Coming back from Cyprus, I have come back all bronzed and tanned. Loving that feeling and look of a natural tan better than the hassle of the fake, it can be hard to keep the look going. But have no fear I have a few tips to help keep that summer time glow, even when the winter weather blows in.
My first tip, don't use drying soaps. I know that using a soap that drys up your skin are good to help fight spot, but it can make your skin dry and the flaky skin will start to appear. This dry skin will peel and flake and the tan will start to fade and peel away. Try to use a more nourishing, moisturizing product to keep the tan hydrated. A natural tan is very dry any way and adding to the dryness will degraded the tan. It can also leave your skin slightly damaged, and if you are still in the sun it will cause the area to burn further.
Always moisturize. Again this helps keep the area hydrated and less likely to stat peeling or flaking. Applying the moisturizer in the evenings before bed will help the body recover. The body recovers faster during sleep as less energy is used to keep you awake. This means more energy is available to help your body recover, more moisture better hydration. You will find that the tan will feel more hydrated and softer.
Always use sun cream. This is important to help maintain or gain a tan, yes you can still tan with sun cream. I myself use sun cream (to stop burning) and still end up with a great tan. The right SPF is important, too high and you may not tan, but too low and you will end up burning rather than tanning. However, if you are going to a very hot country for a longer period of time than a week I would suggest using an SPF 50 for a few days (especially at the hottest time of day) to help climatise your skin and body. But an SPF 30 is a good range to have, but make sure you top up after being in the pool or sea and after 4 -5 hours. I have found over the years that the creams and spray on creams are much better at protecting the skin than spray oil creams (Nivea Protect and Refresh) and oils as the oil sprays state SPF 30 but feel a bit less.
Always apply after sun when you have finished sun bathing. Yes, even if you are not burnt. Why? You may not feel it but getting a tan actually slightly burns your skin and burns can keep burning hours after the initial burn. Using a good after sun when out of the sun will help sooth the burn and will help hydrate the area, as you'll find that the tanned skin will be dry and smooth. A good after sun will also help develop your burnt skin into a tan, rather than burning and peeling off. If you are burnt a good tip is to put your after sun into the fridge, this way the product will be cold and give a better cooling than not. This is great for hot days, as the after sun can become warm from the temperature around the product.
Keep Hydrated! Drinking more fluids, especially water, will help keep the skin and yourself looking healthy. We always forget the importance of water and this can be our undoing for a good tan and glowing skin. Your skin is already suffering from dehydration when you gain the tan and all the creams and moisturizers are helping the outside of the skin. But, your body needs to hydrate under the skin and with little water in your system the less hydrated the area will be. So always hydrate, at that is essential when you are on holiday other wise you can become faint and can even get heat stroke while in the sun. You don't just have to hydrate with water you can even eat hydrating fruits, a good one while your on holiday is watermelon. Drinking, can feel like a chore but eating fruits high in waters, salts and potassium will help hydrate you and replace salts which maybe lacking from over sweating.
There are a few myths to being in the sun and tanning, the biggest one being that the sun helps with spots. No, the sun doesn't help with spots, why? As there is nothing different your doing from being in the sun or out of it. The reason your blemishes/spots seem to be getting better in the sun is the fact you are keeping hydrated and you are eating more healthier. On holidays people eat differently and drink a lot more, two of the biggest things that help keep skin looking good. The sun also lets out endorphins in the body making you feel happier about yourself and life, which further helps your view of yourself and image. So staying in the sun and causing further burning will do nothing to help blemishes, what it actually does is cause skin damage. Without protecting your skin and spending time in the shade as well as in the sun, can cause damage from premature aging and potentially increasing your risk of skin cancer. 
So be safe and careful when it comes to your skin and tanning.
Be Happy and Healthy this Summer
XOXOX
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