Top Tips for a perfect tan - Illuminate by Shauna

Top Tips for a perfect tan

Whether your’e lashing on the tan the day before a girls night out or your getting a professional spray tan before a big event, the steps to prepare your skin are the exact same!

Exfoliate and moisturise your body a couple of days before you apply your tan. By doing this you are removing any dead skin cells and dry patches. Moisturising will leave your skin soft and silky to give your tan good canvas to cling to.

You should shave/wax at least 24 hours before apply your tan. You want your pores to be fully closed before application so you don’t get any of those annoying brown dots on your legs! This is a result of the tan sitting into open pores. After shaving/waxing, moisturise once more. If you are getting a professional spray tan, do not wear deodorant that day. Sorry, but you’re just going to have to be smelly for the day because if you wear deodorant the tan will likely turn green under your arms, and Shrek vibes is not what we’re going for here!

Tan tips

Tan day! Take your bottle of tan, use 2-3 pumps of tan and using a mitt, (always use a mitt, no socks please!) apply your tan and blend evenly until you can’t see any uneven patches or streaks. The tan I’m using at the moment is Terrie McEvoy x SoSueMe Bahama Body in Dark. I really like this tan and find very little difference between this and the Dripping Gold which I also love, but the Bahama Body is literally half the price. So that’s what sways my decision. However I do prefer a lotion sometimes over mousse as I find it much more hydrating and luxurious. So it’s really whatever you’re in the mood for as both these are really good tans.

Be careful when applying around your feet and toes as this is a tricky area and can easily end up looking streaky and orange if not blended properly, the same applies for your hands. I’m obsessed with the SoSueMe Wonder Water in Medium-Dark. I use this on my hands, feet and face when tanning and honestly it just makes things so much easier. Spray a couple of pumps straight on to your face and take a big fluffy brush (I just use an old powder brush) and blend it all in. It’s important to blend it, I see a lot of people just spraying it straight on and leaving it which will cause it to come out patchy and uneven. I use the same process with my feet and hands. And then bake! I always leave my tan to develop overnight and shower the next morning. Just rinse in the shower until the water runs clear, no need to scrub, you’ll only cause streaks.

Sometimes I find it hard to get a deep colour on my chest and shins. It just doesn’t seem to grab there as well as it does everywhere else. So if I’m heading out and I want a bit more coverage I always use either of the two products below on top of my tan. The SoSueMe Body Tune is gorgeous over your tan and has a lovely shimmer in it. The Vita Liberata Body Blur is somewhat similar but there’s not as much shimmer in it as the Body Tune. Either of these will give you extra coverage and shimmer.

Top Tips

For the best wear off and to avoid scaly looking tan, moisturise everyday or every second day for a more even wear off.

All SoSueMe Dripping Gold products and Bahama Body can be purchased in Penneys or online at www.sosubysj.com. The Vita Liberata Body Blur can be bought on www.cloud10beauty.com or in Boots stores.

 

Back to blog