Make The Most Of Sun.... while we can

Tanning Safely

We have recently been blessed with some glorious sunshine in the last month or so. Whats even more surprising its been consistent. We have even been able to plan BBQs and days out which, is never easy on the west coast of scotland. 

ITS BEEN ALL LEGSOOT AND TAPPSAFF

A natural Tan is great, as long as you’re doing it safely; plenty of UV protection & hydrating of skin. So you want to keep that healthy glow as long as possible before the inevitable rainclouds descend. Help is at hand.

Get The Best Sun Tan...Safely 

#TopTanTips to enhance, maintain and prolong that natural tan. 

Bronzed skin is born when the sun activates a pigment in your epidermal layer. The skin’s top layer – and therefore your tan – only lasts between six to 10 days owing to the natural turnover of cells, but there are ways of extending the regenerating process. 

• Find The Right Sunscreen 

Don't just rely on SPF; on the bottle you need to look for the term 'broad spectrum' or the UVA logo plus the word 'high'. Go for SPF30 over SPF50. "It filters 97% of UVB rays, while SPF50 filters 98%. The latter can give a false sense of security and can be so chalky you may not reapply it every two hours like you should. If you have very dark skin (south Indian or black), SPF15 is sufficient.

• Know Your Limits and Time in The Sun

Your skin reaches a tanning cut-off point when it physically can't produce any more melanin, the tanning pigment, so it's pointless to lounge by the pool all day. Everyone has their own melanin cut-off, typically two to three hours or much less if you have fair skin. After this you're just subjecting your skin to the risk of UV damage.

• Tanning from the inside. Eat beta-carotenes

Various studies have shown that a diet rich in beta-carotenes (a type of red-orange pigment) can recreate the glow of sun-kissed skin from within. Amaze! The best natural sources are sweet potatoes, apricots, mangoes and especially carrots. So be sure to pack your meals with these sunshine-coloured fruits and veg. (We recently got a juicer and it’s the quickest, easiest and tastiest to get all that goodness) Drink water.  Don’t slack-off drinking water just because you’re not in 30 degree heat. Keeping hydrated can help prolong the life of all cells (including those nicely tanned cells at the surface) and also plump and smooth the skin.

• After Tanning

A brief shower after a session will help get rid of all the sunscreen and re-hydrate the skin. Dry skin is unhealthy and may peel or not maintain the tan very well. Gently rubbing a washcloth is usually enough to remove the sunscreen and prevent the tan from peeling. Cool showers. Hot baths can dehydrate your skin, leading to faster peeling. Stick to cool showers and use a moisturizing shower oil to really lock-down your colour. 

• Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!

There’s no better way to hang on to sexy summer skin than by slathering on the lotion. You should upgrade to a body butter and lotion-up every day.

• Exfoliate

It can feel like the last thing on your mind but it’s important to give your body a weekly exfoliation to help remove dull, parched surface cells and prepare the skin for the self-tanning to come.

• Gradual Tan

The secret to extending your tan is to create a simple ritual that’s easy to maintain. A gradual tan is what’s needed here: something you can slap on as readily as a body lotion, straight after your morning shower, and get dressed without waiting for it to dry. The subtle colour will enhance your tan without looking overdone and you can reapply every two days without streaks.

• Wear Lights Shades

Finally, it’s a tried-and-tested trick for giving the illusion of darker skin: simply wear a white or lighter shade next to your face. A crisp white shirt, bronzer and pink lip-gloss is one of the best mood-boosting combos we know!

ENJOY THE SUN WHILE IT LASTS

So enjoy the sun, get yourself down the beach & into the beer gardens whilst it lasts, but do it safely Follow those tips and you should be looking Tanned long after the sun goes down, and once THAT fades give me a wee shout. 

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