Day before fake tan application:
Prior to applying fake tan, there are a few preparations to be made to ensure a flawless, even, bronzed result.
Step 1: Exfoliate:
The night before fake tanning you want to exfoliate.
“Exfoliating is one of the most important steps to achieve an even looking tan. It removes the top layer of dead skin and buffs away dry skin patches, so that anything you put on your skin will absorb with ease and will apply evenly.”
I personally take a bath, which helps to soften my skin then exfoliate with my own DIY body scrub recipe (coming soon), which works incredibly well! Use an exfoliator, which is gritty as this will be more abrasive. The lush ocean salt exfoliator is great as well. Another option is using an exfoliating mitt.
Step 2: Hair removal:
Shave skin or if you prefer wax be sure to do this at least 2 days before fake tanning so that your skin will not be irritated.
I recommend using a shaving gel when shaving to ensure that you get a nice clean shave and to prevent razor bumps.
Slather your body is a rich nourishing body butter some of my favourites include Kiehls ‘Soy milk and honey butter’, ‘The Blissful Body Butter’, Josie Maran ‘Whipped Argon Oil Body Butter’. As long as you use an intensely hydrating product, it will hydrate your skin.
Day of fake tanning:
Step 3: Apply fake tan
Just before you apply fake tan take a shower using body wash/mild soap to remove excess oils left on the skin as it can prevent the tan from absorbing properly.
Moisturize elbows, knees, hands and other dry parts of body (with the same rich body butter used previously)
Apply fake tan with a mitt in same direction coating your entire body. The St Tropez application mitt is my favourite.
Having trouble apply fake tan to your hands and feet? Use a kabuki brush to buff tan over hands and in-between fingers and toes this will prevent tan from going patchy.
Keep the tan on for as long as possible for a deep dark tan! I like to sleep in my tan overnight. Wear loose dark clothing to prevent tan from discolouring your sheets.
Step 4:Moisturize
Rinse off tan in shower and pat dry to reveal a gorgeous bronzed goddess tan that looks like you spent a month in the Bahamas!
Moisturize daily to prolong your tan and it will last up to a week. You can add a liquid illuminator to your moisturizer if you want an added luminosity.