Summer will soon be gone and no sunbathing anymore until the next season again. Winter is coming which means your tanned skin may start to fade and go back to its natural color. In the natural cycle of the human cell, the tan color obtained through sunbathing may only last for 6 to 10 days. But don’t worry because here are some of the tips and tricks to maintain make your sun-kissed skin last a little bit longer.
- Exfoliate first. Prior to self-tanner applications, do some exfoliation first. The purpose of exfoliation is to remove rough, old and dead skin and to make tanning more effective. Exfoliation involves scrubbing through the use of loofah or pumice stone and/or at the same time using a body scrub. Exfoliating with the body is different from exfoliating your face. In exfoliating your face, use exfoliating products that fits your skin type. If you plan to wax your body hair, do it first before you do tanning. Waxing also helps in pulling dead skin surface. Never wax after tanning because it will just peel out your tan.
- Tan gradually. When tanning, don’t hurry to get dark easily, instead do it gradually. Do not sunburn because aside from its hazardous effect, sunburn easily fades away. It is better to tan slowly as it penetrates deeper on the skin.
- Maximize moisturizing. After you have achieved the color you want, the best thing to maintain it is to use moisturizer daily at least twice a day. Moisturized will become your best friend because a dry skin will result flaking thus the skin will peel and eventually will shed its color. Maintain your skin hydrated to prevent it from peeling, making your tan last for at least few extra weeks.
- Maintain inside. Another secret to make your tan last a little bit longer is to maintain it through your intakes. Keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water and eating watery fruits to help prolong the life of your skin cells. When the tanned skin cells easily dies, it will peel and will be replaced with new skin cell. Eat foods that are rich in beta-carotene like carrots, tomatoes, apricots and lot more to maintain your tan. There are also tan optimizing supplements available in the market that helps protect the skin. They come with anti-oxidants and may also help increase melanin production to maintain your skin color.
