Savvy Self Tanning

As someone who isn't a fan of premature aging, I have experimented with a number of self tanners over the years (since I no longer tan outside), and am SO excited about today's guest blogger post! Sinead Norenius - a celebrity spray tan artist and Editor-In-Chief of www.SelfTanningQueen.com, the number one self-tanning and spray tanning blog - is offering her expertise and shedding some light on how to get that perfect glow. AND as if that wasn't enough, Sinead has her own line of self tanning products called Beautisol (www.beautisol.com) and is giving away a bottle of her Beautisol self tanning lotion to one lucky Practical Fashionista fan.  Read to the end of Sinead's post for details...

Spring is here and after being covered up all winter long, a tan or lack there of, can make or break the perfect outfit. With shorter hemlines in sight, women are making their tan the perfect accessory but they need to find alternatives to the sun’s harmful rays and dangerous UV tanning beds, because leathery skin is always out of fashion!

Achieving a gorgeous tan is easier than you think! All you need is a reputable product like Summer Glow from Beautisol, that has a dark guide color so you can see exactly where you put the product and where you missed. Also there is a new SMELL RIGHT fragrance technology that actually encapsulates the yucky processing smell by up to 80%, so you don’t have to smell like raw chicken while your tan is developing! Now that is quite a breakthrough!

Here are some of the top tips I’ve come to learn after years of tanning celebrities and educating people on how to apply self-tanner:

1) Exfoliate, Exfoliate! Use exfoliating gloves and a body scrub together to really get the job done and remember to focus on extra dry areas such as your ankles, knees and elbows.

2) Preparation is key! Apply a tiny bit of regular body lotion to those dry areas so the body absorbs that first, instead of the self-tanner. Grab a pair of tight fitting disposable gloves to apply the product so your palms don’t turn dark brown and you don’t have to constantly wash your hands!

3) Mirror, Mirror on the wall! Make sure you stand in front of a full-length mirror so you can see exactly where you have applied the product or any potential streaking (I picked my mirror up at Target for about $5.00’s).

4) Break it up! Apply the product to your body in sections starting from your legs, moving upwards. I have made eight “How-To” videos here if you need extra guidance: http://www.antidoteskincare.com/How-To-W14.aspx

5) Buff it out! Take a dry wash cloth and gently buff trouble areas such as the elbows, knees and the back of the heels. You can also use a Q-Tip to wipe product away from dark spots on your face so they don’t get darker.

6) Dark and Comfy! I always prefer to self-tan at night that way I can put on dark loose fitting clothing such as sweats or PJ’s and just go to sleep and process through the night. When I shower off the guide color in the morning my gorgeous tan is revealed and I can wear whatever I like.


Maintain that glow!
1. After you shower make sure you pat dry your skin after a shower vs. rubbing.

2. On the days following your tan application use a very light moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated but avoid extremely heavy lotions.

3. Make sure to avoid pools or hot tubs for an extended period of time, since chlorine tends to bleach the skin, thus lightening your tan prematurely.

4. About four days after your tan, start gently exfoliating your body with body exfoliating gloves so the color fades more evenly.

Sinead Norenius is a celebrity spray tan artist and Editor-In-Chief of www.SelfTanningQueen.com the number one self-tanning and spray tanning blog. She is also the founder of Beautisol - a luxury sun care brand with a personal touch. Sinead is a licensed aesthetician and skin care educator. For more information on Sinead and Beautisol products, visit www.beautisol.com .




Want to win a bottle of Sineads Beautisol Self Tanning Lotion? Who wouldn't?! Not only is her product super easy to apply thanks to it's instant bronzer / guide color but it also contains SMELL RIGHT™ fragrance technology which encapsulates the unpleasant processing odor that most self tanners have. How awesome is that?! 

SO, how do you win? In the comment section below, tell us your worst tanning experience OR why you need the perfect tan. Pictures are encouraged but not required. :-)

Deadline for entry is next Friday, May 7th. Looking forward to reading your entries! Good luck!