Who doesn't love going on vacation? From eating delicious foods, swimming in the pool, and tanning by the beach, a trip away is always worth it. Especially when we catch a few rays and come home with a golden tan that lets everyone know we had a great time! But sadly, as the days pass by, the tan can start to fade away, leaving the trip a distant memory... Luckily though, there are ways to make sure that color sticks onto the skin and lasts longer! Here's how.
The process of making that tan stick start even before you lay on the hot sand. It's important to prep the skin before any sunshine touches it. Founding Partner and Lead of Product Innovation at Sol de Janeiro. Camila Pierotti explained that we should exfoliate beforehand to get an even surface. And, of course, continually hydrate! "For the days leading up to the tan, keep your skin extremely moisturized," she said. This step is crucial, not just as a preceding step but also for later on. "Always keep your skin extra moisturized before, during, and after tanning," said Pierotti, "because the sun dries out your skin."
Those who are prone to burns may wanna take notes with this next step. Unfortunately, getting a sunburn means the skin will eventually peel, taking away any sort of color you may have gotten during your holiday. So do not forget to apply sunscreen! "I recommend applying SPF all over your body before putting on your bikini or clothes," Pierotti advised, "that way, if anything moves around, your skin will be protected, and you avoid burning and ruining a tan!"
Post-sun skin is extremely sensitive because, as previously mentioned, those strong UV rays make our skin dry and flakey! So for that post-beach or dinner shower, make sure the setting is not on the hot water because that can just make the dryness worse. Opt for colder temperatures to ensure that the sunkissed look will persist. And while you are in there, grab your favorite exfoliator and scrub your body. We know... this sounds like it would remove the tan, but really this will just remove the dead skin cells that sit on top of the epidermis. Removing them will enhance the glow and actually let that tan shine through! Check out these body scrubs on Amazon. Happy tanning!