How to Stay Golden!
3 Ways to Keep That Summer Glow Year-Round
Photo by iconogenic/iStock / Getty Images
It’s how many more days until daylight savings time? In the cold, dark depths of winter, we all CRAVE those days when the sun rises sooner and sets later, and where everyone looks sun kissed and happy.
While we can’t speed up the clock and get summer here quicker, we can give you some options for getting (and keeping) your summer glow year-round with cosmetic bronzers, self-tanners, and indoor tanning.
Bronzers
Try Fenty Beauty’s Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer for dramatic effect.
To add some subtle color, or create a beautiful summer glow for a special occasion or night out, try a cosmetic bronzer — the easiest and safest option for getting your glow on. Cosmetic bronzers are NOT self-tanners, but are powders or compress creams that are applied like makeup with either a brush or foundation sponge. Apply wherever you wan to add a bit of sunny glow or some dramatic contouring (cheeks, forehead, shoulders, and décolleté).
These products are intended to be applied sparingly as an accent vs. an all over application, which can leave you looking dirty or streaky. Remember, the point is to just add a hint of warmth. Sun Stalk’r by Fenty Beauty can do just that. It comes in 8 bronzing shades designed to work with all skin tones, from the fairest of fair to deep brown.
Looking for a deeper, all over semi-permanent option? Then consider investing in a self-tanner.
Self-Tanners
Coco+Eve Sunny Honey self-tanner & bronzer gives even color, while smoothing cellulite. Another bonus? It uses only all-natural ingredients.
Self-tanners have gotten a bad rap, and rightly so. The early versions made people look like radioactive carrots because betacarotene was the active ingredient.
We’ve come a long way since those earlier orange efforts. Today self-tanners use DHA to give the skin a natural bronze glow. When applied, DHA reacts to the skin turning the upper layer golden brown. The higher the concentration of DHA in the self-tanner formulation, the deeper the “tan”. This semi-permanent tan can last up to 7 days, when it eventually begins to fade and requires re-application.
These products can be applied like lotion, in a spray tanning booth, or manually by a trained technician who will apply it from head-to-toe with an airbrush. Some self-tanners also include bronzing agents — small amounts of pigment that compliment and deepen color and can help extend the life a tan.
To get the most natural results, it’s important to keep skin hydrated and exfoliated (dead skin build-up creates streaks and unevenness). Look for products like Coco+Eve Sunny Honey Bronzer, which tans and hydrates the skin, while the added bronzer helps to cover and conceal cellulite.
But if you crave a more permanent year-round glow, then you probably want to hit consider indoor tanning.
Indoor Tanning
Googles help protect the eyes during a tanning bed sessions.
When tanning outside isn’t an option, then consider tanning inside. A tanning salon is the ideal place for keeping your summer color going strong, even in the frosty depths of winter. Tanning beds and booths allow you to get the glow without feeling the burn by using UVA rays not UVB rays, which often cause skin to burn.
Every indoor tanning session should be preceded by great skin care — daily moisturizing and exfoliation at least 2 days a week — to help keep skin smooth and soft. Before your tanning session, choose and apply an indoor tanning lotion prior to entering the booth or bed. These lotions help accelerate the speed of your tanning session and can extend the length of your tan. Indoor tanning lotions are formulated specifically for tanning beds and booths. Look for brands that soak in quickly and aren’t overly oily or greasy.
Finally, keep your tanning sessions fairly spread out (no more than two or three sessions a month). As with any exposure to UV rays, less is more, and caution should always be a consideration. Even though you aren’t likely to get burned by UVB rays during your indoor tanning session, overexposure to UVA rays can lead to permanent skin damage over time. People with a history of melanoma (skin cancer) in their families should not use this method for staying golden.