Let's talk about fake tan! ♡

Welcome back to my blog! I'm going to be sharing my fake tan routine with you. I will go through the preparation, application, products and tips and tricks! I hope you enjoy reading! xo

Preparation:

The golden rule is to shower and exfoliate when it comes to tan! My tip is to shower wait a few hours then apply the tan! I found that when I applied my tan straight after my shower, the tan would sink into my open pores  and settle into every line and my tan would get blotchy very easily. So I now either shower in the morning, give the day for my skin to breathe and relax then do my tan in the evening, or shower in the night and in the morning do my tan!

When I am in the shower I use a scrub and exfoliating gloves. I like to use a gritty scrub but something that is also moisturising, so I use soap and glory scrub of your life or I will use Clarins exfoliating body scrub. Both great, gritty scrubs that moisturise and give a good exfoliation. I use the exfoliating gloves to get right into the skin and buff and scrub away the dead skin cells. I scrub all over but I focus more on the backs of the legs, elbows, inner arms, under arms and knees.  Then I will shave, I love using something moisturising and soft to shave with so I love using Soap and glory whipped clean shower butter, this smells so yummy like cakes and vanilla!! It's a shower butter so its extra moisturising, and feels like a body butter!

After showering I then apply moisturiser to the back of my legs, knees, feet, elbows and inner arms. Then I will wait a few hours or if I have just showered in the night, I will wait till the morning to do my tan.

Application:

If I am using a fake tan that requires a mitt I will first put on a pair of gloves, then instead of using a mitt I will use a black sock. Using a sock instead of a mitt is so much easier and better. It gives me more access and movement, and it gives my tan a more blended and even look than with a mitt. Using a mitt is fine but for me it's too bulky and I don't feel I have as much access to all the little areas. A sock makes the application so much easier and smoother, you can get in all the places and blend and move more easier. I start applying the tan to my arms then chest and neck and work my way down. I take my time and make sure I am blending it well and evenly. When I apply tan to my hands, I get in between the fingers and blend it all down, and make sure my wrists are blended with my hands and arms. I do the same with my feet, I get in between the toes, and blend it down and make sure my ankles are blended. To prevent orange hands and feet after I have applied the tan I take a hand cream and apply it to my hands and a foot cream to my feet, This will prevent the orange hands and feet and blend it! 

Products:

Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze Tan:

This is my favourite! I am not into having a dark tan, or even a really tanned look. I am into the subtle tans that gradually give you a nice, bronzy, glowly tan, that you can build. This is a silky, hydrating, moisturiser that gives you a subtle, gentle, glowly tan. You can use this everyday like a moisturiser, to give you a beautiful " healthy" looking tan that is build able. This smells like cucumbers, a fresh clean smell! You cannot smell a tan scent and even when it's on the skin you cannot smell any tan scent! Which I LOVE because I don't really like walking around and you can smell the tan. This smells very fresh and clean. It lasts a while, and has good staying power. I don't have a problem with it fading, peeling or becoming patchy. It melts into the skin, dries super quick, smells lovely, feels moisturising and gives a gentle tan. 

Clarins Radiance plus golden glow booster:

This tan is an oil. It adds moisture to the skin and gives it a gentle, sun kissed, bronzed look. This is to be applied  with your moisturiser. It is a gradual tan, that leaves my skin looking beautiful! as if I have spent time in the sun and I have got that bronze, sun kissed, healthy, glowing tan. How I apply this is, I take my moisturiser into my hands which is normally soap and glory butter yourself  body lotion then I apply three drops of the Clarins glow booster and mix it in my hands. I then apply it to my body the normal way you apply tan. This tan would be perfect for the summer and it looks healthy and natural. I don't have a problem with it fading, peeling or becoming patchy. You do get that ' tan ' smell but it's a nice sweet tan smell, I like it to be honest! The scent does fade after a day or so. Beautiful tan, very sun kissed and glowing and very hydrating my skin feels very soft and hydrated. 

Looking after the tan:

To keep up with my tan, and make sure it stays nice and not patchy. I moisturise my skin if my skin needs it. With the Clarins oil I don't need to moisturise because its already very hydrating.  With the Cocoa brown tan I moisturise my skin the day after.I just make sure there is no unblended parts or patchy parts. If I need to I will apply the tan again that night or day if I need abit more colour, because the tans I use are subtle and gradual they can be used daily to build it up and cover any mistakes/ patches.

Removing the tan:

When I want to remove my tan, I first use a sponge with the scrub side and hot soapy water and start scrubbing. I then go in the shower and use a exfoliating product and the exfoliating gloves. Then I will wash my body and use a loofa to scrub my skin as I am washing. By the time I get out of the shower the tan is scrubbed off and my skin is raw from the scrubbing so I take care of it by soaking my body top to bottom in a luxurious body butter mixed with a body oil. Or after the scrubbing shower I will run a nice hot bath, add a bath oil into the bath and soak my skin for a little bit then use a luxurious body butter when I get out.

That is all my tanning secrets and how I have a nice natural glowing tan! I really hope you enjoyed reading and please let me know in the comments your tan secrets :) xox