As the temperature drops and the last rays of summer slide away, it’s inevitable that your hard earned golden tan will disappear too.
But rather than give in to a whiter shade of pale, here are some sure-fire tips to keeping up a natural-esque glow throughout the cooler months:
Go lighter
As our skin naturally lightens in tone over winter, there’s no doubt that you’ll look unnatural if you continue to carry your deep fake tan of summer through the cold snap. Begin using a lighter fake tan, just a few shades darker than your natural, non-tanned skin tone so you don’t stand out for all the wrong reasons. The idea is to just ‘take the edge off’.
Try these: Bondi Sands Tanning Foam in Light/Medium, $24.99; Little Honey Flawless Bronzing Kit (spray + glove), $55; St Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body Lotion, $39.95.
Scrub a dub
With less humidity in the air your skin is more prone to drying, and if you’ve learnt the 101 on tanning you’ll know dry flaky skin wreaks havoc with even colour distribution. Keep up the regular exfoliation in between your tanning sessions. Tip: Razors remove tan, so schedule your shaves to combine with your regular exfoliation session.
Try these: Evolu Invigorating Body Scrub, $34.99; Aesop Geranium Body Scrub, $43; and Frank Body Coconut Coffee Scrub, $21.
Keep moisturised
Stave off dry skin by switching out your standard lotion for a rich body butter and add a moisturiser containing hyaluronic acid into your facial skincare routine.
Our picks: Clarins Body Shaping Cream, $105; Kiehl’s Creme des Corps, $62; and L’Occitane Almond Refining Concentrate, $78.
Other key tips:
Cool the water
Very hot water dries out the skin, so turn down the temperature of your showers and baths over winter. When using your towel to dry, pat yourself dry instead of rubbing, as rubbing will remove your tan.
Nourish inside and out
Cold, dreary weather can put stress on the body, so it’s important to not only hydrate and nourish your skin, but your insides too. Keep hydrated with water throughout the day and boost your vitamin intake with meals packed with dark leafy greens. A diet high in omega-3 will keep the lipid barrier of your skin strong and hydrated, so up your weekly salmon intake or start taking fish oil tablets stat.
Finishing touch
Make last-minute touch-ups simple with a wash of liquid instant bronze or a sweep of powder bronzer across the high points of the face and body – over the cheekbones, nose and brow, across the collarbones and down the tops of the shoulders. If you’re baring your legs, run shimmering bronzer down the front of the legs for an instant slimming effect.
