Most of us understand that we’ll pay the price for a beautiful tan later on in life. Even a light tan means damage to the skin has already taken place, and this damage is cumulative. Not only does acquiring a tan cause damage to the collagen and elastin fibres, it also increases our lifetime risk for disfiguring and fatal skin cancers.
So how can we best achieve that warm glow of summer, without risk to the health, or of prematurely aging the skin?
The newest formulations of self-tanners are the answer. No longer overly orange, or impossible to predict in terms of resulting colour, today’s self-tanners are a far cry from those of yesteryear. Jergens® Natural Glow®, for example, creates a gradual, natural looking tan and comes in a variety of formats that also enhance and moisturize the skin.
Priming the skin
To create the most even self-tan, the skin should be free from dead, dry skin cells. Always exfoliate your skin a day or two before applying a self-tanning formulation or glow moisturizer. A professional exfoliant for the face, and a pumice or other smoothing device for the body should result in an even tan that looks just like the real thing. Jergens® Natural Glow® Colour Primer for the shower is an excellent product that resurfaces and primes the skin for natural looking, streak-free colour.
It is also best to not have a hot bath or shower immediately prior to application of a self-tanner as the heat will open the pores, and possibly result in a peppery appearance when the self-tanner enters the pore openings.
If you are new to self-tanners or glow moisturizers, always apply the least amount of product, and use the lightest shade. Jergens® Natural Glow® products are formulated to produce a gradual tan so that there are no unpleasant surprises!
The gradual colour is created when DHA (see page 14) in the product reacts with amino acids in the skin. Please be sure to dispose of self-tanning products used in previous seasons as DHA slowly breaks down and loses its ability to produce colour.
Jergens® Natural Glow® collection
Colour Primer: In-shower scrub primes skin for streak-free colour.
Daily Moisturizer: Gradual colour for daily use, with vitamins and antioxidants. Available in fair to medium, and medium to tan.
Firming Daily Moisturizer: Produces gradual, natural colour, while improving the appearance of cellulite. Available in fair to medium, and medium to tan.
3 Days to Glow Moisturizer: Gradual full shade of colour in three days. For occasional use. Available in fair to medium, and medium to tan.
Foaming Daily Moisturizer: Quick-drying, gradual colour for daily use. Available in fair to medium, and medium to tan.
Face: Daily moisturizer with sunscreen. Gradually produces natural colour, with the added benefit of SPF 20 sunscreen. Available in fair to medium, and medium to tan.
Tan Extender: Daily moisturizer that extends any tan for an extra seven days.
All these formulas are available in the skin care aisle and online.
