We all know those vacation days where the sun is out, the beach is right there and you are determined to get the best tan possible just to brag to your friends when you get back home. So you grab your tanning lotion, your towel and sunglasses and head out to bake for hours and hours until, YIKES! Sunburn.
Seems to happen almost always right? We are told all the time: “Sun is bad! Wear sunscreen everyday!” “Cover up or you’ll get sun damage!” “Your skin is going to sag by the time you’re 30.”
Can we just hold up for one moment? Oh my goodness, where to begin? Well let’s start by saying Vitamin D deficiency is a HUGE factor for diseases. So the whole sun being bad thing? Yeah not quite, but here is where we get into what really matters and how to combat skin damage and sunburn.
For my job, I have to be tan pretty much year round. The kind of work I do, loves a healthy glow and swim loves tan even more. Hence all the hottie Aussies with killer tans. So how do you get a tan like that without burning? Let me tell you guys, it’s fake.
These are some of the products that I have found work super well. Especially when I tan the night before a job or a big event/meeting. You have to exfoliate!! I love Bliss’s Body Buff, not only does it smell like angels, it leaves my skin feeling like I do not even need to put on lotion after my shower. Xen-Tan are my next top products. I love their mitt for easy, streak-free application. Let me be honest though, if you see streaks using a mitt, get in there and use your hands. Warm up the formula into your skin and worry about getting it off your hands afterwards. (Baking soda+ dish soap+ warm water) The tricky part about self-tanning is collection of color and streaks. Xen-Tan’s blending balm is applied before the tan on tricky places such as elbows, ankles, wrists and knees and helps the tan to spread evenly over these areas without leaving them too dark. Now, to the good stuff and I will warn you now, this stuff can be pretty pricey but is so worth it. VITA LIBERATA is a long lasting (2 weeks to be specific) dark, foam self tanner that is from the God’s of Tan. This is a PH balanced formula which adheres to your skin and switches tones accordingly. This can be applied layer after layer for an extreme dark tan and yet it will not come off on sheets or clothing, ten minutes after it dries you can even put on a lotion! I LOVE this stuff. Lastly, as for face, Xen-tan sells a light weight face tanner that gives my face a glow that is not, I repeat NOT orange. Tan towelettes are great on-the-go when I am in my hotel room the night before. Always remember to blend down the neck and into the hair line to get the most natural looking tan. To top this amazing tan you’ve got going on, Sally Hansen sells a cream that basically acts like panty hose for your legs. It smooths, blurs and color corrects. So if you have scars, you left a streak overnight or you simply are wearing a dress to a summer BBQ, this formula works wonders.
Now you’re probably curious about upkeep on fake tans. It’s simple, repeat the process. Exfoliate lightly and add a layer about once or twice a week depending on how deep and dark you would like your tan to be. Over time, you’ll get splotchy and this is when you need to do a DEEP exfoliation and start over. I promise you, you’ll love the tan. It’s saving your skin from those horrible tanning beds and also from the harmful burning rays of the sun.
Now here is the fun part: tanning outdoors. I am white. In the winter I completely blend into the blinding white snow. That means I burn so easily. Until this last year, I was all about wearing sunscreen every single day on my face and chest and shoulders. I refused to tan because all I did was burn. I knew I was damaging my skin more than it needed to be at such a young age. So with the help of my cute, health nut boyfriend we studied to find the best ways to get a tan, yet stay young and not burned. Good news and bad news. The bad news: sun isn’t giving us cancer, our sunscreens our. I know, take a moment to breathe. I was shocked too. For the good news:
THE FOX TAN WILL GIVE YOU THE BEST TAN POSSIBLE! Guess what? It’s got some pretty good ingredients in the formula too. I don’t feel bad putting it on my skin. My routine:
Apply the Fox tan Rapid Tanning Elixir all over my body followed by the Rapid Mist. You can get both of these bundled for around $45 online at: www.thefoxtan.com
I lay out for ONLY 30 minutes with no sunscreen. I let the sun hit my entire body and my face (where else would I get these freckles?).
After 30 minutes, I apply ALL NATURAL sunscreen to my face, shoulders, chest and hands. All these places tend to show age sooner than the other parts of our bodies. You can find all natural sunscreen at health food stores (Whole Foods, Ulta, Sprouts etc). We’ve been putting harsh chemicals, heavy metals and preservatives on our bodies for so long thinking we were doing ourselves a favor. In fact we’ve been doing the opposite, sure you didn’t get burned but you just might’ve mutated some cells with a certain chemical found in general sunscreens. Always use natural sunscreens. In case you didn’t know, Zinc is the main ingredient in natural sunscreen and it is WHITE! So it will take a little while to blend into your skin but it is worth it.
If I am spending all day in the sun, I will reapply the sunscreen every couple hours to the main places and then if I feel the slight burn of a possible sun burn I will apply it to those areas. (I use Safe Harbor Natural for Baby and Kids 50 SPF) You will come out with a tan and you will have much happier skin. It’s all about that saying: “Everything in moderation.”
After care of sun kissed skin is also extremely important. I follow a day in the sun with a quick wipe down of Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut Oil and then an all natural, moisturizing lotion. In the case that you did burn, the apply cider vinegar works wonders. A fresh stem of aloe will also heal and cool a burn. Don’t wear anything too tight or harsh against the skin as you do not want to irritate.
Now heres the weird part, you can take stuff internally to get you an amazing tan. Again, thanks to my boo for introducing me to this stuff: Astaxanthin. As you can see above the benefits of this are INSANE. I will tell you personally that I take this all the time and it has changed my body. I am never sore after the gym, I do not burn as easily in the sun, my skin is clear and bouncy, my eyelashes grew like crazy, my nails became longer, my memory and concentration is through the roof. Let me simplify this for you: the thing that makes salmon, shrimp and flamingos pink? Astaxanthin. I take it and I forever have this tint to my skin that makes me look like I have been tanning. Not only does this give you a base tan, it allows you to tan more without burning so easily, it keeps your skin young and fresh. It honestly is one of the best kept secrets and works wonders. I have gotten my entire family on it and it does amazing things for every single one of them.
In conclusion, the best way to get tan is to do a mixture of all these things. It is how I stay tan and yet healthy (no one wants to look like a leather couch). There are a bajillion products out there and I can’t say I have tried them all but I have tried SO many and these are the products that I have fallen in love with and give me results. The great part about all these? You can pretty much stay tan all year round. Good luck tanning! xx
Disclaimer* I do not own the picture for “Astaxanthin” and I am not a doctor. I am writing about my experiences with Astaxanthin and do recommend you do your research before starting anything new.