Tanning Do's and Don'ts

First of all lets quickly talk you through how fake tans actually work. There is a key ingredient in all fake tans call DHA. This is non toxic when used appropriately. The DHA reacts with the amino acids in the protein keratin in your dead skin cells to create a browning effect to the skin. 

This is why when there is a larger build up of dead skin cells the formula will grab to those areas and can create a patchy uneven result.  Ok, now we have the boring stuff out of the way let's talk about how to get that flawless tan.

SKIN PREPARATION

We all know preparation is the key to getting the best even long lasting tan but what prep is the most important?

You can start to prep for your tan a few days out before applying or getting a spray tan especially if its for an event and you want a seamless results. 

A few days prior make it a priority to ensure you are drinking enough water. This ensures hydrated skin all over the body to make your tan as log as possible. 

You can prep your skin a few days before by applying a moisturiser with fruit enzymes or AHA's to start a gentle exfoliating process. This will start to takeaway dead skin cells to ensure the best canvas for applying your tan. 

Here's some of the moisturisers we love and recommend for a little pre tan prep. 

      

 

 

Now that we're all nice and moisturised let's talk hair.

Hair removal will mean a smooth surface and take away dead sin cells but timing of waxing or shaving is crucial for seamless results. All hair removal should be done 24 hrs prior to allow the hair follicle to close over so your tan doesn’t end up clogging the hair follicle, what we don't want is a spotty finish. Waxing will heat the skin leaving the pores open for longer so ensure you do all your waxing at least 24 hrs before applying a tan. 

The day of your tan get out that exfoliating mitt. If you're still looking for the mitt of dreams we are loving the My Glow 2 Silk Exfoliating Mitt - $34.95

To get the best result from your exfoliating mitt you can take a bath or soften the skin in the shower for 5-10mins before using your mitt to remove dead skin build up. Take extra time on areas such as knees, elbows, ankles and around the under arm creases as these can tend to have a build up of dead skin which means the tan will grab more to those areas. 

When applying your tan make sure skin is dry and clean of any perfume, deodorant, sweat and moisturiser. The only areas you want to apply a moisturiser is knees, ankles, elbows and hands to avoid the tan grabbing too much to these areas that can tend to be more dry. Something basic with not much scent and simple ingredients is best. 

Don’t apply tan in a hot room and have a fan near if your are in a hot environment to avoid getting sweaty when applying the tan. This will also help the tan dry quickly after application. 

Work from the bottom up with 1-2 pumps at a time to ensure you can spread the mousse evenly in long strokes up the legs and using the excess at the end to apply to the feet and ankles. Do this with each area of the body working your way up. 

Apply a second coat to any areas needed or if you want a darker tan. 

Pro tip: Never leave a tan longer than 5 hours if you can, as this will help with getting the darkest results without drying out the skin and over processing your tan. 

 

AFTERCARE

Now that we've got the messy stuff out of the way, lets talk you through how to get the longest lifespan out of that lush new tan.

Rinse with warm water only NO SOAPS. NO BODY WASH. NO SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER- notice the all caps? We're super serious about this part... this can stop the tan from processing and no one wants that so only rinse the guide colour off with light circular motions and warm water. Pat dry and let your tan develop for the following 12 hrs. On your second shower you can use soaps or body wash. 

Don’t apply moisturiser until your tan has full developed this will effect how dark your tan develops making all that application time for nothing, we want to work smarter, not harder. 

 Speaking of moisturisers... this is the next best thing to keeping your skin looking glow and bronzed BUT you must avoid moisturisers that have fruit enzymes or AHAs as this is going to make your tan come off much faster and you’ll only get a few days of colour instead of 7-10 days of golden goodness. 

 To really make the most of your tan you want avoid saunas and excessive sweating which can rub the tan off if you are wearing tight crop tops or active wear. Regular ocean swims can also impact the lifeline of your tan as well as baths or float pods. I know, i know... all we wanna do is take a dip of a warm sunny day too but we had to mention it.

And there you have it. Now that you're well informed on the proper way to tan AND look after it, you will now be unstoppable in your glorious golden glow.