10 Steps for a Perfect Tan

During summer season white colour does not seem to be any more suitable for our skin. By using natural or artificial rays or products, we are all searching for the perfect tan.

You may go for tanning the skin, but just remember that you must be careful about the harmful effects of sun rays. Your skin may get tanned, but you may develop side-effects like wrinkles, skin cancer or other severe skin related problems. Ultraviolet rays are very harmful to human skin and continuous exposure without any precaution can really damage your skin.

Just have a look at the following 10 simple steps and you will see how to get a perfect tan and keep your skin healthy:

1. It is better to exfoliate the skin before you start tanning. In this process, you will have to use an abrasive skin cleanser or sponge to rub off and remove the dead cells. Once the new, fresh skin gets exposure, you will get an even tan and avoid excessive burning.
2. It is very much essential to moisturize the skin before applying any tanning product. Focus on those areas where your skin may be dry or thick and apply in those areas. The areas of skin which are generally dry or thick are ankles, knees, elbows and the side of your wrists. If your skin is an oily type, you must avoid oil based moisturizers.
3. In order to avoid skin damage, you must choose the proper tanning product. It will be better if you use the sunless tanning lotion as it can give a natural tanning effect. These products need to be applied in a light and even manner as it will help the tan appear natural.
4. After giving exposure to the sun for the whole day, you must take a bath in cool water and apply some moisturizer after that. This will help your skin’s pores to close and it can help your skin glow and look healthier.
5. It is advisable to apply sunscreen and some anti wrinkle creams at the time of taking the tan. Do not think of them as obstacles for tanning, but as objects of protection from the powerful ultraviolet rays of the sun. Such creams will reduce the risk of burning and peeling and will prevent your tan from being uneven and splotchy.
6. Another common mistake is that people choose the wrong shade for their skin. Most women choose a wrong shade while choosing their self tanning lotion. If your skin is of fair type, just remember to choose the lightest possible shade and you must choose a medium skinned one if you have got skin of medium type. It is better to apply the skin tanning lotion after cleaning off the dead cells. The results will be better if it is applied on the new, fresh skin.
7. Before going for a perfect tan, it is always advisable to go for a clean shave. It will be very easy to apply the tanning lotion on the smooth skin and in the long run, your tan will also look smooth and natural. You will look more attractive in a clean shaven, glowing, and tanned skin.
8. You must be careful of the level of application of the tanning lotion. It is advisable to use it sparingly in a thin layer as it will then help to prevent the streaks and uneven blotches, which are a tell-tale sign of a fake tan. It will also prevent your skin from getting discoloured or too dark. But do not repeat the same procedure to the areas of the skin which has got thick layer.
9. After putting on the lotion, allow the skin to get dried completely and you must put on the clothes once the drying process is complete. You should also avoid any sort of strenuous activity or hard work for at least one hour after applying the sun tanning lotion. Any strenuous activity will lead to sweating as it will spoil the tan and result in steaks, which are really damaging to your skin.
10. If you do not follow the above steps, your skin may get spoiled in the long run and your looks will change if the skin on your face gets affected. In that case, you will have no option but to go for cosmetic plastic surgery.

Hopefully you will find this information useful and remember that the sun should always be an ally, not an enemy for our skin.

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5 Products to Avoid for a Healthy Skin

The basic nutrition rules are also valid for the aspect of our skin. Color, texture and tonus of the skin are all the result of constant consumption of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids etc. It doesn’t matter how many creams and lotions we use if we eat improper. So…what we eat is written on our skin!

Here are 5 of the most damaging products for our skin:

1. Sugar

Sugar makes you look older. It doesn’t only make you fat, but also destroys important elements within our bodies. Most vulnerable to such damage are collagen and elastin fibres, which keep our skin firm and elastic – making it look fresh and young. When we consume food products containing sugar (like chocolate, candies, juices etc.), the sugar molecules in our bloodstream stick to protein fibres (collagen and elastin), modifying their form and properties. When damaged, collagen and elastin transform from elastic fibres to dry and easily breakable ones. Also, such modified molecules can deactivate body’s natural antioxidant enzymes with protect the body from sun damage, which also has an important contribution to skin aging process.

2. Milk

Although this might sound strange, you must know that it is true. Several studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of milk on our skin. One of the most important finding was that there is a positive connection between milk intake (both total and skim) and acne. Researchers believe that this is the effect of hormones and other bioactive molecules within milk. As hormones and other stimulating chemicals are more and more used in the feeding process of cows, this problem will probably persist in the future.

3. Alcohol

When consumed in moderation, some alcoholic drinks (mainly wine) might have a positive effect on our health. Still, another effect of alcohol is blood vessel dilatation in the skin. Excessive consumption of alcohol will lead to a chronic dilation of capillaries causing problems for the skin. It is believed that alcohol also makes acne worse.

4. Processed meat

Such food products contain nitrites, fats, salt and other ingredients that damage the skin. One of the worst ingredient is sodium nitrate (used as a preservative for processed meat) which is also believed to cause several types of cancer.

5. Hydrogenated vegetable oil

Such oil is found in significant quantities in margarine, cooking oil, baked products etc. The hydrogenation process of vegetable oil is responsible for the destruction of all nutritional value of original oil. This process creates a mixture of unnatural fats (most of which are trans fatty acids) with have a devastating effect on our health. Such fats cause heart diseases, cancer, diabetes and also damage the immune system. Also, obesity is another effect, which as we all know if becoming a very serious problem nowadays. Being overweight can cause many serious skin problems due to hormone changes. Some of these problems are: stretch marks due to skin stretching; increased strain of leg veins can cause swellings, varicose veins and fluid retention; the extra weight will cause feet to develop problems like calluses and corns; finally, skin rashes and infections might develop due to the growth of bacteria within the body, which in turn is caused by the extra moisture retained in the body.

All the skin problems mentioned above can be avoided with a healthy life style and a well balanced diet. Some of the most important nutrients that contribute to a healthy skin are:

1. Zinc (found in eggs, nuts, oats, oysters, pecans)
2. Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish)
3. Silica (found in green beans, mango, cucumber, strawberries etc.)
4. Vitamin C and E (found in: C – broccoli, oranges, lemons, apples, blackberries etc. and E – seeds, tomatoes, asparagus, whole grains etc.)

I hope the information included in this article will be useful for you and hopefully you will not forget that – What we eat is how we look!!!

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