We would love to welcome our resident Beauty expert, Kat Heath. Kat has been a client and loyal member of the community for many years, and flies the flag for colour, confidence and happiness! Kat has worked for Clarins, Decleor and has a BTEC in Beauty Therapy, as well as her own successful beauty therapy business.
Today she is sharing her tips for creating a flawless self tan, with no streaks!
Over to you, Kat…
Finally after what felt like a long and gloomy winter we have now reached the beginning of Summer!
For most of the winter our bodies have been covered up underneath layers of clothing, resulting in dryness and an uneven and lacklustre skin tone.
However, as soon as the sun is out we all want to expose the skin on our bodies by wearing our fabulous summer pieces which have been stored away in the wardrobe for what feels like an eternity.
This is the time when many of us make the mistake of reaching for last years self tan products (that have probably reached their sell by date) without any skin preparation resulting in a streaky and patchy application that can take days to dissappear.
Here are some tips to create the perfect tan to compliment your summer wardrobe without stress and with ease.
1. IT’S ALL IN THE PREP.
Just think when you paint a wall you have to rub it down and smooth out any uneven patches before applying the paint. The same goes for applying your tan.
Think of your skin as a blank canvas. Always give your body a dry skin exfoliation 24 hours before applying your tan.
Apply your exfoliator onto a dry skin in circular movements working towards the heart. This will not only remove dead skin cells but also will promote a circulation boost leaving your skin looking radiant and healthy as well as smooth.
Make sure you rinse thoroughly ideally in the shower rather than the bath to ensure no grains are left on the skin.
If you shave this is the time to do so as the exfoliator would have lifted the hairs giving you a closer shave leaving you hair free for longer.
2. GIVE YOUR SKIN A DRINK.
Once you have given your skin a good exfoliation you may find it slightly dry therefore it is vital to use a good body cream or lotion which will keep your skin smooth and radiant.
Pay particular attention to any dry bits such as the knees or elbows and always apply towards the heart to promote healthy circulation.
I always recommend a rich body cream rather than a lotion to maintain moisture levels throughout the day. Again do this 24 hours before applying your self tan.
3. APPLICATION
Before you apply any self tan products always make sure there are no traces of moisturiser or oil on the skin as it can act as a barrier to the tanning agents in the products. Therefore always apply self tan after a shower or bath.
If you have any dry patches on elbows or knees apply a generous amount of moisturiser on these areas to prevent the self tan gathering in those area creating an orange patch.
If you are not using a mitt or glove always apply a layer of moisturiser on to your hands to help prevent unsightly staining on the palms and wash throughly with cold water (heat activates tanning) and soap as soon as you have finished applying.
4. MAINTENANCE
Keep hold of your beautifully tanned skin by applying body cream after each shower and bath this will prevent dryness as the tanning agents in self tanning products can dry out the skin. It will also seal the colour for a little bit longer.
And remember always protect your skin with an SPF when outside. Even if your self tanning products have a built in SPF for adequate protection you need to reapply a separate product a few hours later.
Blog written by Kat Heath.
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