Fake Bake - faking it Glow Girl's way!

About a year ago, instead of my usual panic stricken, last minute attempts to get the perfect tan (I’m not alone in this approach!) I decided to indulge in an evening of major self-indulgence in order to get it right.  The Fake Bake three-step programme ensures the product works exactly as it’s supposed to and involves lots of exfoliating and moisturising prior to application of the lotion itself.  I’ve been hooked on Fake Bake ever since; it’s a lovely, natural even colour and looks amazing!

Now I know faking it may not be as relaxing as lying under the warming rays of a hot summer sun, but the health benefits of eschewing those rays in favour of DIY tanning are definitely worth the effort. So, set aside a little “me” time,  grab the Fake Bake and go for it. Happy tanning! (find more Fake Bake products at Glow Girl)

Just before I start, a couple of things I've figured out along the way:

Number 1 – OK, like you, I’ve read it a zillion times but it’s worth saying again - do exfoliate before using Fake Bake to ensure a streak-free finish and get rid of dead cells (yuck!) that make your skin look dull.  I paid a lot of attention to areas where rough skin lurks, like elbows, knees;  it’s so important to give dry skin loads of attention.  Make sure you carry out your usual hair removal routine; one thing I really recommend is to use body oil rather than soap or shaving cream as it softens skin beautifully.

Number 2 – Prepare your canvas!  Really moisturise your skin (this time with a non-oily moisturiser) after exfoliating to provide the smoothest skin surface possible.

Step by Step to a Beautiful Tan! 

1. The day before, I did a “mini”  routine – exfoliate, shave (don’t forget the baby oil!), and moisturise.  Just to get a head start.

2. For my tanning night, I went through the whole routine again, finally applying a nice thick moisturiser (I use one with cocoa butter which is really effective) everywhere but go the extra mile on feet, ankles, knees, inner thighs, and in all those dips and curves where the tan could get darker, (or patchy) like under arms, elbows and neck, under boobs and right at the top of the backs of thighs.

3. I let the moisturiser sink in for a while just to make sure my skin was completely dry.  I also remembered not to hang about in a steamy bathroom. 

4. So, about 20 minutes after applying the moisturiser, I began to apply Fake Bake - very generously.  I realised that the key to “all over” was just that -  as long as all areas got covered, the dark colour of the lotion showed up any areas that weren't covered. For all the large areas of skin,  I used the Fake Bake Dual Purpose Mitt to apply the fake tan without mess.  It promotes a beautiful, deeper, darker, longer lasting tan by up to 50%. 

Because I was a bit dubious about putting Fake Bake directly on my face, hands and feet, I mixed some with a non-greasy body lotion and applied it evenly with a cotton wool pad.  Perfect!

5. Once the lotion had dried (it soaks in quickly so I didn’t have to stand around for ages for it to dry),  I put on my PJs (long sleeves and long legs to minimise any mess) and left it to develop overnight.

It’s worth noting that you shouldn’t be put off by the brown colour on application. The organic colour in Fake Bake is there for application purposes – so you can see where it’s been applied. So although my jammies did get a bit stained, a quick turn on a normal wash cyle dealt with this.

6. The following morning, I showered off and discovered I had a flawless, perfect, gorgeous tan!

My Glow Girl verdict? I have to say, the colour is amazing and my skin just glows!  It’s not horribly dark like some of the other all-over products I’ve used.  I really was a bit scared to look in the mirror at first but I didn't need to worry - Fake Bake is absolutely perfect for not looking all orange and strange and so obviously fake! I didn’t get one single streak!

Darker Self-Tanning with Fake Bake

In the summer, I like to go darker, and I now apply it several nights in a row, without exfoliating between times. Actually, now that I’m topping up my Fake Bake tan, a regular exfoliating and moisturising routine keeps my skin fresh and glowing for each application.  This is especially good when re-applying to colour build-up areas like feet, knees and elbows so exfoliate, exfoliate…. exfoliate!

Air Brush Instant Self Tanning Spray – more Perfection from Fake Bake!

When I went on my hols this year, I used the Fake Bake Air Brush Instant Self Tan.  It’s a spray that gives a sheer, sexy “airbrushed” tan and looks really dewy, golden and gorgeous. The aerosol applicator works at any angle so I didn’t have a problem with embarrassing white patches.