Summer is almost here and we need get our tanning sprays and lotions ready!
I was searching for the best products and came across the UK's Tan Man - aka James Read.
In a Vogue interview James shares some tips in tanning:
Hope you guys enjoy it!!!
Tanning expert James Read has worked with everyone from Lady Gaga to Clive Owen, and has bronzed stars for events such as the Oscars, Grammys and Brits. Based at the Sanderson Hotel's Agua Spa, Read has also tanned models for a wide range of fashion week shows. Here he talks about how to create a winter tan as well as what to do when it all goes a bit wrong.
Achieving a realistic tan for the colder months can be tricky, what are your tips?
Apply moisturiser to a tanning mitt, then glide over your skin, making sure to remove any excess afterwards. This is great for the winter months as it stops your skin drying out. Then when you apply the tan, leave it on for six hours rather than the recommend 8-12 hours - this will give a lighter, more seasonal glow. Or, if you just want a pop of colour on the skin, mix a teaspoon of self tan with thick moisturiser. After three days exfoliate your skin, this will help your tan fade evenly.
There are so many self-tanning products around now. What are the ones you can't live without?
There are so many good brands to choose from! For a facial tan it would have to be Chanel Soleil Identite Perfect Colour Face Self-Tanner or Sisley Sun Glow. On the body I'd suggest Clarins Radiance Plus for a light glow, He-Shi Liquid Express for a medium tan, and for a dark Seventies retro tan Xen Tan Absolute Luxe. Go for a good wash-off tan as well, Fake Bake Flawless range is perfect for this.
What is your one top tanning rule?
Always pick the right tan for your skin tone. Do your homework first and patch test the product on your skin. Also after you have applied your self-tan rub a small amount of moisturiser onto a make-up brush, brush into your hairline, over the ears, jaw, wrists and in between fingers and toes. This will make your tan look real and natural.
And if it all goes horribly wrong?
If you tan is too dark mix lime and lemon juice with a face mask, toothpaste and crushed sea salt, then apply to your skin, leave on for 20 minutes, remove with a warm towel, and shower.
You created tans backstage at the likes of PPQ and Jean Pierre Braganza this season. Why do you think that tanning models before a show makes such a difference?
It adds definition to the skin and helps the skin look illuminated on the catwalk. It's all about helping the light reflect off the skin to give a flawless complexion. Self tanning has become a fashion trend in its own right.
Why do you love working in the tanning industry?
I started using beauty products from a young age and just fell into the self tanning industry. I worked for St Tropez for eight years and then decided I wanted to work for myself. Self-tanning has become so advanced now that there is a product choice for everyone, which allows people to achieve different looks each season. Tanning is no longer just for the summer, it's a year-round thing and is now part of people's beauty regime. People tan the right way now, you get the odd looking orange tan but that's very rare these days.
Which celebrities have you most enjoyed worked with?
Lady Gaga,
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Clive Owen,
Ellie Goulding,
Mariah Carey,
Lindsay Lohan, I also work with a lot of Hollywood actors and actresses but my lips are sealed to who they are.
http://www.vogue.co.uk/beauty/2011/10/17/james-read-(1)
