blotchy. If you shave too close to when you plan on tanning, your skin will be dry and your pores will be open, also leading to an uneven tan. Plan accordingly and shave the night before to avoid a streaky tan.
Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse from Ulta. Photo from ultra.com
Start by exfoliating
Right before you are about to self-tan, make sure you exfoliate your body. Using a body scrub in the shower before can help slough away any dead or dry skin on your body. This will help you avoid a streaky tan and will make your glow look more natural.
Jergens Natural Glow Sunless Tanning Mousse from Target. Photo from target.com
Next, moisturize
After exfoliating in the shower, it is always a good idea to moisturize your skin. Using a body scrub to exfoliate can leave your skin dry if you do not follow up with a moisturizer. When applying body lotion, make sure you focus on areas that tend to be more dry. Putting extra lotion on your hands, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles and face, will ensure that these areas do not end up darker than the rest of your body, again leaving you with an even, natural tan.
St. Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse from Sephora. Photo from Sephora.com
Use a mitt
To apply the self-tanner, be sure to use a mitt designed specifically for this purpose. Self-tanning mitts are designed to apply the tanning product evenly and easily. If you do not have a mitt, you can use your hands, although your tan might end up looking streaky. If you do use your hands, be sure to wear gloves so your hands do not end up tan all over and darker than the rest of your body.
St. Tropez Applicator Mitt from Ulta. Photo from ulta.com
Start from the bottom up
Starting your self-tan from the bottom of your body and working your way up to your arms, chest and face can make a big difference in whether or not your tan looks fake. Start with your ankles and legs and work your way up to your stomach, back and shoulders. End with your arms, chest and face at the end. This process helps prevent any weird creases in your tan from bending over as you apply the product.
St. Moriz Instant Self-Tanning Mousse from Ulta. Photo from ulta.com
Skip your hands and feet
Your hands and feet tend to absorb more product than the rest of your body and often end up looking darker and unnatural as a result. It is easy to tell that someone’s tan is fake if their hands and feet look dark and streaky. To avoid this and get a natural look, do no apply any additional tanner to your hands and feet. After applying self-tanner to the rest of your body, use whatever is leftover on the mitt to buff out your hands and feet so they come out looking more natural.
Self-tanning is the easiest and safest option for getting a natural, glowy tan for the summer. If you do decide to self-tan, the last thing you want is for it to look streaky and fake. Try some of these recommended self-tan products to achieve your best faux tan before you hit the beach.
Related
I am not sure where you are getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for wonderful information I was looking for this info for my mission.
I am now not sure the place you’re getting your information, however good topic. I must spend a while studying more or working out more. Thank you for wonderful information I was in search of this information for my mission.
Hello would you mind stating which blog platform you’re working with? I’m planning to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a tough time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique. P.S Apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
Hi every one, here every person is sharing such knowledge, so it’s pleasant to read this webpage, and I used to pay a quick visit this weblog daily.
Hello to every body, it’s my first visit of this web site; this weblog contains awesome and in fact good information designed for readers.
After I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I recieve four emails with the same comment. Is there an easy method you can remove me from that service? Cheers!
I’m really loving the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into any web browser compatibility issues? A handful of my blog readers have complained about my blog not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Safari. Do you have any solutions to help fix this issue?
Hello there, I found your website by way of Google at the same time as searching for a comparable subject, your site got here up, it seems good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks
Thanks in favor of sharing such a good thinking, post is pleasant, thats why i have read it completely
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wished to say that I have truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again very soon!