“Are you Snowwhite’s cousin, by any chance?” I was asked this so many times, honestly, countless times. Yes, I am very pale. And no, I have no intention to lie under the sun like a tomato that is about to be sun dried. I won’t sit here and tell you about all the negative effects sun rays can have on your skin, because that would take hours, but I will tell you about the alternatives you have, if you are as white as milk like me, or if you simply want to have golden legs now that the weather is warm enough to uncover them, but you have no time to go and get tanned.
There are two quick alternatives to get tanned with no damage, and no pain: self-tan lotion, which you can try at home, or spray tans, which are something you get done in a salon. So, let’s examine the pros and cons together, I will make it quick and give you only useful information! Self-tanning formulas, to use at home, come in a million formats, from spray to mousse, to the ones you apply in 3 minutes under the shower. They are quite easy to apply even for rookies, you just have to be a little careful, and make sure you take time for it: patience is an essential feature for self-tanning at home, and really, make sure you don’t rush it or you will want to cry. Spray tans are perfect for those who don’t want to bother with DIY, but you will still need some time as well as a trip to the salon – we tried Benefit’s one, which is available in all Sephora stores. Spray tans last longer and look more uniform on your skin. The main disadvantage is that you won’t be allowed to wash yourself for 24 hours, and you will feel like a little bite of chocolate in those hours, trust me.
The precautions to keep in mind when you embark on a self-tanning adventures are always the same: keep a scrub treatment handy to smooth your skin before the treatment, and wear lots of moisturiser after the treatment to make it last longer. And, last but not least, no white clothes, or you’ll have to say goodbye to them forever…
