You don't need a tanning season to use sunless tanning lotions! Now, you can now get a tan anytime of the year!
Sunless tanners give you a base tan for the summer sun or give your skin extra color, even in the dead of winter.
They work by bringing melanin to the surface of the skin. (Melanin is the chemical that makes your skin look brown.) The lotions on the market today are a true marvel that can help promote an illuminating glow anytime of the year! They also add youthfulness back to your skin just by creating a suntanned look.
There are generally three shades available, in light, medium, or dark. There are tanners specifically designed to apply on your face and there are gradual tanners that build a tan over time. These products are much safer than going out in the sun, and should be part of any anti aging formula. To slow down the signs of aging, use tanners more often and go out into the sun less often.
Here are some quick tips on how to apply your sunless tanning lotions to leave your skin brown and beautiful!
How to Apply Sunless Tanning Lotions
Step 1: Take it Off - Before you use tanning products, its good to exfoliate your skin several times with a loopha skin buff. These are very inexpensive and easy to use. It doesn't take long to do this and can make a big difference. You don't want to apply a great tan to your body if you have excess dead skin cells on the surface of your skin.
Skin brushing is also a great way to remove dead skin cells. It also improves and cleans the lymphatic system, so you get extra benefits from doing them! Tanners go on much more smoothly on exfoliated skin. If your skin is naturally dry, this becomes especially important.
If you don't want to use a loopha, you can use products like Olay Regenerist Thermal Skin Polisher, especially on your face or for a total body treatment use products like the Micro-Dermabrasion Kit. These help refresh your skin from the inside out. Your skin should turn slightly pink when you exfoliate and feel much silkier when you have finished.
Step 2: Be Calm - Don’t rush into thinking you need really dark skin to begin with. You will only end up with streaks and missed spots. Use products that are top rated like L'Oreal Sublime Self Tanning Lotion, Neutrogena Sun Fresh Sunless Lotion, and Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer. Jergens is the brand I've used for years and is one of the best and least expensive sunless lotions on the market! You have invested your money in quality products so invest the time to achieve an even glow.
Step 3: Check your lighting - Apply sunless tanners in a well lit room. That way you won’t miss any spots or create them. What looks good in a shadowy light may look uneven in the light of day.
Step 4: Use Lotions! - Dilute self tanning products with moisturizers to perfect notoriously tricky areas including hands, feet and ankles. Fruit of the Earth lotions are great because they absorb so quickly and are very inexpensive! Their products are also made in the USA, have all natural ingredients, and have not been tested on animals! What a great company! If you are using a spray or foam, apply the self tanner and wait 30 seconds or until it feels dry to the touch. Then rub a small amount of moisturizer in to blend.
Step 5: Dihydroxyacetone is the active ingredient in every sunless tanning product and can make skin dry and parched over time. Therefore it becomes vital that you moisturize daily if you use a tan extender or a 'gradual tan' product on a daily basis. To avoid problems, make sure you give your skin a break every 3 to 4 days.
Don't use sunless tanning lotions any longer than a week if your skin is naturally dry. To avoid streaking problems, use lotions before the application of most tanners. This gives the tanners a moisturized surface to blend and give you a streak free application.
If you're getting ready to head off to a tropical paradise for vacation, be sure to use self tanning lotions before you go! Having a base tan will help prevent your skin from burning and you won't stand out in a crowd of people who already have darker skin tones!