The Sunday Overhaul: Week One – Tanning

So, here’s the idea. Us working women all get into a flap on a Sunday night about our Beauty Maintenance – right? It’s the only day of the week we get a second to think about frivolous things like hair masks, manicures, defuzzing or, heaven forbid, a DIY facial (30 mins? To myself? In the bathroom? Pah).

So, I’m going to post each week, on a Sunday afternoon, some super easy DIY maintenance ideas that are foolproof, quick and have a high results:effort ratio. This week: Tanning.

These last few days of sunshine have thrown into stark relief the lack of fake tanning in my beauty regime. Exposing my pallid Celtic limbs was not a pretty sight so, after a quick seasonal restock I present to you the foolproof tanning duo:

This can of self-tan from Aussie brand, Invisible Zinc was my firm favourite last year and I still can’t beat it. After the necessary scrub and moisturise I simply start at my toes and give myself a light mist all over (it is an aerosol application so best to apply standing in the shower cubicle so you don’t inadvertently spray the walls/carpet/bedlinen). Then I whip out my £3 self-tan secret weapon that I wrote about last summer and still swear by. The St. Tropez buffing mitt. Starting at my feet again I buff in big circles to avoid any runs/drips. By which point, it’s dry and I can dress. Under 5 mins flat. It has zero smell. Seriously, zero. The tan develops in 4-5 hours and after a couple of consecutive days application I have achieved a natural, sunkissed shade. If you hanker after a darker hue this probably isn’t going to float your boat but if you’re just looking for a healthy hint of colour, you can’t beat it.

For the face I have rediscovered Clarins this year. I used it in my early Twenties and had forgotten quite how good it is. This formula is a very light gel/cream consistency with a sunshiny smell and hydrating texture. I was extolling its virtues to a friend via email and described it as ‘posh tan – you know, like a weekend in Cannes rather than a run-in with David Dickinson’. And that’s exactly what it is, an orange-free, almost olive-skinned result. I’m applying it every other day and thus far it hasn’t caused any breakouts which I find is a common complaint with a lot of facial fake tans.

So, there you have it. The first week’s Sunday Overhaul – go forth and tan ladies and for those inevitable self tan disasters (orange palms anyone?) St Tropez’s self tan remover is a lifesaver.

Beautybay.com have the Invisible Zinc Jet Set Tan on sale at £17.85 at the moment and I bought the Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow through Escentual.com who have it at the special price of £22.80 at the mo.