Contents
- Self-tanning: what is it and why is it needed
- How self tanning works
- Disadvantages and advantages
- Types of tanning for the face
- How to choose self-tanner for the face
- How to apply self-tanner on the face?
- Self-tanning in the salon
- How to maintain a tan effect
- Self-tanning during pregnancy: precautions
- Funds overview
Some girls love their tan so much that they don’t want to part with it either in summer or winter. And that’s not a problem. Thanks to modern formulas, you can go tanned all year round without exposing your skin to the harmful effects of UV radiation in the sun or in a solarium. The main thing is to choose the right tool and learn how to use it. We tell you how to do it and give examples – the best, according to Healthy-Food.
Self-tanning: what is it and why is it needed
Self-tanner is a cosmetic product that, when applied to the skin, gives it a darker shade, creating the effect of a tan without the sun. Bronzants are far from a novelty on the beauty market, but modern products, of course, differ from those that were produced 20 years ago. Now these are easy-to-use products with different textures, from cream to wipes, designed for the face or body.
The tint that these products give to the skin is obtained naturally, without the characteristic yellowness that once betrayed an artificial tan.
Answer our quiz to find out what your skin will thank you for.
How self tanning works
The main active ingredient is dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which was discovered back in the 1920s, but was not used as a bronzer until three decades later, quite by accident discovering its ability to stain the skin.
Dihydroxyacetone is absolutely harmless, it does not penetrate into the bloodstream, it only stains the surface layer of the skin, interacting with the amino acids of the epidermis,” says Garnier expert dermatologist Marina Kamanina.
Disadvantages and advantages
The indisputable advantage of self-tanning is the ability to “tan” in a few hours as if you spent a week on the beach, but at the same time avoid sun exposure, which is fraught with burns and photoaging of the skin.
New generation bronzers:
give a natural shade of tan without yellowness;
adjust to the color of your own skin melanin;
quickly absorbed;
applied evenly;
color evenly;
moisturize.
Coloring of the palms. To avoid this effect, wash your hands immediately after using self-tanner.
Characteristic smell. It appears as a result of the reaction of DHA with the amino acids of the stratum corneum of the skin. To neutralize it, manufacturers use fragrances, but it is completely impossible to block the smell.
Uneven coloration of the skin. It is more likely that the fault is not of the product, but of the user who did not prepare the skin for applying the auto bronzer. How to do this, read below.
Soiled clothes. This can happen if you apply too much product and do not allow it to fully absorb.
Uneven coverage after a few days. This comes from the gradual washing off of the product. Most often, the skin lightens on the knees and elbows, as well as along the hairline on the forehead.
Types of tanning for the face
In order for the fake tan to go on smoothly, the texture of the auto bronzer should be light. So the tool is easily distributed over the surface of the skin in a thin layer. Manufacturers give the product a brown color not only for the sake of instant effect, but also so that the user can control the uniformity of application.
Self-tanners for the face are presented in the following formats.
Milk
It is freely distributed over the skin, often contains caring oils and moisturizing ingredients.
Gel
Its non-greasy texture absorbs quickly without leaving a sticky feeling.
napkins
Each is impregnated with the amount of product necessary for a single application in certain areas (face, arms / legs). It is convenient to carry wipes with you and wipe open areas of the face and body with them, without fear that the cream will be smeared.
How to choose self-tanner for the face
The intensity of tanning depends on the concentration of dihydroxyacetone. In face products, its content is much lower than in self-tanning products for the body. In universal products that can be used both for the face and for the body, the dosage is 1-3% – such self-tanning products give a moderate effect and are suitable for everyone.
The shade of artificial tan can be different for different people, because it depends on the characteristics of their own melanin pigment, says Marina Kamanina. Some are darker, some are lighter.
The choice of self-tanning texture depends entirely on personal preferences. Do a test on the inside of your forearm first to see if you like the shade and decide which self tan is best.
How to apply self-tanner on the face?
Prepare your skin peeling off all excess with a scrub. Preferably the day before.
Apply self-tanner for dry skin (no moisturizer) – the tool should penetrate deeper.
Wait 10 minutes to self tan completely absorbed.
Apply regular daily cream.
Apply self-tanner every day before receiving the required intensity hue.
Self-tanners do not increase the skin’s ability to resist UV rays and do not contain sunscreens. So the use of products with SPF over fake tan is a must.
Self-tanning in the salon
In salons, formulations with a high content of dihydroxyacetone (5–16%) or erythrulose are used. The drug is evenly sprayed onto the skin, and it stains it for several hours. There is no separate procedure for the face – only in combination with the body. Salon tanning lasts longer than home tanning, but not much – a maximum of 10 days.
How to maintain a tan effect
Alas, artificial tanning is short-lived, since the life of the horny cells of the epidermis is short. The tan will wash off within a week as a result of the skin’s natural renewal, so it needs to be reapplied 1-2 times a week.
Do not be alarmed if, when cleansing your face in the evening, the napkin is slightly yellowish – these are colored cells of the epidermis, and not pollution, ”says Marina Kamanina.
Self-tanning during pregnancy: precautions
There are no contraindications for the use of artificial tanning during pregnancy. “But expectant mothers should avoid the sun, its rays can provoke pigmentation – the so-called “pregnancy mask”, which subsequently is difficult to correct,” warns Marina Kamanina.
Funds overview
Self-tanning milk Ambre Solaire “Smooth tan” for face and body, Garnier , gives the skin a natural shade, as after a vacation, and moisturizes for a long time. Apricot kernel oil contributes to a more sustainable effect.
Delicate milk Sublime Bronze for face and body, L’Oréal Paris creates a shade close to the natural color of the pigment that appears on your skin in the sun. Its non-sticky texture absorbs quickly.
Sublime Bronze “Instant effect” self-tanning wipes for body and face, L’Oréal Paris — convenient format for use on trips. Also suitable for those who decide to test artificial tan for the first time. The woven base allows you to evenly apply the product even on hard-to-reach areas, and the optimal concentration of the active substance provides a golden hue from the first application. The package contains 2 wipes that are used for the whole body or its individual areas, for example, to treat only the face and décolleté. Auto bronzer contains exfoliating particles that smooth out skin texture for a more even tan.