You may have noticed that your Instagram feed is already starting to fill up with shots of golden limbs, bronzed bellies and honey-hued complexions. Tanning season is officially on.
It might seem a tad early, but if you want to look like a golden goddess by July, it’s best to get a handle on your faux glow now. Just for a second, put yourself in the perma-tanned shoes of model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley; one woman who knows how to subtly shimmer all year round. Would she jump wildly from a pale winter pallor to deep shade of bronze? No she wouldn’t. She preps, she buffs and she builds her level of bronze up gradually. By the time summer comes she’s already got a firm grip on her tanning regime.
Like Rosie, we know that there’s nothing worse than being overzealous with a deeper than deep spray the moment the sun comes out, especially if you’ve ‘forgotten’ to exfoliate and moisturise your bod over winter. Out of sight, out of mind right? The whole point of a good, natural looking tan is that it looks, well, natural. This means getting the condition of your skin into shape before you hit the spray tans, starting lightly and building up to a warmer shade, so that by summer you look like you’ve been gently baking on a caribbean beach for about a month. See below for our top tips on getting your glow – Rosie style.
1) Ease into it! If you haven’t hit the beach this year and it’s been months since your skin has seen the sun, it’s important to give yourself a good exfoliation before you get a spray tan. Scrubbing away dead skin cells preps your body for a fake tan session and stops any dry areas from grabbing the tan and creating a patchy effect. Look for body scrubs in oil to get the most transformational results. We love Aveda Caribbean Therapy Body Scrub, £32
2) Moisturise like a mad person the week before you book in for your first spray tan of the season. Look our for body creams containing Glycolic acid to help to smooth the skin. Dr Lancer Body Nourish, £54, is the bomb.
3) Tailor your tans to your needs and your skin tone. We find a classic St Tropez spray tan gives the most natural effect on paler, sun-starved skin. You can build up to the darker tones of a Fake Bake glow once you’ve warmed up, or had a dose of natural Vitamin D. Golden skin tones will perfectly pull off this darker effect just be sure to keep the skin hydrated to make it look as natural as possible. Take inspiration from Gigi Hadid whose faux summer glow is always on point, despite her naturally porcelain complexion.
4) And finally, whatever you do, don’t do it drastically. Just like summer bodies, summer tans are also made in Spring, Rosie knows it. We know it. And now you know it as well.
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