Not that you should get a tan from the sun any time of year, but winter is an especially tough time to maintain any sort of bronze. You're spending little to no time outdoors, your legs are mostly covered up (remember shaving? ha!), and you just cannot when it comes to adding any additional things to your daily beauty routine.
Luckily, self-tanning has become one of the easiest items to cross off the beauty to-do list. Thanks to all of the new products we have at our disposal—whether its a quick-dry formula that lets you get dressed right away, or a handy applicator that keeps your palms from getting stained—it's actually pretty painless. Here are three things that will help you keep your glow going all winter with minimal effort:
1. Find a Face Formula With a Built-In Applicator
We're huge fans of James Read's BB Tan Face Pen. This "pen" contains a creamy self-tanning liquid with a brush applicator tip for an easy, mess-free application (I swipe it on in the morning like you would foundation). By lunchtime, you've got a golden glow, and the BB formula has skin care benefits to hydrate, even out, and illuminate skin. This is a no-brainer to use all winter instead of (or underneath) a tinted moisturizer. I go for the Medium, but there's a Light formula for anyone who'd rather err on the side of subtle.
2. Pick a Quick-Dry Formula That Won't Stain
Lately, Brazilian brand Best Bronze has been getting a lot of attention, even making appearances on Alessandra Ambrosio and Irina Shayk's Instagram feeds. The one-color-fits-all self-adjusting formula comes in a convenient airbrush-type spray, but that's not even the best part. The real best part is how quickly it dries (instantly). Finally, you can get dressed or get into bed and not worry about smearing or smudging (or, in my case, staining your white bedding).
3. Moisturize Constantly
No matter how great any self-tanner looks, how it fades is equally important. If it gets streaky or spotty, you'll be stuck rocking that look for the next four or five days, and that's not pretty. The key is to moisturize. Constantly. Because dry skin is exactly what causes that dreaded uneven fade, so winter is a tough time. If you, like me, hate putting on body lotion. You put it on just like body wash and rinse it off, but it'll keep your skin moisturized (and help your tan stay even) for the rest of the day.
PS: Thank you, science: New "express" self-tanning formulas can work in as little as an hour (as in, you can wash them off after one hour!). Check out St. Tropez and Fake Bake, both of which can be washed off after just one to three hours, saving you so much time. St. Tropez Skin Finishing Expert Sophie Evans says the trick is in the active ingredients—one ingredient is deactivated by water, while another is activated by water, so you'll continue to tan even after your shower. Genius!
How many of you self-tan? Any favorite tips, tricks, or products?
