Raise your hand if you feel personally victimized by harsh winter weather?
Just as we suspected, we're not the only ones.
When you've been spending the last few months bundling up and keeping covered, the last thing you're thinking about is how killer your legs look in short shorts. Even if you're not desert bound next month, this suddenly warmer time of year has a way of reminding us all to liven up our look and get a tan.
Not so fast though, if you're building your spray tan from scratch, there's a few things you need to know about achieving a natural-looking color. To get a glow on par with celebs like Selena Gomez and Jessica Alba, celeb spray tanner Jenni Blafer of Sunkissed by Jenni shared her no-fail tips for easing back into a spray tan this season.
Now Is the Time: "Festival season in April is one of the busiest times of the year for us—literally all of Los Angeles spray tans…" shared the pro.
Start With a Fresh Canvas: If you're spraying for the first time in a while, your skin needs to be prepped. "You want to come into your spray tan with a fresh canvas for us to paint on," recommended the pro. That means exfoliating head-to-toe, whether it's at home or at a salon. If you're doing it yourself, Jenni recommended the Dermasuri mitt. "I like to soak in a bath then scrub my skin outside of the water," added the expert.
Hydrate: "I start a couple of days in advance by drinking a lot of water," said Jenni. Another key component of staying hydrated is a good moisturizer. Once the tan is on, "using a good moisturizer like Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream will keep your skin hydrated, which in turn will make your spray tan last longer and fade evenly," she advised.
Go Easy on the Color: "When going to a new spray salon, you always want to err on the more conservative side…you can always come back for more but you never want to over-saturate your skin," warned Jenni. Instead, she advised starting light and setting a "benchmark" with color. Once you decide if that's too light or dark, you can adjust at your next appointment.