 | Kim McIntosh, a former graduate of Xenon Int'l. School of Hair Design serves as the school’s Director and is a shareholder in the business. She holds a Cosmetology, Esthetics and Instructor's license in Kansas and Nebraska. She has worked behind the chair and managed some of the most prominent salons in the Wichita area. As an educator, her primary goal has been to provide the beauty industry with successful licensed professionals. Having served in the past as Second Vice-President on the Board of Directors for the National Cosmetology Association of Kansas, Kim is currently a Director on the national board for the American Association of Cosmetology Schools. You may contact Kim at (316) 943-5516. |
Beauty & Fashion
2005-04-01 10:50:00
Can self-tanners look natural?
ANSWER: There are many great 'self-tanners' on the market now, almost as many as there are bad ones! Anyone who has experimented with sunless tanners has probably experienced the orange streaks at least once. But, don't give up yet. If you are not using a self-tanner, you're missing out on one of the easiest (and safest) ways to achieve that "just came back from the beach" glow, and new formulas and application techniques make self-tanners a quick fix for some of our everyday beauty imperfections.Uneven skin tone: Use a self-tanner as you would make-up foundation to conceal small imperfections and discolorations. Shop for self-tanners that contain the ingredient dihydroxy-acetone. This will eliminate those orange streaks and patches. Avoid overlapping as that will create an unnatural, too dark tan. Begin your summer season with a 'light' formula instead of a 'dark' formula. Let the color gradually build up by applying every 3-4 days.Dark circles under eyes: Instead of trying to conceal the dark circles, apply a self-tanner to darken the skin surrounding the eye so that the circles blend in. Choose a self-tanner that is designed specially for the face and mix it with equal parts of your regular moisturizer in the mornings for 3-4 days, then reapply as needed.Pick up a few extra pounds this winter? Self-tanners work like pantyhose to create the illusion of slimness by making the skin appear darker and more uniform in color. Always exfoliate prior to application using a gentle body scrub to remove dead skin cells. Also, using a self-tanner that is tinted makes it easier to see where you've hit, and where you've missed.A few things to keep in mind when using a self-tanner:• Avoid applying self-tanner to knees and elbows without first applying a base coat of moisturizer. The rough skin causes the tanner to over accumulate, resulting in a too dark, unnatural tan. Mix the self-tanner with equal parts of moisturizer to apply.• Avoid self-tanners in the morning, as they can stain your clothes. Apply at night, before bed and allow at least 20-30 minutes before crawling between the sheets. Wear something old and dark to sleep in.• Avoid staining the palms of your hands and fingernails by wearing latex gloves to apply self-tanner. If you do choose to apply bare handed, scrub with an abrasive soap immediately after application. • Always exfoliate and moisturize before applying a sunless tanning product. This will balance the porosity of the skin and allow the self-tanner to be applied evenly. Happy tanning!
