APPLYING SELF TANNER AT HOME?
HERE’S WHAT YOU MIGHT BE DOING WRONG
Getting that celebrity-approved glow doesn’t have to come at the hands of a professional.
These days, there are a plethora of tanning products on the market that allow even the most inexperienced makeup maven to achieve a sunny tan at home.
But the abundance of decent tanning products doesn’t mean it is any easier to apply self tanner without turning into a streaky mess.
So, with the hope of avoiding any embarrassing self-tanner slip ups (ahem, like Donald Trump-hued feet and hands), we asked St. Tropez celebrity tanning expert Sophie Evans to provide a few tips and tricks during her recent visit to Vancouver.
First, what exactly are self tanners?
Sunless tanners such as bronzers, mousses and sprays are often referred to as the only safe and speedy alternative to sun exposure. The formulas most often rely on dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a sugar molecule compound typically derived from beets or sugar cane that reacts with the amino acids in your skin to produce a browning reaction.
“What you’re doing is you’re staining the top layer of your skin with a natural ingredient, which comes from sugar cane,” Evans says. “And we use melanin boosters that come from plant extracts. So, you’re not putting chemicals on your skin.”
While research into any potentially harmful effects of DHA products to the body has been divisive, the Canadian Cancer Society says the products “have not been shown to pose a health risk and are considered safe to use — if they’re applied correctly and carefully.” That means keeping the products on the surface of the skin, and ensuring they aren’t ingested or breathed in.
So, with mastering this Uv-free way to achieve a glow in mind, we asked Evans to dole out some professional advice. And her first pro tip is to be prepared.
“You need all your tools,” she says. “Your tools are the most important thing. Don’t ever contemplate doing a self tan with just your bottle of tanner.”
So, what exactly should be on your checklist before you strip down for a solo self-tanner application? According to Evans, in addition to your go-to sunlesstanning product, you need an applicator mitt to provide a smooth application, as well as to reduce the likelihood of having Oompa Loompa-hued hands or feet after your tanner has developed.
Moisturizer to protect your elbows, knees, hands, feet or any other especially dry areas is another must-have when setting up your tanning station, according to Evans, as well as cleansing wipes to swipe over your nails and palms post-application to clean things up.
Evans says at-home tanners often run into trouble when applying tanning products to tricky areas such as hands, feet and elbows where skin can be drier and absorb more of the tanning product.
“Use loads of moisturizer and use the wet wipes to clean your nails — and then go over top again with moisturizer,” she says.
As for common mistakes she’s seen and heard about throughout her lengthy career, the New Yorkbased tanning pro says people often fall prey to the less-is-more mentality.
“Never underuse a self tan. You can never use too much product,” she says. “But, if you use too little and you rub it in and make it look all perfect and blended, I can guarantee you’ll get streaks.”
Self-tanner solutions, Evans says, have built-in bronzing agents, and these agents must be smoothed over the skin completely to ensure a flawless result. And that means, using a lot of the product.
“What you have to do is cover the skin heavily to make sure all the natural tanning agents get into your skin,” she says. “More is better.”
If you’re feeling skeptical about liberally applying that mousse, spray or lotion at home, Evans says piling on the tanning product won’t lead to zebra-like stripes.
“The only way I could be darker is if I use a different strength self tan with a different DHA level,” she says.
If you’re already a self-tanning pro and want to try out the latest tanning trend of body contouring — the practice of artfully applying darker lines to provide definition and tone to areas such as the thighs, abs and arms — Evans says to pick up a second formula in a slightly darker hue to add that definition.
Apply to the strategic areas to create the appearance of muscle tone or contours — just don’t forget to blend.
“Always make sure that it’s really, really blended.”
And, as for Evans’ top at-home tanning tip, it’s all about fixing any unfortunate mistakes. After all, they’re bound to happen.
“Hair removal cream like Nair will take off self tanner completely,” she says. “If it’s a really dark patch, you may have to leave it for half the amount of time to make it less obvious. Or, if you leave it for the full amount of time, it will take it off completely.
“It’s a really good one,” she says of the mistake-removal tip. “I’ve used it for years.”