Faux Glow 101

Although its nice to have a tan at this time of year, we prefer to do it the safe way - faking it! Fake tans have come such a long way in recent years, particularly as we have woken up to the dangers of sitting in the sun. So, join us today in getting that perfect bottled tan at home, all summer long!

STEP ONE; PREP

Bodyshop ExfoliatorKenzo exfoliator / St.Moriz primer / Cure aqua gel exfoliator / Bodyshop banana moisturiser / Soap&Glory sugar crush / LUSH Charity pot

- Wax 24 hours before you intend to tan. This gives the skin time to calm down after your wax before applying any new product. Alternatively, shave at least 24 hours before your tan to allow the pores time to close over again.
- Exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin cells and keep your tan from clinging to dry areas (making it apply patchy). Exfoliating gives an even and smooth base for your tan meaning it'll be sleek and gorgeous! Be sure to avoid oil based exfoliators though, water based ones are better as they wont lift the tan off of the skin!
- Moisturise like there's no tomorrow in the lead up to applying your tan - focusing on dry areas such as elbows, ankles and knees. This will stop your tan looking patchy, but don't moisturise on the day you do intend to tan, as the moisturiser can act as a barrier and stop your tan from absorbing properly.
- Avoid applying oil based products and deodorants before your apply your tan, as the tan will not absorb into it properly and leave you with a bad application.
- Work a little Vaseline onto the nails and toenails to stop your tan clinging to those areas and making them look 'grubby'. Also, if you have fair hair, be sure to applying a little Vaseline to the eyebrows and hairline to work as a barrier and stop them staining.

STEP TWO; APPLICATION 

MOUSSE
Skinny tan 1 hour / St.Moriz insta-grad / Freshly baked coconut / St.tropez extra dark / Loving Tan

LOTION
St.Tropez classic / Sienna tinted / Bondi Sands / Xentan transformation / NKDSKN / Tan-Luxe

SPRAY
St.Moriz fast response / Fake Bake airbrush / Garnier Mist / Isle of Paradise Water / Bondi Sands mist

- Give it time; Most self tans take 8-12 hours to fully develop (some newer ones can take only 2-3 hours) so its best to apply your tan 2 days before you want to wear it out. That way, you can let it fully develop over night before rinsing it off, and you'll still have a day to apply any touch ups!
- Be wise when choosing your formula. Some people prefer lotions for their moisturising finish, some prefer mousse for a quick dry time and others prefer a spray as its super easy-to-apply.
- Don't rush it. When applying your tan, allow at least half an hour to cover every area of the body. Put on a pair of latex gloves, followed by a tanning mitt (this will stop your hands staining if the tan seeps through the mitt) and apply your tan in sweeping motions rather than circular ones to evenly distribute your tanning product.
-Always start from the ankles and work upwards, leaving hands feet and knees for last - simply sweep any left over product on the mitt over them so they don't go blotchy! Starting at your ankles rather than the upper half of the body will ensure you don't get crease lines in your tan from bending down to your bottom half.
- After applying your tan, wait a few minutes and then put on some loose and dark clothing to avoid marking or rubbing off the tan.
- Avoid contact with water until your tan dries completely.

STEP THREE; MAINTENANCE

Rosie glimmering moisturiser / Mermaid shimmer / CT Body highlight / Natursimo body gloss / SkinnyTan Afterglow / LUSH Shimmer bar

-You may not know it, but your shower temperature can really affect the maintenance of your tan. Be sure to always have a luke-warm shower so your tan doesn't get stripped off!
- After your shower, make sure you simply pat your skin dry rather than rubbing it! Then moisturise all over with an oil free moisturiser to stop your tan from drying out and flaking off in patches.
-You can enhance your tan by using body glows and illuminators to really kick it up a notch, making your skin shimmer and shine. Radiant!

STEP FOUR; REMOVAL

St Moriz / Bondi Sands / Isle of Paradise removerLa Mer exfoliator / Soap&Glory exfoliator / St.Ives exfoliator

- Exfoliate.Tan sits on the outermost layers of the skin and exfoliating will work to remove those dead layers. As a boost, use an oil based exfoliator to lift that tan out of the skin.
- Baby oil! That magic little product. Coat yourself in baby oil and allow it to absorb into the skin for at least half an hour. Then, hop into the bath or shower and exfoliate. The combination of products will loosen the dead skin cells coated in tan, and slough them off.
- Try a tan eraser. The new kid on the block is a product fully dedicated to effectively removing your fake tan so you can start a-fresh.

Do you have any top tan tips?! Share them with us! Dont forget you can shop our entire Bella&Bear store here - including our Glam bag which is perfect for storing your tanning essentials!

**All of our products links take you straight to our US Store but don't worry, we ship to the UKAustraliaGermanyItalyFrance, and Spain too! Happy Shopping!