Updated Tanning Routine

Hi everyone, welcome back! 

Today I have an updated post on my tanning routine, to see my first tanning post which goes into a bit more detail on what base color you should look for in a tan, tanning mitts and more click HERE!

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Ok, so if you know me at all you will know I am a lover of summer and being tanned! I do love me some sunshine and natural color but I try to keep tanning in the sun to a minimum as I know how terrible it is for my skin. Insert fake tan .... perfect to maintain a healthy glow, extend a natural tan and avoid tanning in the sun too much! 

Previously I had been using Xen-Tan which I still love and recommend, especially for people with naturally dark skin but it isn't easily accessible here in Australia. Since then I have found myself a perfect tan combination, and one that is Aussie made - tick! 

Let me introduce you to Bondi Sands, my new holy grail. They have quite a range of products now from these foam tans to creams and sunscreens; however the above are still by far my favorite from the range.
When it comes to tanning I think the most natural look comes from foam tanners and using a tanning mitt, that way you can apply the foam softly and avoid streaks. Along with the Bondi Sands I have found that the Le Tan gradual tan is the best way for me to extend my tan for around 10 days. Bondi Sands do have a moisturizer with gradual tan as well but I'm not as fond of the scent as I am with this one, this one just smells like a beach holiday - that is honestly the best way I can describe it!
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So what I do is exfoliate completely in the shower to ensure there is no dead skin that the color will attach to. I then apply the foam all over using a tanning mitt. I use the light/medium color in winter when I am naturally a little lighter and the dark color in summer when I already have a tan to ensure I am achieving a natural look.
So I cover myself in the tan using the mitt, then wash my hands and dry them whilst also using the towel to blend the color from my arm into my hands to create a natural transition, you don't want it to look like you tanned your arms and have white hands! I then put on a jumpsuit that is lightweight and loose, or if its in winter i'll put on a onsie (this helps stop the color transferring to your bed sheets!)
I always tan in the evening so I can allow it to develop completely overnight whilst I sleep. Another big tick of approval for these tans is that they smell nice! My boyfriend doesn't mind the smell of them at all which is a big indicator to me that they don't have that 'tan' smell to them!
In the morning I will just shower off the color guide and voila! tan is done!

I will then apply the Le Tan moisturizer two to three times after I shower within the next week of  the tan being on to help extend it further; normally I can get it to last really well for two weeks before I feel like I want to re-apply. The other great thing with Bondi Sands is that it fades evenly and doesn't leave patches or streaks as it wears off. For a gal that is obsessed with Tone It Up and running this is a big deal for me! So many other tans have given me the weirdest patches in my elbow crease from running!       

The above picture is my before shot. This is in the middle of a very hot Aussie summer so I am already quite dark for my skin tone, ill remind myself to do a post like this again in the middle of winter!

And this photo is the after the next night. So as you can see it is nothing too crazy on the color, looks quite natural in my opinion and is the right tone of 'tan' that doesn't have an orange tint to it. 

So there we have it, my must haves for tanning. In terms of face tanning, I don't ever tan my face naturally - I will always wear SPF in the sun and in my foundations. I don't even self tan my face as I scrub it each day so don't really see the point. Instead I just use bronzes to match my neck to my face which always works best. If your going from quite light to a darker tan I would recommend using a shade darker foundation and then lightly bronzing, or if your just going for that sun-kissed look then just dust the bronzer all over your face once you've completed your make up routine! 

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I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know if you use these tanners or if there are any that you swear by or recommend.

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Until next time!

xoxo

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