Getting that sun kissed look from the sun is so last century.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in New Zealand. Skin cancer is largely preventable. Over 90% of all skin cancer cases are attributed to excess sun exposure.
If that’s no enough to scare you from getting a tan from the sun, sun damage to the skin accounts for 80% of skin aging and wrinkles!!
For an even tan, you need to prepare your canvas.
Either exfoliate your body from head to toe before applying any self-tanner or use the new Tan Eraser from Bondi Sands. To prevent your tan from going on splotchy and fading unevenly, use an oil-free exfoliator (oil creates a barrier between your skin and the tanner, and will leave it streaky) before getting started. Our pharmacist owner, (Annabel) favourite is a coffee scrub or the exfoliation gloves, she also recommends exfoliating skin and shaving with a new razor the day before or the day of to further exfoliate your skin.
After showering and exfoliating
Apply an oil- free lotion to your hands from your wrist to your fingertips, to the backs of your heels, and to your elbows and knees. These areas tend to be dry and will absorb more pigment than other areas of your body, causing unevenness. If you have large pores or dry skin, you should also apply a moisturizer on your face 20 minutes before applying your self-tanner.
Adhere tape to the bottoms of your feet when using spray product to cover your skin in case you step in fallen residue.
One clear sign of a fake tan: orange spots on the soles of your feet. Paper tape is a great option to prevent these tell-tale spots on your feet
To get tan in your knuckle creases, bend your fingers so your hand looks like a claw.
You don't walk around with your fingers straight all day long, so make sure you're covering all the nooks on your body that can show when you move around.
Contour your cheekbones with a small sponge brush and a self-tanner that's made specifically for your face.
This will save you time in the morning too, since you'll literally wake up like this
Make it easier to cover hard-to-reach areas like your back by using the right tools.
Not everyone has someone who can apply back tan for them, and we all know the mitts don’t fit most Kiwi Blocks hands. We now have a couple of back applicators available instore. Apply the tanner to your mitt and swipe it across the harder-to-reach areas.
Distribute the self-tanner on your mitt evenly by applying it to the centre of your mitt and then folding it in half.
This helps you apply less product to your face, hands, elbows, knees, and feet using the tip of the mitt — you won't end up overdoing it and applying the same amount to your face that you would, say, your thigh. You can also skip applying tanner on the areas around your elbows and instead blend the product toward your elbows with the sponge mitt to ensure the product is even and your elbows don't come out too dark.
Use a sponge to blend the tanner on your hands.
After applying the tanner, lightly blend out the product with a sponge. This evens out dark spots and prevent any streaks from appearing after the tan develops. Also do this in between your fingers, toes, and on your knees, which tend to crease and often need blending.
Scrub the palms of your hands with an exfoliator after you've finished applying your self-tanner.
Scoop a small amount of a scrub onto the middle of your palms and gently rub your hands together. Even if you use a mitt to apply your tanner, it's easy to make mistakes when the product is still wet. The grittiness of the exfoliator will help remove any leftover tanner that might have gotten on your skin in the process. Whatever you do, don't submerge your hands in water. Instead, follow the next step to get the remaining grit off your hands.
After you exfoliate the underside of your hands, rub your palms with a makeup wipe to remove the exfoliator.
The last thing you want to do while allowing your self-tanner to dry and develop is get your skin wet, so a makeup wipe is a good option to clean your palms a bit.
Use a cotton swab or makeup wipe to remove the tanner on your nails and cuticles.
The trick to making your hands look flawless is to apply lotion over them so they don't over-absorb tanner, apply the self-tanner carefully and evenly, and then go back and remove the product from certain areas, like your fingernails and cuticles. One by one, gently rub each nail bed and cuticle with a wipe or cotton swab until the product is gone to prevent orange hands and fingers.
Instead of waiting for your tanner to dry when you're in a hurry, lightly blast your skin with the cool setting of your blow-dryer to speed up the process.
This is so much easier than standing in your bathroom naked and literally waiting for your tanner to dry.
Lightly pat areas such as your armpits, elbows, and knees with a talc-free baby powder to prevent the product in those areas from creasing.
After your self-tanner is dry and before you put your clothes back on, dust on some powder to keep your skin from sweating off your tanner as it develops.
Use a self-tanner with SPF when you're outside, so you can protect your skin while still getting a nice "tan."
Come and talk to our team about getting glowing skin. We have the largest selection of tanning products in the CBD of Christchurch.