With the growing awareness about the dangers associated with UV exposure, it’s not surprising that more of us are turning to self tanners to enhance the appearance of our skin. There’s no denying that the glow associated with a tan is irresistible, but you already know that there’s no such thing as safe tan – right?
You can still achieve a bronzed look safely by using a self tanner. Most self tanners use the ingredient dihydroxyacetone (a sugar) that reacts with dead skin cells that sit on top of your skin and cause them to change color. The results is golden skin that can last up to a week until the skin cells naturally shed.
Proper application with a product like La Roche Posay Autohelios is important and here’s how to do it right:
- Exfoliate with a scrub or washcloth. This will help you to achieve a more uniform appearance.
- Slather on a moisturizer making sure that you pay particular attention to knees and elbows so that they don’t absorb too much of the self tanner. Try one like Linacare Body Cream or La Roche Posay Lipikar Cream.
- Shake the self tanner and massage into skin evenly. Be organized and apply to one section of your body at a time. Aim for even application. It may be a good idea to enlist help from a friend for hard to reach areas like your back.
- Thoroughly wash hands when finished to avoid staining them. Wearing disposable surgical gloves can help.
- Read package directions to find out how long you should wait until fully dry. It’s a good idea to avoid bathing, exercising or swimming for several hours.
- Reapply every three to four days to keep the color up.
Healthy, glorious glowing skin here we come!
