By Bryce Romig
As fall approaches, more and more people will resort to sunless tanning to keep their golden glow all year long. With so many different products on the market, it’s hard to decide which one suits your skin tone best. Learning how to master the fake tan takes a series of trial and error because each person’s skin requires a different amount of DHA (Dihydroxyacetone), which is the primary ingredient in sunless tanning formulas. People also worry about how long their sunless tan will last.
“They say a sunless tan should last up to two weeks,” senior Amber Schroeder, a former employee of Golden Glow Tanning, said. “However, if you like your showers scolding hot, it can last as little as three days.”
Most people fear resorting to sunless tanning due to the dreaded orange palms one may get if he or she doesn’t wear gloves, or the streaky orange lines he or she develops if the product wasn’t rubbed in correctly. The smell produced by DHA is a major turn off to most people as well, but this can’t be avoided. However, sunless tanning is a much safer alternative to regular tanning via sun or bed because it doesn’t involve harmful UVA and UBA rays which increase the chance of developing skin cancer by 75 percent, according to a recent study by Consumer Reports. Sunless tans can give you that same dark tan you crave if put on correctly. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be rocking that summer glow in no time!
Steps:
Exfoliate: Exfoliation plays a key role in getting that perfect tan. In the shower, use an exfoliating body scrub or loofah to help rid the skin of the dead skin cells it has yet to shed. Removing the dead skin cells helps the tanner absorb into your skin more evenly helping to prevent streaks from appearing. Pay special attention to areas where the skin is thicker such as the knees, elbows, and ankles as these collect more dead cells than other areas. Apply a moisturizing body lotion to the knees, elbows, and ankles as soon as you get out of the shower. This will help loosen the skin, allowing for the tanner to soak in more evenly. Exfoliate every day for a week before you begin sunless tanning.
Choosing A Product: This is the most important part of the sunless tanning process. When you first start out, always remember that you won’t pick out the perfect lotion when you first begin. Over time and through trial and error, your sunless tanning skills will develop, and you will be able to decide which lotions work best on your skin tone. Just because a certain lotion looked well on a friend, does not mean it will look well on you. Although some lotions can be costly, some can be very affordable.
“Lotions cost anywhere from $5 – 55,” said Schroeder. “It all depends on what you are looking for in a lotion, i.e. Tingle factor, bronzer, or benefits it has for your skin.”
Lotions differ between fair and dark skin tones, so make sure you don’t choose dark if you are naturally fair skinned. Try choosing a product that also has a bronzer in it as well, as these help you avoid missing spots when applying because they are tinted.
Applying To Body: Make sure to apply the lotion right after you exfoliate. You must be completely dry in order for the lotion to work, so make sure you are well dried off. Remove all clothing except for your undergarments. Use latex gloves to put over your hands to avoid stained nails, and orange palms. Squirt a quarter sized amount of product into your hand for each arm, leg, back, and chest. Work your hands in a circular motion up and down your body so the product goes on evenly and you don’t get awkward streak lines. Gently apply the lotion to the knees, ankles, and elbows. Apply body lotion onto the these areas after applying the sunless tanner to help counteract the effect of the sunless tanner. This will help these areas stay a normal color, and not get too dark. Since the skin is thicker, the skin absorbs much more quickly in this areas causing them to darken faster than other parts of the body. You may need a friend to help apply the tanner to your back. Make sure to wait at least 20 minutes before putting on clothing, preferably baggy clothing to prevent the tanner from staining clothes.
“After getting a sunless tan, pat legs dry and do not rub,” said Schroeder. “By patting, it grabs the excess while still leaving behind the color itself.”
Dry completely before redressing . Sunless tan lotions need to be applied every 2-3 days if you would like to keep your glow.
Applying To Neck & Face: Apply moisturizing body lotion to the sides of your nose and eyebrows. These areas need to be avoided as they darken much too quickly and look extremely unnatural. Squirt a dime sized amount into your palm, and slowly rub the product on your face with a circular motion. Make sure to go around your hairline with the product, so you avoid having a pale line around your face. Also apply a small amount to the ears. Do this same procedure with your neck. Sunless tanning lotions need to be reapplied every 1-2 days to the face because it exfoliates and fades much faster than anywhere else on the body. Wait at least 20 minutes before applying makeup or acne lotions to the face.
Correcting A Mistake: If a streak or splotchy area appears, exfoliate and rub makeup remover onto the area. As it may not be able to be completely diminished, it can be faded. Apply a small amount of sunless tanner onto the area where the streak or splotchy area occurred to help blend the area in.