Bronze Goddess 101:
How To Fake The Perfect Tan
When the heat is on and we’re wearing our sexy summer fashions who doesn’t want to look like a beautiful bronze goddess? I know I do!!I’ll be the first to admit that in my teen years I didn’t think twice about spending hours on end at the beach, or sunbathing without sunscreen! YIKES!!! Thankfully, my genetic makeup allowed me to do this, without burning and without doing too much damage overall. I would get a beautiful bronze glow and I did love the sexy, sultry look of a deep dark tan! This is a beautiful look when you’re young but, as a woman ages, the effects of years of sunbathing shows up later in life as very damaged skin! Deep wrinkles, sagging, and loss of firmness and elasticity in the skin begins to appear and this is anything BUT attractive and sexy!
So, can we forgo a pasty look in the summer without doing long term damage to our skin? Yes we can! In this day and age, with so many amazing products on the market, we can get a beautiful bronze glow by faking it!
The first thing that women usually ask me, as a beauty professional, is “What is the secret to your beautiful complexion?” I must say that genetics play an important role, however, investing in good skin care practices throughout one’s life makes all the difference! So I stopped sunbathing long ago and I get my “tan on” with great self tanning products and some easy to do makeup tricks!
So, can we forgo a pasty look in the summer without doing long term damage to our skin? Yes we can! In this day and age, with so many amazing products on the market, we can get a beautiful bronze glow by faking it!
The first thing that women usually ask me, as a beauty professional, is “What is the secret to your beautiful complexion?” I must say that genetics play an important role, however, investing in good skin care practices throughout one’s life makes all the difference! So I stopped sunbathing long ago and I get my “tan on” with great self tanning products and some easy to do makeup tricks!
I ALWAYS tell my clients to wear a good sunscreen daily to protect skin from sun damage and prevent premature aging. That is a must! The next step to a beautiful summer bronze glow is to use a self tanner. One of my absolute all time favorites is St. Tropez Bronzing mousse! It gives a natural bronzy glow and is easy to apply. I use this all over my body (not my face) throughout the summer and it gives me a beautiful golden tone. I look as though I have been at the beach all summer long!
Another favorite of mine, that you can use daily after your shower and has the added benefit of a moisturizer, is Jergens Natural Glow! It’s a bit more subtle and builds up slowly, without an orange tint. Most women are afraid to use self tanning products for fear of looking “orange”. This one looks very natural and works with the body’s own melanin production. This product line has a facial self tanning lotion, as I do advise using a separate product for the face.
One of my favorite facial self tanners is Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning lotion! It has a milky consistency and doesn’t feel greasy. You can use it over your normal skin care regimen and within a few hours you have a beautiful natural glow! This one can be used on the more delicate areas of the face, neck, and décolletage.
The trick to applying a self tanner, so that it looks natural and radiant, is to exfoliate the skin prior to application! This is a really important step, and will prevent blotchiness of the product as it tends to stick to dry, dead skin. Exfoliate in the shower using a body scrub or loofah before you shave and then shave as usual. Once you get out of the shower, apply your body moisturizing lotion first and then use your self tanner. This will allow the tanning product to penetrate evenly. Once you apply your product be sure to wash your hands thoroughly. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for the time needed to wait before getting dressed. I find that tanning about an hour before going to bed gives me the best results. I wake up to a beautiful tan as the product has time to work on my skin while I sleep!
Once my tan is set and looking beautiful I like to give a little sheen to my skin for a more radiant glow. Accenting the shoulders, collar bone, and legs with a body shimmer powder for a night out on the town looks amazing! This is a great way to get that extra glow! My favorite body shimmer powder is Urban Decay Honey Body Powder! It’s slightly scented, has a beautiful sheen and even tastes yummy! You will look, smell, and taste divine!
Now that your body looks amazing let’s focus on getting your makeup to look really beautiful with your new tan! Remember to match your foundation or tinted moisturizer with your deeper skin tone. Use blush and lipstick shades to compliment your bronze complexion. I love using warm tones, such as copper and corals, or brightening it up with a hint of pink! For a more neutral and really sexy look you can use bronze or gold tones of lip colors and glosses! Metallic shadows on the eyes look beautiful with a tan!
To even out your tan and give an extra hint of color you can use a matte bronzing powder on your face, neck, and decolletage! I love Bobbi Brown Bronzer Powder! It comes in different shades!
The secret to maintaining your beautiful tan is to keep your skin moisturized. Remember to wear sunscreen daily, as your skin is not protected and can burn easily, even though you are sporting a beautiful tan!
Enjoy your beautiful bronze glow and make the most of what’s left of summer!
~Copa
~Copa
For more information about MB Face design: http://mbfacedesign.com
