Here’s How To Achieve The Perfect Fake Tan This Christmas

 

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I don’t know about you, but I wear a fake tan all year round. So when special occasion roll around, say for instance, Christmas celebrations, it’s nice to go that one step further to make sure the aul faux tan is extra nice. In winter, unfortunately for us, it can be that be harder to get a fab fake tan too.

Your skin is drier, you’re wearing more layers which means there’s more skin rubbing, and the ultra-dark colour you were rocking during the summer is looking a tad too bronzey to pull off as natural right now, so – it’s time to adapt your routine. To get the full lowdown on tanning in the winter months, we caught up with the tanning experts at Cocoa Brown to get their top tips

Prep To Perfection 

 

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Prepping before fake tanning is important all year round, but vital in the winter months. This is because in winter our skin naturally become drier, meaning that dry patches are a huge risk.

Begining the prep by exfoliating is the best place to start. Take a mitt and an exfoliating scrub, we love Cocoa Brown’s ‘Tough Stuff’ for this, and go to town. Pay close attention to dry areas including hands, feet ankles and elbows. This will remove dead skin cells as well as any old tan and will create a super smooth surface to apply the tan to, for the most even golden colour.

If your old layer of tan is particularly stubborn, you could employ a tan eraser to help remove it.

Next, you’ll need to moisturise, as we already said, your skin is naturally much drier in the winter time, so once you hop out of the shower whack on a layer of your favourite body moisturiser, again paying particular attention to the hands, knees, ankles, and elbows.

If you’re keen to opt for a deeper tan, just make sure the exfoliation and moisturising take place at least 24 hours before application. Do not moisturise any closer before instant tan application, as it creates a barrier on your skin meaning your tan can’t get in and do its job.

For a sneaky tan hack, Cocoa Brown recommends use day/night cream on dry areas just before application to allow for even development, avoiding the extra accumulation of the tan in the area. Wrists are especially important in this process as they are constantly in close contact with the tan during the application, especially if the mitt is not fitted tightly to the wrist/arm.

Take Your Time 

 

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Unlike the summer months, there’s no real reason for us to panic whack on a layer of fake tan (you know, when you wake up one morning and suddenly it’s sunny and you’re pasty legs and denim shorts just don’t mix). So, in winter we have the luxury of taking our time and planning out our tanning.

If you’re applying tan after showering, wait at least 40 mins after your shower to allow pores to retract to normal.

Then, when your body is ready for tanning, you know the drill. Apply your chosen tan by popping it onto a tanning mitt and rubbing it in circular motions on your body. In wintertime, it can be difficult to make sure you’ve covered every spot when light is minimal. To beat that, we recommend popping on a bright lamp, or even investing in a small ring light, it might seem extra but it’ll ensure you cover every inch of your body perfectly – dodgy patches be gone!

When it comes to tanning your back, Cocoa Brown is saving the day with another great tip. The Miracle Mist is great to tan your back if you don’t have a friend or partner to help with that part as it’s not necessary to blend. Just spray over your shoulder or upwards from the bottom of your back and walk into the air to dry and catch particles in the air!

You can even use the mist on your hands, add a little extra moisturiser, then spray away and blend in with a clean foundation brush. It makes it that bit easier to achieve an even colour on your hands.

Maintenance Queen

Once your tan is applied, allow it to develop for 3-6 hours before washing it off. Once that is done, you’ll need to work hard on maintaining it. Keep your skin supple and hydrated by drinking lots of water, and moisturising as often as you can. Cocoa Brown recommends moisturising every day, as this will ensure that your tan stays put, which is difficult to maintain when you’re wearing many layers of clothes. If moisturised daily, your tan should last for up to seven days, and fade evenly, meaning it will be a piece of cake for you to repeat the process all over again.

I can vouch for this, taking two extra minutes at night time to moisturise your tan is 100% worth it.

• Fake Tanning
• Tan
• Tanning Tips
• Winter Beauty