How to keep your holiday tan

With months of cold, wet weather, the summer could not have come soon enough! However, not only do we look forward to being able to get outside more, but also to get a golden glow.

Being out in the sunshine can make us feel happier and helps produce vitamin D. Having a light tan can also make us to feel good about ourselves and gives us more body confidence.

However, whether you’re going abroad on a luxury holiday, or making the most of the current great British weather, there’s nothing more frustrating than our tan disappearing the moment you arrive home. So how can you hold onto your tan for longer?

Here are our top 8 tips to help you maintain your golden skin:

1. Exfoliate
If you have dry skin, UV rays will be blocked from getting through to tan your healthy layers. You can also be left with an uneven tan or peeling. Make sure you prep your skin by exfoliating your whole body before going out in the sun. Don’t exfoliate after tanning though, as this may remove it. For a more vigorous approach, a skin peel will help to remove the damaged outer layer of skin, leaving your skin ready for summer. However, make sure you leave enough time before your holiday to have any skin treatments, so your skin can settle down afterwards.

2. Be safe
The sun has harmful UV rays, which can give you skin cancer, so remember to be careful and stay safe. Staying out in the sun too long can also leave you with sunburn, which is painful and will ruin the rest of your holiday. However, the colour you get through burning will fade much quicker, as your skin cells have become damaged and will peel off. Make sure you wear sun cream and reapply regularly, especially after being in the water.

3. Moisturise
Healthy skin will mean you will tan faster and it will last for longer. Make sure you moisturise before, during and after tanning to keep your skin in excellent condition. Remember that tanning dries out your skin so use a good quality moisturiser and body lotion in your daily routine to stop you from peeling and to leave you with healthy skin from head-to-toe, all year around.

4. Stay hydrated
Water can help to extend the life of your skin cells, so drink as much as possible to stay hydrated. A good tip is to carry a water bottle with you so you keep drinking throughout the day. Also eat foods such as melon, watermelon and cucumber, which are full of water and are easily available even if you’re abroad.

5. Eat well
Not only can you keep your skin moisturised from the outside, but also keep it healthy from the inside. Eat foods with Zinc, as this helps to repair damaged skin tissue. Vitamin E is also important, as this is an anti-oxidant that protects and repairs your skin, with studies showing that it can even reduce sunburn. Try foods such as avocado, nuts, spinach and broccoli.

6. Showering
To extend your tan even longer, try swapping your normal shower gel for a moisturising body wash or oil. This can help keep your skin even more hydrated. It can also help to turn the temperature down, as hot baths and showers can actually dehydrate your skin.

7. Hair removal
Don’t forget to consider your hair removal method too. Avoid waxing as this can strip your top layer of skin. If you prefer to wet shave, try an electric shaver instead, as this will also help to protect your tan. For even better results, we recommend laser hair removal so you don’t have to worry about it effecting your tan afterwards. However, make sure you get this done early!

8. Fake it
It’s hard to hang onto your golden glow forever and so there are a few ways to re-boost it. Firstly, wear a white top to make your skin appear darker. Try a bronzer on your face, or use a nude lip colour to make your tan stand out more. Or, another alternative is self-tanning. Although this may have had a bad reputation in the past, leaving people looking stripy, orange and smelling of fake tan, modern sunless tanners can give you a flawless glow, safely. There are also a number of gradual tanners available too.

What are your top ways for extending your tan? Share your tips with us in the comments box below!

If you would like to book yourself in for one of our treatments, from laser hair removal to our excellent range of skin care treatments, visit our website: http://52.51.166.162/ or get in touch with Proskin Clinics on 020 3757 8162.