It’s a no-brainer that your tan should come from a bottle this summer.
And this season there are a plethora of oils, gels and tints to make the job of getting a safe, seamless tan easy – simply apply evenly to clean, dry, moisturised skin. Once you have mastered that natural-looking glow, it’s time to try the latest trend, ‘tontouring’ – using self-tanner to contour the face and body, helping you look healthier and slimmer while sporting your bronze. The new beauty term was coined by Marissa Carter, the founder of UK brand Cocoa Brown, who recommends starting this regimen by applying a gradual tanner to the entire face. Then, using a stippling brush, add a darker tan formula along the hairline, and finish by using an angled contouring brush to shade your nose and sculpt your cheeks. The idea is to use a tinted option, so you can see where you are ‘tontouring’ and watch it develop over a few hours. Why be limited to the face? We say tontour the cleavage, arms and leg definition to sculpt the inches away.
Leave it to the pros
If you are not confident to get clever with faux tanners at home, book in for a salon spray tan. Verdo owner Amber McIver says the fake orange finish of old is long gone and spray tans are now golden, natural-looking and great for your skin. “The trend with spray tanning is to be as organic as possible, using good ingredients that promote hydration and allow for a gradual, even fade out,” McIver says. She uses Eco Tan, a certified organic spray tan or Naked Tan, and says there are some simple rules to follow that will help you get longevity from a spray tan. “It’s always a good idea to wax or shave a few days before your appointment,” she says. “And exfoliate areas such as elbows, knees, backs of legs and feet, removing any dry skin as these easily pick up extra colour causing the patchiness that is the tell-tale sign that your tan is faux. Her secret weapon for exfoliation is Pure Fiji Sugar Scrub, $42. “It not only removes dead skin cells, but also maintains the skin’s hydration.”
Tips from the pros
• Tan two days before an event. Tans are at their fullest about 48 hours after spraying.
• Don’t use any deodorant or moisturiser before tanning, as they are a barrier to the colour, causing a patchy result.
A full body spray tan at Verdo lasts between 7-10 days and costs $60. Book online at www.verdo.co.nz.
