"Fakin it". The secrets to a flawless tan

Back in 1920 a group of scientists attempted to develop a sugar substitute (dihydroxyacetone or DHA). People that ate it claimed it tasted terrible and stained the insides of their mouth brown which wouldn't go away for days. Voila! Self tanning creams were born.
 Modern self tanners are an excellent alternative for people that want that sun kissed look without the side effects. Here's how it works: DHA chemically reacts with the proteins in the top layer of the skin-the dead cells of the epidermis turning it brown. The concentrations of DHA and other added chemicals in these tanning lotions and cremes differ brand to brand, so you may need to play around a little bit to find one that suits you. Tanners have gotten bad rap because they can turn the skin blotchy looking, uneven and orange AHHHH! BUT, behold, I have tracked down some secrets for you to implement into your self tanning regiment for better result..

1.) EXFOLIATE! DHA reacts only with dead skin cells in the outermost layer, but areas of dryer and flaky skin will "grab more DHA making the tan uneven.

2.) MOISTURIZE! After exfoliating, moisturize the rough areas on your body including knees and elbows!

3.) WATCH YOUR SPOTS! Freckles and sunspots absorb more of the DHA which can lead to darker patches If that's the case, you may want to opt for a bronzer instead.

4.) APPLY IN THIN LAYERS! and rub it in well. If you just slop a bunch of self-tanner on your body, you'll be more likely to turn your skin orange. Lotions and creams are better than sprays which can streak.

5.) WASH YOUR PALMS AND SOLES! The skin on the palm of your hands and soles of your feet is thicker, so it can become darker than the rest of the body.

6.) SPF! A fake tan won't protect you from the sun. Even if your skin looks darker with self-tanner, you still need SPF.

Ok, so what happens if you over did it and made a self tanner boo-boo.. OOPS! You're orange! (hahah...sorry)  Don't panic, here's a quick tip to fix that. Get yourself to the drugstore and get the acne treatment pads (with glycol or salicylic acid) which help s"unglue" the top layer of the skin that holds the fake tan. Wipe vigorously and you'll be back to normal in about a day (as opposed to 3 or 4).


Happy faux tanning.

xxo