Summer Glow: It’s Okay To Fake It!

By Rachel Greene

Give up tanning. There’s another way to get that golden glow. Fake it. Bronzers and sunless tanners result in a safer and faster tan that is just as beautiful as the real deal. Even Dermatologists now guide their patients toward these products if they want more color on their skin. Overexposure to sun is a known culprit in skin cancer and sun tanning can also result in premature wrinkles. It’s the Doctor’s orders! Fake your bake, girl.

Speaking of faking, sunless tanning products generally fall into two categories: cosmetic bronzers that wash off like regular makeup and sunless tanners that actually stain the skin and fade as skin cells slough off. Our recommendation is to use the products combined. If you miss a spot or your sunless tan is starting to fade, a bronzer will mask any unevenness and give you a nice shimmery look. For the best way on how to achieve your summer glow, read the directions below.

Sunless Tanner: Prepping is the key

There are a few prep steps that are needed to keep your tan long lasting and to prevent blotchiness or unevenness.

1. Shower and shave before you apply. Exfoliate the entire area to be tanned. This is an important step to prevent the tanner from settling into creases and turning too dark or orange.

2. After showering and exfoliating, skip any moisturizer, lotion, or deodorant, which can interfere with even absorption of the tanner. These products are known as blockers, which could also prevent you from seeing any results at all. One exception: Apply a small amount of light lotion or moisturizer to very dry areas, such as the hands or feet, to prevent too much tanner from soaking in and darkening.

3. When you’re ready to apply the sunless tanner, pull your hair back into a ponytail or wear a shower cap. Apply the lotion to all areas that you to tan. Apply sparingly to elbows, knees, hands, and ankles. Try to apply as even as possible which is why we recommend a lotion with a bronzer so you can see if you missed a spot.

4. You should be completely dry before putting on clothes. Use a hair dryer to dry if needed. Do not wear anything tight and stick to loose fitting clothes. Additionally, do not sweat for at least six hours to give the color time to develop.

5. Once the desired color has been reached, you can shower. Avoid long prolonged hot showers, pools, or hot tubs to keep your tan for its maximum tan life.

Don’t know which products to try or where to get them? We looked through the top rated sunless tanners and cosmetic bronzers to come up with this list: