Monthly must: Bronze-age

Here's your self-tanning step by step to make faking it foolproof...

As we are firmly in spring now, it's time to whip off those tights and leggings and start showing some flesh - it's the treat we've been waiting for all year! But forget sun-tanning it, faux tan is the way to go with some gorgeous products, to have you looking bronze-tastic from head to toe.

 

Polish up

Putting in the beauty ground-work for a tan Jennifer Aniston would be proud of is the key to fake-tanning. So prep, prep and prep some more as pesky, bobbly skin not only looks naff, but will mean a streaky tan that washes and fades quicker than a blink. For a silky smooth and extra long-lasting glow, scrub limbs with a trusted body scrub. L'Oréal Paris Exfotonic is a scrub that will give glow to skin that's been under wraps for the past few months. With micro-beads and AHA, it is a smoothing treat for limbs and scaly bits.

 

Silky skin

Post shower, indulge in some skin-softening products that will condition and nourish skin, to give you the silkiest tan results ever. New Garnier BodySensitive Anti-Dryness Restorative Moisturiser, £3.99 contains luscious maple sap and sweet almond oil to totally treat skin and is also hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, making it ideal for sensitive bods.

 

Spring-glow

We maybe wishing for the rays, but it's not quite summer yet, so hold off from the full Cali-tan and go for a subtle glow that says healthy not Jodie. A spray mist that lightly veils skin with a sun-kissed glow for spring is ideal. Garnier Ambre Solaire No Streaks Bronzer Dry Body Mist in light, £9.99 the ultra-fine mist dries instantly with no need for rubbing for a natural-looking tan.

 

Lightly illuminated

Having that radiant colour for spring, lifts the mood and makes you feel cheery and sexy. The latest innovation to give skin that illuminated glow is L'Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze, £12.99 which is a light, soft liquid that glides onto skin for a luminous, sun-kissed look. Just blend across forehead, cheeks and nose and lightly dab a cotton wool pad over hair line and forehead to blend away any excess.

 

Modern bronze

The traditional, golden, summer tan has been given a modern make-over this season with the use of contouring and shading. First create a subtle, bronze canvas with a few drops of Maybelline New York Dream Sun Glow Bronzing Booster Drops, £7.99. A few drops of this clever bronzing solution can be added to foundation or moisturiser to provide a bronzed base to the season's look.

 

For sophisticated, grown up highlighting, use L'Oréal Paris Glam Bronze Duo bronzing powder, in Blonde Harmony, £9.99 for some structured shading. Just sweep a brush of the dark shade to highlight nose, sockets of eyes, temples and under cheekbones and the lighter shade to lift the top of cheekbones and nose bone. And there you have a today's bronzed goddess look, no sun involved...

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