We chat with the founder of Bondi Sands and find out everything you need to know about self tanners.
Sacrificing the sun in favour of self-tanner is the wisest way to get a golden glow. And while most of us could admit to a past self-tanning disaster, formulations have come a long way in the last few years. “One of the biggest innovations has been the quality of colour that can now be achieved from our self-tanning product,” says Blair James, the co-founder and director of Bondi Sands. We chat to James about how to get a fool-proof bronze goddess look every time.
What’s the most common self-tanning mistake people make?
The most common mistake is not exfoliating thoroughly before applying the tan, which will result in a streaky tan. Using a good quality exfoliation mitt on soft skin in a hot shower will help remove dead skin cell and leave you a smooth canvas to apply your tan.
There are a plethora of self-tanning formulations available these days – sprays, foams, lotions, gels. How do we figure out what product is right for our skin and lifestyle?
Each formulation will deliver a slightly different result and the length of the tan may also vary. Generally the faster the tan is to apply the quicker is will fade. Mists are very quick to apply but offer very little moisturisation and do not penetrate far into the skin. Foams offer much more moisturisation and due to the application method penetrate further into the skin and finally lotions are very moisturising and a rub thoroughly into the skin and in general will last the longest on the skin.
Selecting a level of tan that is right for your skin type is also important. If your skin is very pale then going for an ultra dark product may not look natural on your skin as opposed to a light/medium may actually deliver the natural golden appearance everyone is after.
I want my skin to look golden, but I want it to look natural like I’m not wearing self-tanning product. How do I achieve this?
Choosing a level of tan that matches your skin type is key. Gradual tanning products are so popular right now and are now available in many different types of application. Gradual tanning products allow the user to build their colour over a number of days, in turn eliminating the chance of streaks and allowing the user to keep applying until they reach their desired level of tan.
