Love Being a Woman

So, the sun’s shining, we are starting to get a bit more daring with showing the flesh and we want to look tanned and healthy!  We’ve been covered up all winter but we want to look like we have just stepped of a plane from Barbados!

Time for the fake tan!  As we all know fake tanning became the preferred method of giving our skin a healthy glow when we all eventually began to understand the damage that the sun could potentially do to our skin.  When I worked in a salon/beauty therapy centre years ago we had people queuing up for their fake tan before they went away.  We always used to use St Tropez but now there are literally hundreds to different fake tans to choose from, from foam and spray applications to slow tanning lotions right up to spa, salon and air brush applications.

The primary ingredient in the majority of fake tanning products is dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, and they work by reacting to amino acids found in our skin cells.  This interaction is what provides the “tan”.  Please bear in mind though that these products will not protect your skin from the sun so sunscreen protection is still needed.

One of the most popular applications today is the airbrush tanning methods.  These are most successful when done in a tanning salon, but there are new methods available on the market, that allows users to apply them at home.  These can be costly, however and often, the results aren’t as dramatic as those you would get in a spa or salon setting.  With this tanning technique you will need to persevere with a bit of trial and error to find the right one for your complexion, as you definitely don’t want to end up with the dreaded orange look.  Always start of paler and build on it.  Its safer and wont give you that drastic overdone look!

It’s important to do your research on the application methods.  Airbrush tanning might be the new ‘in thing’ but it’s not the only method.  Every product has its own merits and obviously the prices will vary greatly as well.  Keep your budget in mind, especially if you’re new to fake tanning products. Don’t spend a fortune then find it’s not the right one for you.

I’ve tried applying fake tan myself and ended up in a right mess.  Dark patches around dry areas which just look hideous. With St Tropez you can buy their own exfoliating and moisturising lotion which works well with the product.  Always pay attention to those dry areas such as your knees and elbows especially if we haven’t looked after them like we should have in the winter!

I find the moisturisers with tanning in them the best, personally I use Johnson’s, its fab, it smells good and I can put it on at night and the results are great in the morning! (Doesn’t look good when it’s been put on after a couple of glasses of wine though!)

Don’t Forget the plastic gloves unless you want to look really daft with tanned palms!

And, lets face it, if the tans done right and looks good you will feel like a million dollars x

Tags: Beauty, Health, ideas, makeup, tips, Women