get in the glow
Ahhhhh, remember the days when our only care was lazing around on an outdoor chaise in direct alignment with the sun for hours on end? When our beach bags consisted of Hawaiian Tropic's finest tanning oil with an SPF of 2? When we'd slather said tanning oil over every inch of our bodies, even our faces!!!!!!!, to ensure a "healthy" looking glow for the rest of the summer? When we'd be bopping around in the pool draped in an oversized tee and a geeky hat because we got sooo sun burnt the day before? But, that's cool because tomorrow it was going to turn into an AMAZING tan? Well, wake up kids.....the trends of our youth went out of style decades ago, and with that, thankfully, so did painful burns and skin cancer. These days, our generation can be spotted donning big floppy hats, tankinis (oh God, please make it stop!) and covered head-to-toe in our "nothing's gonna get through this sucker" sunscreen. With summer quickly approaching, and all signs of aging surfacing, it's more important than ever to get in the faux glow know! Below, I've detailed my tried and true instructions on how to get that highly coveted SAFE summer illumination.
1. Honestly speaking, the best way to look and feel luminous is to get some sleep and stay hydrated.... no, not with whatever alcoholic beverage you have chilling in your fridge at the moment, but with real life, no frills H2O. When you hydrate, and catch some extra zzzzzs- you start glowing from the inside out. Extra points, if you smile or do something nice for a stranger.
2. Once you've mastered step 1 (and by mastered I mean... you caught three hours in a row of sleep, swigged a swish of water from the faucet after brushing your teeth, and held the door for someone while yelling "YOU'RE WELCOME" after they just breeze on through without a care nor a glance in your direction), make sure you reread my post on SKINCARE 101. Exfoliating and moisturizing are both key when it comes to emoting any sort of skin deep radiance.
3. Ok, so now that you're fucking amazeballs from the inside-out, your skin is quenched and prepped...it's time to get down to business. Enter the faux tan. This step, admittingly, has ended horribly wrong for me many a times in the past....remember the Oompa Loompas from the Wizard of Oz? At least I've learned from my mistakes, and I've lived to tell my story. Before attempting a self-tan, make sure you exfoliate the heck out of your body in the shower. This includes using a good body scrub: I love Kiehls Exfoliating Body Scrub and Bliss Sugar Scrub. Use in conjunction with a loofah of some sort. I am a huge fan of the super cheap, super creepy bath and shower gloves from CVS. These gloves are sure to terrify any unassuming onlooker but it gets the job done... one creepy stroke at a time. Ok! So, this would be a good time to shave throughly as well, which also is proven to exfoliate the skin (ugh, do I have to??? I hope my husband doesn't get any ideas!) Last recommendation...make sure not to use a moisturizing soap. The lotion and emollients in the soap will make for a spotty tan.
4. Once buffed and out of the shower, towel off well and mentally prepare for the laborious task ahead. Your skin's bound to feel a little tight and itchy at this point but this actually means it's perfectly primed for self tanner. I will never, ever, EVER use any formula other than St. Tropez's Bronzing Mousse. It dries quickly, gives a natural looking color, and doesn't smell like play-doh (although any tanning smell is a little off-putting at first). The key is to buy and actually USE the tanning mitt. I begin by applying the mousse on the top of my feet and move upwards. I use big sweeping gestures and pray to the golden Gods that I didn't miss a spot. Once finished with my body, I remove the mitt, and apply St. Tropez to my face being extra dilligent not to imbibe any of the chemicals. WASH YOUR HANDS WELL. Wait 4 to 8 hours before getting wet and Oh La La, tu est une tres bronze bombshell!
5. Now that you've got your faux glow going on, it's time to apply some make up to enhance your newly bronzed, flawless skin. Everyone is raving about LUMINIZERS- these special potions are glamorous versions of traditional CC creams and can be added to your daily foundation or primer. They promise a dewy, but sheen free glow. And Marc Jacob's Dew Drops totally comes through on that promise. A luminizer I loooove for the body, came into my life a few years ago by way of suggestion from my sister. PRTTY PEAUSHUN skin tight body lotion is my secret weapon when it comes to highlighting and tightening the skin all over. It even conceals cellulite... can I get an Amen?!? It's all natural and made in the U S of A, which sweetens the deal especially with America's birthday just around the corner.
6. After I've applied a luminizer and I've finished my usual make up routine, I like to complete my look with a highlighter. I am loyal to Benefit's Watts Up. It comes in an easy-to-use, chubby stick. I also love Bareminerals Invisible Glow, which I apply with their finishing brush. Whether stick or powder, I solemnly do swear, both give good glow. Apply in a C shape around the eyes, your T zone (on the top of the nose and across the brow) and above the lip in whatever "stache" design that fits your mood at the time. Blend well and...
Hit the beach.
Hit the bar.
Hit the bed.
Getting in the glow always makes me look and feel a little lighter on my feet so I can go a little harder on the frozen margaritas. Salt please!
