How to Maintain a Tan During the Lockdown
Summer is approaching quickly, and the weather’s heating up. Depending on where you are in the country, you’re seeing more skin as you walk around town. People are headed for the beach or the pool, or they’re just trying to beat the heat by taking a shirt off and breaking out the short shorts. Every year, when summer rolls around, people want to make sure they’ve got a great tan. Well, it’s not easy to do this year. For the past few months, we’ve been sitting around at home, listening to government and medical advice about stopping the spread of COVID-19. So, how do you get a tan when there’s no laying out at the park and tons of pools are closed? There are still some things you can do to get ready for summer and look amazing while you do it. Here are some tips on how to maintain a tan during the lockdown.
Tanning Lotions
If you look online, there are tons of options when it comes to home tanning lotions and cremes. The idea is, you spread the lotion on your skin and let it set. After some time, it looks like you’ve been in the sun for hours.
If you’re new to the game or it’s your first time going into this summer season, you may want to practice with a temporary tanning lotion that washes off with water. Usually tanning lotions last around a week, but you can choose one that lasts much shorter, so the stakes won’t be so high. You can experiment with how tan you want to be and make sure you have the right skin tone down for when you go with something more permanent.
Get the Right Accessories
Even though many tanning lotions come with accessories in the box, they’re not going to be high-quality. So, if you want a great, even tan, you’re going to need to pick up some tools to get things looking right. Think about picking up a tanning mitt that helps you spread the lotion evenly across your skin to avoid any smears. You also avoid staining your palms with the lotion when you wear a mitt. Have plenty of wet wipes on hand to quickly fix any errors while you apply the lotion.
Get Ready with the Correct Skin Prep Routine
To get a great home tan during the lockdown, you need to prepare your skin well. That involves exfoliating a day before you plan on applying the tan. Waxing is also a good idea because your hair can affect the way the lotion or spray goes on and it can cause irritation if your skin is sensitive, so you need to give it plenty of lead time. Apply moisturizer before the tan, paying particular attention to joints and any dry area of your skin.
Phone a Friend
Friends are there to help us when we need them. During the lockdown, it may not be realistic to have a friend come over and help you put on a spray tan or apply lotion on those hard to reach areas on your back. Instead, you’ll have to settle for a video call where your friend can inspect your skin and let you know if you’ve missed anything or need to even out any parts. They’ll also give you an honest opinion on whether you’re too light or too dark. Get a friend to check after you’ve started applying the tan.
Exciting Research on Peptides for Skin Tone
During a study at the University of Arizona in the 1980s, scientists at the university discovered that the peptide Melatonan 2 triggered darker skin tones in rats and mice. While it hasn’t been used on humans in clinical trials, many people are excited about the potential for future tanning use. Melatonan 2 is being studied further in rodents to see if tanning without the use of UV rays is possible. There could be some exciting news coming down the road!
