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As we reach the end of summer you may find that your skin is looking a little bit dull and dingy! The combination of hot, humid weather & rich sunscreens can cause your skin to become congested and prone to breakouts. My simple Skin Brightening Tomato Treatment will help gently smooth, soothe and brighten your skin. Tomatoes do make a wonderful treatment for acne prone skin as they are not only rich in Vitamin A & C but also have a gentle astringent action and can really help reduce the build of of sebum, dirt and other ickyness that clog up pores. Add just a dash of Lemon to help brighten and tighten skin and you have the perfect treatment to banish blemishes and boost radiance. Skin Brightening Tomato Treatment 2 medium sized Tomatoes ½ lemon oval cotton pads Slice the tomatoes in half and scoop out all the middle (pulp, seeds and all!) directly into a bowl. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Then with a dinky little hand blender blitz for a few seconds until completely liquidized. Pop about 6 of your cotton pads into the bowl and let them soak up the liquid. Then take the cotton pads and starting at the base of your neck, gently press the pads into your freshly cleansed skin. Work upwards and ensure that all your skin has been drenched with this soothing mixture. Leave on your skin for up to 10 minutes, then rinse away with tepid water. For super radiance boosting follow with my Pure Facial Oil. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2013/08/store-cupboard-spa-skin-brightening.html The skin around your eyes is exceedingly thin, delicate and very fragile indeed! For those very reasons it's the first place to show signs of a weary spirit and stressed lifestyle. Dark shadows, puffiness and those horrid little dryness lines are all signs that you need to take time out and treat yourself to a simple reviving treatment. My Revitalizing Eye Treatment is a stupendously easy, utterly relaxing and works a treat. The combination of soothing Manuka & Liquorice Skin Tonic and regenerating Cucumer & Cornflower Cooling Eye Balm will ensure your skin is super moisturized, deliciously plumptious and perfectly renewed.
Here's What You Need Manuka & Liquorice Skin Tonic Cucumber & Cornflower Cooling Eye Balm Oval Cotton Pads Step One - Place four cotton pads in a small bowl (or teacup) and pour on enough Manuks & Liquorice Skin Tonic to completely drench the pads. Cover bowl with cling film and place in fridge for about half an hour. Step Two - Take a small amount of your Cucumber & Cornflower Cooling Eye Balm and gently warm between your fingers before gently applying to the skin with a light tapping action. Start at the outer corner of your eye and tap towards the bridge of your nose. Then work upwards and below brow bone, zigzagging as you go to ensure entire eyelid is covered. Step Three - Grab your chilled bowl and remove two of the cotton pads and wring out any excess Manuka & Liquorice Skin Tonic. Place the chilled pads over eyes, then sit back and relax. As the pad warms up flip over to the cool side. Then after about 5 minutes discard the cotton pads and repeat the routine with the fresh cotton pads. Top Tips De-Puff Morning Eyes - If you do wake up with puffy eyes, try making this the night before and leaving the cotton pads in the fridge overnight so you have a super cool eye treatment in the morning. Take Your Treatment To Work - Instead of leaving in the fridge overnight, pop the saturated cotton pads in a ziploc bag and place in the freezer overnight. Remove and pop the ziploc in your handbag. When afternoon hits and your feeling tired and stressed, the pads will have defrosted but still be cool enough to use. Pre Night Out - Revitalizing Eye Treatment is the perfect pick me up before a night out. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2013/08/beauty-school-revitalizing-eye-treatment.html To make things a little bit easier I have compiled a simple checklist of symptoms that are experienced by those with Rosacea. Do you suffer from really sensitive skin? Does your skin have a hard time tolerating skincare and cosmetics? Do you regularly breakout in a flush or blush? And when you do blush, does the redness last longer than 15 minutes? Do you have redness on cheek and nose area that doesn’t ever diminish? When you are stressed out does your skin redden and become extra temperamental? Do you have any broken blood vessels on your face? Do you have any little red spots that don’t seem to heal? Have you ever suffered really bad (and I mean peeling/blistering bad?) sunburn in the past? Are your eyes quite sensitive to sunlight? Do extremes of temperature (either sticky summer heat or freezing winters) cause your skin to suffer long term redness? Does just a few moments in the sun cause your skin to flush and does the redness then last for a day or so? If you eat hot, spicy foods, drink hot drinks or enjoy the occasional tipple do you find that your skin flushes? Do your eyes feel scratchy and irritated? Do your eyes tear up easily and appear bloodshot? OK, you guessed it! If you answered yes to more than two of these questions you may be suffering from Rosacea and I would recommend you to hotfoot it straight down to the Dr. It's absolutely essential that you get the correct diagnosis and the earlier you seek advice and treatment the more likely you will be to control the condition. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2010/09/simple-checklist-of-rosacea-symptoms.html Rosacea has to be the number one skin condition I get questioned about. It affects so many and can be a stressful and really upsetting condition to deal with. So I'm devoting the next few posts to share some information that I hope will help you to take control and make some better choices for your skin.
What Is Rosacea? Rosacea is an inflammatory skin disorder linked to the vascular system (hence the redness). It’s characterized by reddening of the skin (and sometimes swelling). It generally appears on the face (usually around cheeks & nose in a tell tale butterfly pattern ), forehead, chin, ears & neck, but can also appear on the chest & back. It’s a condition that at the start can be easily misdiagnosed; sometimes the redness is taken for an allergic reaction to skincare, sunburn or even acne. It’s a grown up skin condition as it tends to strike the over 30’s. Those with fair or Celtic skin types are most likely to suffer from Rosacea and women are more susceptible to this condition then men. But sorry guys, I’m afraid your more likely to suffer from a more severe form of Rosacea, with more redness and the lumpy, bumpiness of skin inflammation (especially on the nose). The bad news is nobody knows exactly what causes Rosacea. There are a myriad of theories about the cause that range from intestinal infections, hereditary condition, sun damage, immune system, some even reckon it’s caused by an icky little mite which lives in hair follicles and clogs oil glands, which leads to that acne type inflammation. Rosacea cannot be cured but with a little bit of knowledge and the right skincare routine you can bring back some balance to your skin. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2010/09/rosacea-introduction.html Summer is just around the corner and you can no longer hide under layers and layers and layers of winter clothes. But have no fear as there is one guaranteed way to see (and feel) a real difference in your skin and that my dear friend is the simple routine of exfoliation. Its cheap and easy and the results are terrific! You do not (repeat DO NOT) have to purchase any overpriced and irritating product as you can make your own and it is oh so very simple.
Kate's Fab Weekly Exfoliating Routine You Will Need A body brush (natural bristles please!) About 4 tbsp or so of Nourish Lotion (Fennel is perfec for this) About 3 tbsp or so of lovely processed granulated sugar. It may rot your teeth but it does wonders for your thighs (as long as you don't eat it!). Lock yourself away in the bathroom, this is serious work and you must not be disturbed! Step One Apply the Nourish Lotion (by the way did I mention you had to take your clothes off?) all over your body with an upward, sweeping action. Then go into massage mode; on fleshy bits like upper arms, thighs and bottom, use a lovely deep kneading action. On bony bits use a gentle circular action. Just taking a minute or so to do this will warm up your skin and make it more receptive to the scrub. Step Two Beginning at your feet gently sweep a dry, natural body brush upwards over your skin. When body brushing always work towards the heart. Use short and very light strokes with the body brush, remember you are not scrubbing the floor! Make sure every inch of you has been brushed. This simple step will liven up your skin and ensure the body oil is distributed to bits you may have missed. Step Three This is the messy bit, so step into the shower (but don't run any water yet!). Starting at the toes again and working upwards with a mixture of circular and upward sweeping action apply the sugar. Sugar makes the perfect exfoliator as it doesn't sting if it gets into a cut or scratch (unlike salt!) and dissolves incredibly easily. Its also the perfect texture for exfoliation. This exfoliation routine should feel pleasantly scratchy and not at all painful, so easy does it! Pay real attention to all the extra dry bits like heels, knees and elbows. Once you are all sugared up, its time to rinse off. Step Four Run the shower but keep the water warm, not hot. Hot water feels lovely but it is incredibly drying. So save your skin, cut down your energy bill and feel a bit smug 'cos you've done your bit for the environment! Rinse off the scrub and continue your shower with a gentle body wash. When you step out of the shower, pat yourself dry with a lovely, soft fluffy towel. Leave your skin slightly damp and then apply your regular body oil or moisturizer and lock in all that lovely moisture. Step Five Now relax and admire your smooth, delectable skin. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2009/12/smooth-smooth-skin.html My cleansing routine may seem a little bit different to what you are used to, but believe me that extra minute or so of gentle cleansing will reward you with a naturally gorgeous glow. Cleansing your skin is quite simply the most important step in your skincare routine. Gentle cleansing will ensure that dead skin cells, excess oil, dirt & makeup are removed. Your skin's natural oil (sebum) needs to flow freely onto your skin to perform its own natural moisturizing and healing action. If skin has not been cleansed effectively, your pores get blocked, the natural oil becomes trapped causing infection and breakouts to occur. If skin has not been well cleansed it does take on a dingy appearance with the development of blackheads, whiteheads & enlarged pores. On the other hand overzealous cleansing damages skin and causes sensitivity, dry patches and excess sebum production.
Cleansing Technique I divide cleansing into an am & pm routine. Your morning cleanse need not be too rigorous, you just simply need to remove any surface oils or excess product that may remain on your skin and ensure your skin is perfectly prepared for the day ahead. Be Kind To Yourself! Remember we aren't trying to recreate the opening scene from Mommie Dearest here, gentle is the key word! I am always shocked when new clients tell me of their cleansing routine be it harsh products or harsh action. Scrubs are for kitchen floors not gorgeous faces! Harsh treatment will only upset your skin, while a gentle soothing touch will ensure a fresh and fabulous glow! The aim of the cleanse is to gently remove any surface debris and free the pores to release their own natural moisturizer. Morning Cleanse Skin needs just a gentle cleanse in the morning, it certainly doesn't need to be overwhelmed by a myriad of irritating products. Step One Simply fill a basin with warm water and add 20 drops of Rose & Willow Skin Tincture. Swish & swirl this skin balancing blend into the water. Soak a clean, cotton flannel in the water, wring out and place the flannel over your face & neck for about 10 seconds. This simple step will warm up your skin, stimulate circulation and attract any skin debris to the flannel. Rinse & wring out the flannel. Step Two Fold the flannel into a small rectangle then covering one section of skin at a time gently press flannel into skin, roll and release. Repeat this action around face & neck. Finally splash face & neck for 30 seconds and pat your skin dry with a soft, fluffy towel (keep your own separate towel especially for skincare). DO NOT share a towel or use any old towel that's just hanging around! Make your cleansing routine a real ritual and a spirited start to the day. Allow your skin to rest for about 5 minutes before applying your SPF and make up. Evening Cleanse Your evening cleanse is absolutely essential to remove all the dirt & debris of the day. I don't care how tired you are (sorry I was a bit bossy then!) but if you do only one thing for your skin make it a thorough cleanse in the evening. Step One Place the clean, soft flannel in a basin of warm water. Warm the cleanser in the palm of your hand. Just taking the time to warm the Borage Cleansing Oil or Palmarosa Cleansing Balm makes the cleanse so much more effective. A warm product clings to the debris on your skin making your cleansing routine a lot more thorough. Step Two With the cleanser distributed evenly in your hands, sweep the cleanser upwards over your neck, jawline, sides of nose & forehead. Step Three Then sweep outwards towards temples and back down past cheekbones down to the centre of jaw. With a small circular action using the pads of your fingers work product into skin of face & neck. Step Four Use this same action around your eye area. Since you are using a gentle touch combined with a smooth and gentle cleanser, don't worry you will not drag or damage this delicate area at all. Using this simple, circular technique will ensure that your skin circulation is boosted, giving it a helping hand in eliminating its own dirt and debris that will clog pores. Step Five Once the cleanser has been gently massaged into skin, wring out the flannel and place over face & neck for about 10 seconds. This simple step will warm up your skin, stimulate circulation and attract any skin debris to the cloth. Rinse & wring out cloth. Fold cloth into a small rectangle then covering one section of skin at a time gently press cloth into skin, roll and release. Repeat this action around face & neck. Step Six Final Rinse - Fill basin with fresh, warm water and add 20 drops of Rose Skin Tonic. Swish & swirl this skin balancing blend into the water. Then proceed to splash face & neck for 30 seconds. This will ensure every little bit of debris & excess cleanser is removed. Rose Skin Tonic is a simple blend, which is a totally natural yet utterly effective skin ph balancer with a lovely antibacterial action. Step Seven Pat skin dry with a clean towel and wait about 5 minutes before applying your facial oil. Waiting just a few minutes before applying the next step of your skincare routine allows your skin to recover its natural balance, making it in the perfect state to receive the most nourishment from your facial oil.My cleansing routine may seem a little bit different to what you are used to, but believe me that extra minute or so of gentle cleansing will reward you with a naturally gorgeous glow. Cleansing your skin is quite simply the most important step in your skincare routine. Gentle cleansing will ensure that dead skin cells, excess oil, dirt & makeup are removed. Your skin's natural oil (sebum) needs to flow freely onto your skin to perform its own natural moisturizing and healing action. If skin has not been cleansed effectively, your pores get blocked, the natural oil becomes trapped causing infection and breakouts to occur. If skin has not been well cleansed it does take on a dingy appearance with the development of blackheads, whiteheads & enlarged pores. On the other hand overzealous cleansing damages skin and causes sensitivity, dry patches and excess sebum production. Cleansing Technique I divide cleansing into an am & pm routine. Your morning cleanse need not be too rigorous, you just simply need to remove any surface oils or excess product that may remain on your skin and ensure your skin is perfectly prepared for the day ahead. Be Kind To Yourself! Remember we aren't trying to recreate the opening scene from Mommie Dearest here, gentle is the key word! I am always shocked when new clients tell me of their cleansing routine be it harsh products or harsh action. Scrubs are for kitchen floors not gorgeous faces! Harsh treatment will only upset your skin, while a gentle soothing touch will ensure a fresh and fabulous glow! The aim of the cleanse is to gently remove any surface debris and free the pores to release their own natural moisturizer. Morning Cleanse Skin needs just a gentle cleanse in the morning, it certainly doesn't need to be overwhelmed by a myriad of irritating products. Step One Simply fill a basin with warm water and add 20 drops of Rose Skin Tonic. Swish & swirl this skin balancing blend into the water. Soak a clean, cotton flannel in the water, wring out and place the flannel over your face & neck for about 10 seconds. This simple step will warm up your skin, stimulate circulation and attract any skin debris to the flannel. Rinse & wring out the flannel. Step Two Fold the flannel into a small rectangle then covering one section of skin at a time gently press flannel into skin, roll and release. Repeat this action around face & neck. Finally splash face & neck for 30 seconds and pat your skin dry with a soft, fluffy towel (keep your own separate towel especially for skincare). DO NOT share a towel or use any old towel that's just hanging around! Make your cleansing routine a real ritual and a spirited start to the day. Allow your skin to rest for about 5 minutes before applying your SPF and make up. Evening Cleanse Your evening cleanse is absolutely essential to remove all the dirt & debris of the day. I don't care how tired you are (sorry I was a bit bossy then!) but if you do only one thing for your skin make it a thorough cleanse in the evening. Step One Place the clean, soft flannel in a basin of warm water. Warm the cleanser in the palm of your hand. Just taking the time to warm the Borage & Barberry Cleansing Oil or Palmarosa & Echinacea Cleansing Balm makes the cleanse so much more effective. A warm product clings to the debris on your skin making your cleansing routine a lot more thorough. Step Two With the cleanser distributed evenly in your hands, sweep the cleanser upwards over your neck, jawline, sides of nose & forehead. Step Three Then sweep outwards towards temples and back down past cheekbones down to the centre of jaw. With a small circular action using the pads of your fingers work product into skin of face & neck. Step Four Use this same action around your eye area. Since you are using a gentle touch combined with a smooth and gentle cleanser, don't worry you will not drag or damage this delicate area at all. Using this simple, circular technique will ensure that your skin circulation is boosted, giving it a helping hand in eliminating its own dirt and debris that will clog pores. Step Five Once the cleanser has been gently massaged into skin, wring out the flannel and place over face & neck for about 10 seconds. This simple step will warm up your skin, stimulate circulation and attract any skin debris to the cloth. Rinse & wring out cloth. Fold cloth into a small rectangle then covering one section of skin at a time gently press cloth into skin, roll and release. Repeat this action around face & neck. Step Six Final Rinse - Fill basin with fresh, warm water and add 20 drops of Rose Skin Tonic. Swish & swirl this skin balancing blend into the water. Then proceed to splash face & neck for 30 seconds. This will ensure every little bit of debris & excess cleanser is removed. Rose Skin Tonic is a simple blend, which is a totally natural yet utterly effective skin ph balancer with a lovely antibacterial action. Step Seven Pat skin dry with a clean towel and wait about 5 minutes before applying your facial oil. Waiting just a few minutes before applying the next step of your skincare routine allows your skin to recover its natural balance, making it in the perfect state to receive the most nourishment from your facial oil. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2009/12/cleansing-101_6255.html This simple massage is a really effective way to soothe your skin & get the best result from your facial oil. It’s a simple synergistic blend of massage & acupressure movements. This treatment will stimulate your circulation & kick start cell regeneration ensuring your skin has a fresh, rosy glow.
Technique Allow your hands to mirror each other in a gentle unhurried way. Preparation Cleanse your skin & allow it to rest for 5 minutes. This will ensure your skin has recovered its natural balance and will enable the facial oil to penetrate more efficiently. Warm Up Using the thumb & index finger of each hand; start at the inner edge of eyebrows & pinch gently, working outwards towards your ears. Pinch along till you reach the end of your brows. Do twice.Using the same pinching action move hands down to centre of chin and work along jaw to ears. Facial Massage Place a small amount of facial oil (remember you only need the tiniest amount) onto the palm of your hand. Dip in fingertips & then gently rub palms together to distribute the oil evenly. Step One With one palm resting lightly on the base of your throat and the other palm just below it, gently sweep the palm upwards (one hand following the other). Using the same sweeping motion work outwards to each ear ensuring your neck has been covered with the facial oil. Step Two Place palms on your jaw with fingertips resting on cheekbones at each side of nose. With a light sweeping touch, smooth the fingertips up by the sides of the nose, middle of forehead, then down towards temples and back to jawline. Do twice. Step Three Place the flat pad of ring finger on inner edge of eyebrow. Using the underlying bone as a guide; start at the inner eyebrow & with a smoothing action work outwards, around cheekbones & back to the top of nose. Do Twice. Step Four With the fingertips of each hand touching at the centre of the forehead (arms raised, elbows out) smooth outwards towards temple. Do Twice. Step Five With fingertips on temples slowly work in circular motion. Do Twice. Step Six With fingertips at both sides of nostril and using cheekbone as your guide use a comfortable pressure to sweep fingertips upwards towards ears. Do Twice. Step Seven With flat pad of fingers use small gentle circular motions around the face & neck (but avoid delicate eye area). Then with a gentle tapping action (like tapping a keyboard, but quicker!) use the pads of your fingers to tap all around face & neck. Gently tap eye area (working outwards towards ears) it’s a great depuffing trick! Alternate these two moves for about a minute. Step Eight With the back of one hand gently pat under your chin. Do about thirty. Step Nine Repeat steps 1 & 2. Step Ten Then starting at top of ears, using thumb and index finger pinch around your ear working all the way down to your lobe. This is a lovely way to finish the massage as all your reflexology points are present on the ear lobe, so this simple action will refresh and restore.This simple massage is a really effective way to soothe your skin & get the best result from your facial oil. It’s a simple synergistic blend of massage & acupressure movements. This treatment will stimulate your circulation & kick start cell regeneration ensuring your skin has a fresh, rosy glow. Technique Allow your hands to mirror each other in a gentle unhurried way. Preparation Cleanse your skin & allow it to rest for 5 minutes. This will ensure your skin has recovered its natural balance and will enable the facial oil to penetrate more efficiently. Warm Up Using the thumb & index finger of each hand; start at the inner edge of eyebrows & pinch gently, working outwards towards your ears. Pinch along till you reach the end of your brows. Do twice.Using the same pinching action move hands down to centre of chin and work along jaw to ears. Facial Massage Place a small amount of facial oil (remember you only need the tiniest amount) onto the palm of your hand. Dip in fingertips & then gently rub palms together to distribute the oil evenly. Step One With one palm resting lightly on the base of your throat and the other palm just below it, gently sweep the palm upwards (one hand following the other). Using the same sweeping motion work outwards to each ear ensuring your neck has been covered with the facial oil. Step Two Place palms on your jaw with fingertips resting on cheekbones at each side of nose. With a light sweeping touch, smooth the fingertips up by the sides of the nose, middle of forehead, then down towards temples and back to jawline. Do twice. Step Three Place the flat pad of ring finger on inner edge of eyebrow. Using the underlying bone as a guide; start at the inner eyebrow & with a smoothing action work outwards, around cheekbones & back to the top of nose. Do Twice. Step Four With the fingertips of each hand touching at the centre of the forehead (arms raised, elbows out) smooth outwards towards temple. Do Twice. Step Five With fingertips on temples slowly work in circular motion. Do Twice. Step Six With fingertips at both sides of nostril and using cheekbone as your guide use a comfortable pressure to sweep fingertips upwards towards ears. Do Twice. Step Seven With flat pad of fingers use small gentle circular motions around the face & neck (but avoid delicate eye area). Then with a gentle tapping action (like tapping a keyboard, but quicker!) use the pads of your fingers to tap all around face & neck. Gently tap eye area (working outwards towards ears) it’s a great depuffing trick! Alternate these two moves for about a minute. Step Eight With the back of one hand gently pat under your chin. Do about thirty. Step Nine Repeat steps 1 & 2. Step Ten Then starting at top of ears, using thumb and index finger pinch around your ear working all the way down to your lobe. This is a lovely way to finish the massage as all your reflexology points are present on the ear lobe, so this simple action will refresh and restore.This simple massage is a really effective way to soothe your skin & get the best result from your facial oil. It’s a simple synergistic blend of massage & acupressure movements. This treatment will stimulate your circulation & kick start cell regeneration ensuring your skin has a fresh, rosy glow. Technique Allow your hands to mirror each other in a gentle unhurried way. Preparation Cleanse your skin & allow it to rest for 5 minutes. This will ensure your skin has recovered its natural balance and will enable the facial oil to penetrate more efficiently. Warm Up Using the thumb & index finger of each hand; start at the inner edge of eyebrows & pinch gently, working outwards towards your ears. Pinch along till you reach the end of your brows. Do twice.Using the same pinching action move hands down to centre of chin and work along jaw to ears. Facial Massage Place a small amount of facial oil (remember you only need the tiniest amount) onto the palm of your hand. Dip in fingertips & then gently rub palms together to distribute the oil evenly. Step One With one palm resting lightly on the base of your throat and the other palm just below it, gently sweep the palm upwards (one hand following the other). Using the same sweeping motion work outwards to each ear ensuring your neck has been covered with the facial oil. Step Two Place palms on your jaw with fingertips resting on cheekbones at each side of nose. With a light sweeping touch, smooth the fingertips up by the sides of the nose, middle of forehead, then down towards temples and back to jawline. Do twice. Step Three Place the flat pad of ring finger on inner edge of eyebrow. Using the underlying bone as a guide; start at the inner eyebrow & with a smoothing action work outwards, around cheekbones & back to the top of nose. Do Twice. Step Four With the fingertips of each hand touching at the centre of the forehead (arms raised, elbows out) smooth outwards towards temple. Do Twice. Step Five With fingertips on temples slowly work in circular motion. Do Twice. Step Six With fingertips at both sides of nostril and using cheekbone as your guide use a comfortable pressure to sweep fingertips upwards towards ears. Do Twice. Step Seven With flat pad of fingers use small gentle circular motions around the face & neck (but avoid delicate eye area). Then with a gentle tapping action (like tapping a keyboard, but quicker!) use the pads of your fingers to tap all around face & neck. Gently tap eye area (working outwards towards ears) it’s a great depuffing trick! Alternate these two moves for about a minute. Step Eight With the back of one hand gently pat under your chin. Do about thirty. Step Nine Repeat steps 1 & 2. Step Ten Then starting at top of ears, using thumb and index finger pinch around your ear working all the way down to your lobe. This is a lovely way to finish the massage as all your reflexology points are present on the ear lobe, so this simple action will refresh and restore. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2009/12/fabulous-facial-massage.html All Fake Tans Are Created Equal
Aaah, the miracle of fake tan! Don't be put off by those poor unfortunate souls that turn a terrible shade of tangerine. Used with a little bit of skill, it will make you glow and magically erase that pesky cellulite. All fake tans regardless of price have one thing in common - DIHYDROXYACETONE. Its the stuff that creates the colour and it appears in every single self tanner, be it the priciest aerosol tan or the supermarket self tan lotion. When choosing a self tanner always read the ingredient listing on the bottle. Ingredients have to be listed in order of volume, so the ingredient that appears in the greatest amount is first on the listing, then it works downwards with the last ingredient on the list being the smallest amount of ingredient in the product. With this firmly in mind, the higher that the word DIHYDROXYACETONE appears on the ingredient listing the darker the self tanner will be. Choosing The Right Shade When buying a self tanner you really need to take into consideration your natural skin colour. For a lovely, natural and totally believable tan you just need to take your colour just a few shades warmer. Notice I said warmer, not darker! Do not go for the darkest shade of self tanner thinking with just one application you will be ready for the beach. It is so much better to buy a shade that is a tad more natural and reapply each day till you get the shade you are happy with. Preparation Is Everything It really is best to apply self tanner in the evening. That way you can take your time, wear your raggiest old jimjams and not ruin any lovely clothes. You must exfoliate thoroughly before you even think about applying self tanner. Dry skin just soaks up the self tanner leading to horrid uneven and unbelievable coverage. After your shower, dry yourself thoroughly and maybe think about applying Nourish Oil to areas that are prone to dry skin, such as elbows, knees, heels and ankles. Then wait for about 10 minutes, this allows your body to cool and the Nourish Lotion to really sink in (if any Nourish Lotion does remain on skin just pat it dry with a towel). Tie your hair back and put on your gloves this is where it gets really serious..... Application Self tanner is best applied in a cool room. You don't want to break a sweat when applying tanner and cause yourself nasty streaks, If applying in your bathroom, open a window and ensure its steam free as this can affect application. If your applying in another room use an old sheet to cover the carpet and any area you want to protect from staining. I always use plastic gloves when applying fake tan and I always buy the smallest size. That way they fit really close to the skin enabling you to apply the tanner with ease. Use a 10p size splat of tanner at a time. Massage into skin with a sweeping horizontal actions, followed by a vertical action. Work the tanner in well, this really makes a difference. Take your time and ensure that the tanner has been absorbed before moving on to the next bit. Start with your legs and then work up, slowly! Make sure that everywhere has been covered. Save the insides of your arms, armpits, elbows, knees, feet and hands till last. A quick swipe of the areas with the residue that remains on your gloves is more than adequate. Blot away any excess lotion with an old towel. If using an aerosol or pump spray its best to stand in the bath to apply. But really the application technique is the same (but read the instructions as some aerosol tans must not be rubbed in!), just spray onto skin from the distance advised on the instructions and rub in just the same as a lotion. Its A Waiting Game.... You've applied the tanner with great care but now you must wait for 20 minutes at the very least before getting dressed. This is where it gets tricky, you do not want the tanner to settle in any areas (like your lovely curves) causing nasty dark bits. Now unless you want to stand with perfect posture, tummy sucked in and head held high you might like to follow this next fabulously lazy but extremely effective tip. Cover your bed with an old sheet, lie across the bed and let gravity work for you. Its a whole lot easier than standing around for 20 minutes avoiding the furnishings! After allowing the self tanner to dry put on your dingiest old t-shirt and rattiest pajama bottoms, then head for bed. Tan Maintenance After bathing or showering don't be too zealous with the towel, give your skin a break and pat dry with a lovely fluffy towel (but don't use those chic white ones!). Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Once you have applied fake tan you must get into the habit of applying Nourish Lotion or Heavenly Bliss Balm twice a day. It really does extend the life of the tan and really ensures your skin has a lovely, glossy look. How Often Do I Apply Fake Tan? This really is up to you. The first time you apply self tanner it may take you two application (on consecutive evenings) to get the colour you want. When you are happy with the shade as long as you keep moisturizing you can get away with applying just once a week. Don't Use Body Tanner On Your Face! A self tanner for the body has a much richer and thicker consistency. It really isn't suitable for the face or neck. Skin is thinner there, much more sensitive and is much quicker to breakout. I really would recommend that you buy a product that is targeted to the face and neck. http://kateloganbeauty.blogspot.com/2009/12/make-fake-fabulous_26.html Don't fear the glow! Subtle self tan can give you that golden glow, rather than a tango glow! Facial tanners can work wonders; they can even out your complexion, help hide any broken capillaries, camouflage acne scars, even make your face look thinner. But you have to apply it correctly, you do not want the colour to look obvious, you just want that delectable Antibes glow. Those with a fair complexion are best suited to the gradual tanners that enable you to build up the glow. Medium to dark complexions can go for the self tanners that develop in a few hours. Self tanners usually give you a little hint to the intensity of the shade, but if in doubt just look at the ingredient listing and the higher DIHYDROXYACETONE appears on the list, the darker the tan will be. Dixydroxyacetone is the stuff that colours your skin. So pick a shade (light, medium, dark) that is closest to your natural skin colour. Remember you can always apply subtle colour boost with either blush or bronzer. And the golden (no pun intended) rule is to ensure you moisturize frequently and reapply the self tan around every three days as this will keep your skin smooth and the colour looking fresh. Kate's Foolproof Guide to a Golden Glow! Preparation Cleanse skin and gently exfoliate. Palmarosa & Echinacea Cleansing Balm is perfect for this as it cleanses skin and gently exfoliates.. Then simply pat dry. This gentle exfoliation ensures that any dry skin is removed. Its essential that dry, flaky skin is removed as if left on skin it would absorb colour unevenly making the self tan look icky and fake. Moisture If you have used either my Palmarosa & Echinacea Cleansing Balm or Borage & Barberry Cleansing Oil you can easily skip this step as you skin will be soft, smooth and ready for the self tan. If you have used a foaming cleanser then please apply a thin layer of moisturizer and wait 15 minutes for that to fully absorb. Application Splodge a pea size amount of the self tanner on your middle and index fingers (using these fingers will help you to apply the colour a lot more precisely). Dot self tanner on the centre of your forehead, along you cheekbones, down the centre of your nose and on the middle of you chin. Using the same two fingers blend the self tanner from those points out towards your hairline. Work the formula over the jawline and down the neck. Allow the skin to dry for a good 20 minutes before applying make up or heading for bed. The Day After The Night Before! When the tan has taken effect, go lightly on the foundation. Just use concealer and maybe even try a tinted moisturizer (with spf please!) that is a shade darker than your regular one. Then sweep on rosy colour blush (or use a sheer cream blush) lightly to replicate that glossy summer glow! WARNING - just a few things to watch out for.
Polished, flawless and gorgeously fabulous. Yes, that can be you with a little help from some perfectly applied foundation. With a myriad of lovely light diffusing formulas you can say goodbye to those teeny imperfections and glow, glow, glow!
The Secret Finding the right shade is the key to getting the perfect look. When foundation shopping, take a friend (for an honest opinion). Apply the foundation to your jawline, ideally you want the colour just to disappear into your natural skin tone. Step away from the pink toned foundations; they do not suit anyone! Look for yellow toned shades, they are flattering and realistic. Application Tools of the Trade - Foundation Brushes are fabulous, forget about applying with a Make-Up Sponge, they just soak up your liquid foundation and you end up using twice as much! Another tip when buying your Foundation Brush (and ssh! do not tell anyone I told you this!), buy a cheap one (bear with me their is a method to my madness!). A cheap (oh that sounds so horrible!), I mean a reasonably priced Foundation Brush will use synthetic fibres. Synthetic fibres are best for foundation as the liquid is not absorbed (it sits nicely on the bristles) and this allows you to apply the your foundation with ease.
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