As the sun sets on Summer many of us wave goodbye to our radiant summer glow. And as we dive deeper into the winter months, our skin starts to experience a number of changes that can lead to dull, dry and lacklustre skin. Throughout winter our natural exfoliation process can slow, we experience moisture loss thanks to a cooler climate and dryer skin becomes the daily norm with increased time spent curled up next to warm comforts indoors. Not to mention reduced sun exposure as it’s often too cold to play outside! All of these environmental factors contribute to lack of glow when it comes to our winter complexion, however dull skin doesn’t have to be your only choice through the cooler months. Enter Summer’s substitute - Self Tanning. The right self-tanning routine can quickly bring the glow back to your dull winter complexion, giving your skin a healthy radiance until the weather warms again.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A WINTER SELF-TAN
Not all self-tanning products are made with healthy skin in mind. Yes, they offer a safer way to tan when it comes to sun damage, but if they aren’t infused with nourishing ingredients they’ll be doing your skin no favours, particularly throughout the cooler seasons.
Natural DHA
DHA (Dihydroxyacetone) has been used as the active ingredient in self-tanning products for many years. It reacts with the skin’s surface, producing melanoidins, resulting in a change to the skin’s colour that mimics a natural tan. DHA is available in both synthetic form and natural form derived from plant sources such as sugar beets and sugar cane. The difference? Synthetic DHA can be drying on the skin, often produces a “fake tan” scent and in synthetic formulations it’s not uncommon to also find artificial colours and fragrance that can cause additional irritation to the skin.
Nourishing Oils
Choosing a Self-Tan product that includes skin-loving oils will deliver much needed hydration, resulting in a patch free application and long lasting hydration to go with your new skin tint! Look for oils such as Argan and Macadamia as they offer maximum hydration without the greasy residue, and hold anti-inflammatory properties to support all skin types.
Keep it light with a Tanning Moisturiser
Unless you have a special event on, reaching for the darkest tan you can find may not be the best option through winter. If you have fair skin and suddenly look like you’ve returned from the Bahamas it may look a little unnatural and the risk of uneven application and a patchy fade increases when you make such a noticeable change. This is particularly relevant when your skin is also battling the cooler elements.
Opt for a Gradual Tanning Lotion or Moisturiser that you can use over a few days to build a more natural finish while doing your skin a favour and delivering on the hydration it so desperately needs. A Tanning Lotion or Moisturiser is also more likely to fade evenly and can comfortably be applied in the morning while you continue to go about your day business.
We Recommend:
LAMAV’s Gradual Tanning Moisturiser is a must have for healthy winter skin. Containing a nourishing blend of Argan Oil, Macadamia Oil and Green Tea Extract, you’ll enjoy instant hydration while building to a beautiful streak-free tan. As an added bonus, this Tanning Moisturiser is also enriched with bio-active Magnesium to promote a sense of relaxation, contribute to overall well-being and support skin's collagen production.
The beauty of a gradual tanner such as LAMAV’s Tanning Moisturiser is it allows you to customise your level of tan, building it up daily until you achieve your desired depth of colour. You really can enjoy a natural tan and glowing skin all year round!
FACE TANNING HAS ITS OWN ROUTINE
Looking for a natural sun kissed glow for your face? Self-tan may be the obvious answer, but let us stop you before you reach for your Tanning Lotion. Tanning products designed for your body have no place on your face. Applying the same tanning lotion to your face that you use on your body may give you the sunless glow you’re looking for, but it could also cause a few problems. Here’s why:
- The skin on our face is generally more sensitive than the skin on our body, and as most tanning lotions are formulated with body skin in mind, ingredients may not be so suited to the skin on our face
- The skin on our face is more prone to breakouts and reactions, and the thicker texture of tanning lotions for the body may block pores, causing blemishes and skin reactions
- The skin on our face requires daily support when it comes to hydration and tanning lotions created to tan the body may not have ingredients that specifically support hydration
If you want a safe, undetectable glow to match your face to your bronze body, investing in a Face Tan product is essential. Have you met LAMAV’s Anti-Ageing Face Tan Serum? Developed specifically to improve the condition of your skin while you enjoy a natural glow, our Face Tan Serum will deliver the following benefits:
- Infused with clinically proven anti-ageing bio-actives
- Stimulates collagen and elastin production to support age-defence
- Supports hydration
- Suitable for sensitive skin and use during pregnancy
This unique serum formulation ensures that your transformation from snow flake to glowing goddess is accompanied by a clear, fresh, and hydrated complexion that blends seamlessly with your body. It naturally evens out the skin and provides a healthy glow, giving you the confidence to face the day makeup free. Foundation free winter anyone?
Let’s look at some of the key ingredients that make this tanning-meets skincare serum possible.
Argan Oil
Derived from cold pressing argan nuts, this skin protecting superfood is light and non-greasy, making it ideal for oily or acne-prone skin types. A deeply moisturising, anti-inflammatory oil that helps to balance the skin’s natural lipid levels without clogging pores, win-win! Enjoy the benefits of a stronger skin structure and improved skin elasticity. Say hello to youthful, glowing skin!
Hyaluronic Acid
Did someone say hydration? With the ability to hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, this impressive ingredient delivers and locks in moisture to seriously plump up the complexion.
Co-Enzyme Q10
Co-Enzyme Q10 is a powerful antioxidant and plays an important role in carrying energy to our cells. It neutralises and even prevents damage caused by oxidative stress due to ageing. Topically CoQ10 assists in reducing the visible signs of ageing including fine lines, pigmentation and wrinkle depth. Hooray for age defence while tanning!
Aloe Vera Leaf Juice
Aloe Vera supports skin with hydration while calming and soothing any redness or irritation.
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR SKIN FOR TANNING
Whether you’re tanning your face or body, a flawless application lies in the prep work. Exfoliating and boosting hydration in the 24 - 48 hours prior to tanning will give your tan the smoothest base to work with.
For your body, it’s recommended to complete hair removal & exfoliation 24 hours prior to application. Use LAMAV’s exfoliating mitt over the entire body, paying particular attention to the elbows, knees, hands and feet to say goodbye to dry, flakey skin prior to tanning. Our exfoliating mitt will also promote circulation, tone the skin and help smooth the appearance of bumpy skin.
To boost hydration prior to tanning, treat your skin to the holistic benefits of LAMAV’s Ayurvedic Body Oils. Use our body oils to complete an Abhyanga Massage prior to showering the night before tanning for supple skin and a smooth tanning application.
When it comes to your face, you can help your skin along with its natural shedding process by investing in a gentle but effective exfoliant. We recommend using LAMAV’s Jojoba Exfoliating Scrub 24 hours prior to tanning as you’ll get the benefits of physical and natural chemical exfoliation thanks to the inclusion of Potent AHAs and jojoba microbeads. Bursting with essential fatty acids from nourishing oils and butters, this exfoliant also delivers on hydration.
TANNING APPLICATION TIPS
Taking the time to prep your skin and strategically apply your tan may seem like a lot of work, but trust us it will be worth it! Not only will your efforts reward you with an undetectable glow, the proper prep work can also support tan longevity. As the products applied to the face and body are quite different, so too is the application process.
Applying Face Tan
Applying moisturiser directly before tan is a big no-no when it comes to face tan, as the product will have no chance to absorb or develop, sliding straight off the skin. To prevent dry skin throughout the application and developing process, boost your skin with as much hydration as possible in the days leading up to applying your tan and opt for a face tan product that supports hydration, such as LAMAV’s!
Ensure your skin is clean, dry and free from any makeup or moisturiser. Apply one pump of LAMAV’s Face Tan Serum onto clean fingers and gently massage evenly all over the face, blending down to the neck and décolletage, being careful to avoid close contact with the eye area. Apply daily for up to 3 days until you reach your desired colour. Maintain your natural glow with top ups 2-3 times per week.
Applying Body Tan
Ensure your skin is clean and dry. Prior to tanning, apply a small amount of moisturiser to hands, feet, knees and elbows, creating a barrier to prevent tan from absorbing too much in these areas.
Dispense a small amount of gradual tanning moisturiser to LAMAV’s Tan Application Mitt and apply to clean, dry skin using long strokes and buffing motions until absorbed. It’s always best to start with a small amount as you can always add more as you need to. The colour will begin to develop after 4 hours and continue to develop for up to 24 hours. Wait at least 6-8 hours before showering and 12 hours before applying another coat. Use across consecutive days to build from a subtle glow to richer tan.
To keep your skin glowing for days it’s important to boost hydration post tanning with nourishing face moisturisers, oils and LAMAV’s Ayurvedic Body Oils. Topping up hydration twice per day after tanning ensures a longer tan and a patch free, undetectable fade.
