There are tips and tricks for prolonging a tan. Image: kajakiki/Istock.com via AFP Relaxnews
If two or three weeks in the sun are enough to develop the perfect tan, it’s sadly the same amount of time until it fades and we’re left facing winter the same way we left it. A few actions can help extend the glow well past your return from vacation.
Forget the old advice!
“Don’t protect yourself from the sun in order to tan more quickly and in a way that lasts.” This old idea is completely false and even dangerous. Wearing sunscreen doesn’t prevent tanning, and more importantly, it helps protect your skin from premature aging. For a lasting tan, it’s best to tan slowly and progressively. Beyond being painful and opening the way for multiple short- and long-term dangers, sunburns generally lead to peeling, which can cause blotches to develop in the affected areas. It’s a far cry from the pretty glow we’re often looking for.
Another outdated idea is that exfoliation removes a tan. Quite the opposite, in fact. It’s recommended to exfoliate two to three times a week before leaving for vacation, during and after returning. Why? Because it eliminates dead skin cells in order to promote an even tan that will last longer. It’s best to opt for a gentle scrub at the start of the summer if you have sensitive skin, and to look to natural products. You can make your own with oil and a fine-textured material like salt, sugar or coffee grounds.
Natural boosters
While their effects are not necessarily miraculous, certain foods and oils can help maintain a pretty glow. Carrot oil, rich in provitamin A, is already known for its positive effects on the skin, but did you know that it helps prepare the skin for the sun and can help prolong a tan? It has numerous benefits for the complexion and can be applied after sun exposure to regenerate skin cells.
Those who prefer to rely on their kitchens for their beauty needs should increase their intake of foods that are high in beta carotene to enhance their glow. The best sources of this until the season ends are carrots, of course, but also apricots, peaches, tomatoes and melons.
Beauty allies
If you didn’t get the color you wanted, or if you couldn’t go on holiday, self-tanner is always an option. Today there numerous textures and formats which permit an even tan without streaks. Newer products make it possible to choose the intensity of your tan and offer moisturizing and anti-aging benefits. CL
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