Trying to fake a bronze tan during winter may not be the best way to go. But, you still don’t want to look like a ghost in all your winter vacation selfies. Instead, you can get your skin ready for winter and extend the life of your tan way past the summer season.
If you’re planning a winter vacation this year, consider these tips to make sure your glow stays on point, even in the coldest, gloomiest weather.
Get Your Body Ready
This may be broken record territory here, especially if you’re an avid self-tanning pro. But, it goes without saying that the success of your tanning depends on how you prepare your body for it. What’s the first commandment for self-tanning? Exfoliation.
You have plenty of options, some of my favorites include using a self-tanning exfoliating mitt, which gives you the right exfoliation without drying your skin. Of course, sugar scrubs also help. If you ever need a deep exfoliation, consider exfoliating with a chemical peel at least a week before you plan your tan. Make sure you exfoliate your body and buff it up to remove all dead skin cells and ensure your self-tanner goes on flawlessly.
Watch Your Skincare Routine
Sometimes you may not even notice your skincare routine is hurting your self-tan. If your skincare routine includes exfoliating products such as retinol, glycolic acid, or scrubs, you’re literally buffing away your tan.
It’s best to avoid these products to help your tan stay on longer. Plus, you may want to scale back on exfoliating during the winter months and focus more on moisturizing your skin. Exfoliating plus dry weather are a combination for breakouts and blemishes.
Face Winter Dryness
The number one enemy of self-tanners is dry skin. During winter, your skin can get extremely dry, and since we tend to wear covering clothes, we also tend to forget about moisturizer. Don’t be that person. Instead, double up your moisturizing efforts, use a body oil and a body cream right after you step out of the shower. When your skin is still warm and damp, it absorbs all the moisturizing goodness better. This is something you need to do pre-tan and post-tan as well.
Keep in mind that you need to find a moisturizer for your body, another one for your face, and don’t forget the one for your lips, which will save you from chapped lips during winter. Find oil-based moisturizers that are rich and lasting.
Glow over Bronze
Even if you have fair skin, try to avoid the overly bronzed look. First of all, it looks unrealistic. Unless you can pull of a story saying you just got back from Mexico on vacation. But, if you live in a chilly, gloomy city and you show up with a bronze tan, everyone will notice, (and not in a good way). Instead, favor a natural glow over bronze, choose a gradual self-tanner so you can adjust the glow that works for your skin tone.
If you have fair skin, try a gradual self-tanner that deepens your tan one or two shades darker. If you have a medium skin tone, try choosing a light bronze glow, which will give you the tan you want without going for that darker range formula. And, if you have dark skin, choose a golden finish formula to give you that radiant glow you need for your winter vacation selfies.
Focus on Your Face
If you’re heading out for a winter vacation, odds are you’re not going to be posting photos in a swimsuit. It is best to focus all the glowing attention to your face. However, be careful, and don’t overdo it. You want to find a nourishing, moisturizing formula that gives you buildable color without making it look fake. Again, focus on achieving a healthy glow. Think sun-kissed glow, as opposed to dark tan bronze.
Choose gradual formulas so you can see the change instantly. Or, even better, reach for an instant face bronzer that will give you the glow you’re looking for in a few minutes. Instant formulas are perfect for vacations, you can take them with you for last minute touch-ups.
Keeping a healthy glow during your winter vacation is absolutely possible. All you need to do is prep your skin to make your winter tan last, look natural, and give you that perfect glow you’ve been looking for. No matter where you’re going, your tan will stay selfie-ready.
