So...catastrophe of catastrophes...you can't get to the salon for your spray tan. Worse still, perhaps you are in some nether region of the universe where no spray tan is even available to you even if you had the option. Never fear - Sally is here to guide you toward creating a natural looking result for yourself at home.
For fair skinned folk
If you are very pale skinned and want a natural looking glow there are two ways to go.
Take off the gloves and put a tiny dab of self-tanner on your finger and very lightly apply to the tops of the hands and feet. Remember these areas tend to suck in more product as they tend to be dryer. Less is more on the hands and feet.
Lastly dot tiny pin picks of self-tanner over the face and gently massage in - rather as you would blend in foundation... Get right into the hairline, neck and jaw line. Finally take a nailbrush and wash your hands (palms only) and fingertips and between your fingers. Pat dry. Take a blow dryer and blow yourself all over for a couple of minutes, this will take the stickiness away and the heat will start to activate the self tanner.
For darker skinned folks or fair skinned people who want to look really tan.
Basically follow step two but use a product designed to generate a darker result. Christian Dior has a good self tanner as does L'Oreal Sublime Bronze.
Do your application on two successive days - say one time in the evening and then the next morning.
If you like to use a spray on aerosol - the best way is to get the help of a friend. Really shake the bottle and then shake and circle the can as you spray. The idea is to create a moving, diffused mist - rather than shoot on a blob of spray. You can do this for yourself but it takes a little practice. Take a piece of paper towel and try spraying seamlessly on the paper towel before you do it on yourself.
When you are done really clean off your nails and cuticles properly. If you let self tanner saturate your nails they will look yellow and skanky. If you accidently get self tanner on your nails create a paste following the package directions of Jergens Creme Bleach (in the hair remover aisle) and put the paste on your finger tips, nails, and under your nails for five minutes and then rinse off.
For fair skinned folk
If you are very pale skinned and want a natural looking glow there are two ways to go.
- Use a daily gradual tanner such as Brazil Bronze Glow Stretcher, Jergens Daily Glow. You need about three days lead-time before the day you need to look good. Apply the lotion after a shower for a minimum of three consecutive days. Once a day is enough. This puts down several light layers of very subtle tan on your skin. You build color gradually. Obviously you try and apply the lotion carefully and evenly - but it is pretty risk free and the majority of people are pleased with their result. This is much less risky than using straight self-tanner.
- Use a regular self-tanner. I highly recommend using a lotion or a mousse. Tans in an aerosol are harder to navigate - I will talk about those later. Take a shower, shave if necessary. Scrubbing is fine - but not as crazy necessary as some folks would have you believe. The only reason to really have at it with the loofah is if you have a build up of self tanner on your skin - then - by all mean - try to get it off, Put down a light layer of moisturizing lotion on your skin - something simple and light such as Vaseline Intensive Care or Johnsons Baby Lotion. The purpose of this step is to hydrate your skin and give your skin more "glide"...the undercoat of lotion with make the self tanning lotion rub onto your skin more easily. Methodically take small amounts of the self tanner and rub into your skin - section by section. If possible wear tight fitting latex gloves. Rub your skin in both directions and buff the lotion into your skin using your palms to finish - the point I am trying to make is - with regular self tanner - if you are not careful - it is easy to create lines or finger marks in the tan - rub, rub, rub!
Take off the gloves and put a tiny dab of self-tanner on your finger and very lightly apply to the tops of the hands and feet. Remember these areas tend to suck in more product as they tend to be dryer. Less is more on the hands and feet.
Lastly dot tiny pin picks of self-tanner over the face and gently massage in - rather as you would blend in foundation... Get right into the hairline, neck and jaw line. Finally take a nailbrush and wash your hands (palms only) and fingertips and between your fingers. Pat dry. Take a blow dryer and blow yourself all over for a couple of minutes, this will take the stickiness away and the heat will start to activate the self tanner.
For darker skinned folks or fair skinned people who want to look really tan.
Basically follow step two but use a product designed to generate a darker result. Christian Dior has a good self tanner as does L'Oreal Sublime Bronze.
Do your application on two successive days - say one time in the evening and then the next morning.
If you like to use a spray on aerosol - the best way is to get the help of a friend. Really shake the bottle and then shake and circle the can as you spray. The idea is to create a moving, diffused mist - rather than shoot on a blob of spray. You can do this for yourself but it takes a little practice. Take a piece of paper towel and try spraying seamlessly on the paper towel before you do it on yourself.
When you are done really clean off your nails and cuticles properly. If you let self tanner saturate your nails they will look yellow and skanky. If you accidently get self tanner on your nails create a paste following the package directions of Jergens Creme Bleach (in the hair remover aisle) and put the paste on your finger tips, nails, and under your nails for five minutes and then rinse off.