Does the skin look a little paler than you would like? Feeling like mixing things up and adding a dose of sun-kissed radiance to your skin? A good tanning routine may be just what you’re looking for. Whether it’s for a night out on the town or a trip to your local shop, if you want to create a warm look that gives your skin that summer glow (even in the cloudy UK), read our simple guide for best results. .
First, before you apply anything to your skin, make sure it’s clean and in good condition. This involves more than what you put into it. Yes, of course, use a good cleanser and keep your skin moisturized, but beyond that, try to keep your skin healthy and hydrated by putting the right things on your body. Makeup can only do so much and for the best results, make your skin look as good as it can be naturally.
Before applying bronzer, we suggest you use a primer to help ensure your makeup stays the way you want it all day, and of course, apply foundation and concealer.
Next, choose the right bronzer for you and your skin type. Never go too dark with bronzers. It can be very easy if one is too enthusiastic to try to create too dark a look on their skin. This will likely lead to a slightly off-putting orange look (I’m sure we’ve all seen it) with a visible line where the makeup ends, which is not a good thing. Aim for a bronzer that is no more than two shades darker than your skin tone. It will give it a lovely glow and it will look so much better than going dark.
The main types of bronzers are powder, gel, cream and liquid. They have their pros and cons. As a basic rule, use powder bronzers if you have oily or combination skin. Use gel, cream, or liquid tanners for normal to dry skin. This rule is not absolute, and of course experiment, but this is a good place to start. You’ll find that different types of bronzers will create different results, some matte, some silky… so choose the style you’d like to go for.
Applying sunscreen can be just as important as choosing the right sunscreen. First, apply it to the areas of your face that would normally be exposed to the most sunlight. You want this to look natural. Apply to the perimeter of the face, cheekbones, forehead, jawline, and temples. Do this by starting at your forehead and drawing a number ‘3’ on the side of your face. The upper part of the number ‘3’ is for the forehead, the middle section of the ‘3’ is for the cheekbones, and the lower part of the ‘3’ is for the jawline. Use light strokes and make sure not to apply too much here. Build in light layers.
The next step focuses on the cheekbones. Suck in your cheeks like you’re trying to look like a fish and follow the natural angle of your cheekbones. Again, light strokes here. Do this on both sides…obviously with brush strokes extending towards the temple area. Move down to the jawline and (gently) sweep along the angle of the jaw to add definition.
Make sure to blend the areas using small circular motions to fade any lines that are visible from where you applied it. For the rest of your face, don’t apply any more bronzer, just use the residue that’s still on the brush and use it on your neck, chin and nose. This will help give a soft glow, blend the bronzer, and fade any line that may have developed around your jawline.