Does your holiday tan tend to fade as soon as you step off the plane? This post shows you how to keep your glow going naturally with tips for keeping your tan for longer after your holiday.
Why does tan fade?
Are you wondering why your holiday tan faded so fast? Well, it's all to do with your melanocytes, located in the skin’s top layers, the epidermis. These produce melanin (the dark pigment you see when you tan).
Unfortunately, your epidermis skin sheds a staggering number of cells per day, meaning that your tan will fade as fast as your epidermis sheds and will almost always be temporary.
Best after sun to maintain your tan
To help prolong the lifespan of your natural tan, we enrich our Hydrating After Sun with soothing Aloe Vera, moisturising Shea Butter and tan-extending Inositol.
Derived from Carob, this natural tan booster has been shown to both increase your tan and reduce tan fade by 50%, making it the perfect way to maintain your tan on holiday.
Hydrating After Sun 200ml
Keep your tan for longer with this moisturising natural after sun lotion
£21.50
How to keep a sun tan for longer
We know some great tan-boost techniques to help your tan last longer after your holiday.
Here are 3 ways to help your natural sun tan last longer:
1: Lock in hydration
The best natural way to keep your holiday tan for longer is to hydrate your skin well. Avoid drying ingredients such as ethanol alcohol and invest in a moisturising after sun that cools and rehydrates your skin after sun exposure.
2: Avoid scrubs
Body scrubs, dry brushes and exfoliators are all designed to buff away skin cells on the upper layers of your skin and are best avoided if you want to prolong the life of your sun tan.
3: Stay out of hot water
Hot baths, showers and jacuzzis can all be bad for your skin. They can dry it out and flakes soon follow, meaning that you can say goodbye to your golden glow.
The good news is that you can hold onto your holiday tan for longer by making a few small changes to your shower routine. Instead of scorching your skin, stick to cool, short showers and use a gentle shower gel without harsh foaming agents and skin-drying ethanol alcohol.
Best hydrating body wash for sun-tanned skin
Step out of the shower with soft, clean skin when you discover the hydrating power of our Moisturising Shower Gel. Oh-so gentle on sun-heated skin, soothing Marshmallow Root boosts the skin barrier by preserving precious Hyaluronic Acid supplies.
Moisturising Shower Gel 200ml
Supercharge your shower routine with our certified organic moisture-boost body wash
£17.50
How to keep a fake tan for longer
Fake tans also temporarily affect the colour of your skin, but they don’t rely on sun exposure to do so.
Typically, your fake tan will fade a few days after application, but you can keep it for longer by reapplying it once a week and following these tan-maintaining tips.
Here are 4 ways to help your fake tan last longer:
1. Buff first
Smoothing your skin before you apply fake tan gives a more even skin glow and means that your skin has less need to shed. Smooth your skin with our must-have Exfoliating Body Mitt for a streak-free finish.
It is a natural and skin-friendly way to prepare for fake tanning, and its gentle touch promotes healthy cell turnover.
Exfoliating Mitt
Instantly smooth your skin with this gently exfoliating body mitt
2. Try Erythrulose
Many fake tans use the tanning agent DHA to give your skin a bronzed appearance. But if you want your tan to last longer, you might be better off using a fake tan made with Erythrulose, which is derived from red berries. It takes a little longer to act than DHA, but the results last longer too.
We use it alongside DHA in our Liquid Gold Tanning Drops, which are easy to apply and give a soft skin glow for 3-5 days.
Age Defy+ Liquid Gold Tanning Drops 30ml
Glow from head to toe with our scent-free certified organic tanning drops
£38.00
I love this product! The tanned glow you get from these drops actually lasts a few days, and the natural ingredients assures me I’m using something that’s actually good for my skin. I only need to apply them every 3 days to top up. They don’t have a strong smell either- Tayla M
3. Keep out of chlorine
You already know that hot water can dry out your skin, but so can cool chlorinated water. To maintain your tan for longer, swap that swimming pool for an invigorating dip in the sea!
4. Follow the guidance of your spray tanner
If you’ve opted for a spray tan, you can help your tan last longer by following the aftercare advice given to you by the salon. They may suggest swapping your bath for a shower and using plenty of moisturiser. They may also advise keeping your tan topped up with a lotion or tanning drops.
Shop fake tan essentials
We hope you have found our guide to making your tan last longer helpful. For more help choosing the best natural tan boosters for your routine, why not take our quick skin quiz or contact our friendly UK customer care team at 01403 740350 or via @GreenPeopleUK?
Reviewed by:
This blog post has been reviewed by Charlotte Vøhtz, founder of Green People, who has 25+ years of experience in the natural and organic beauty industry. A recognised leader in the field of organic beauty, Charlotte helped inform the UK's first organic beauty standards and was voted the People’s Choice in the 2023 list of Who’s Who in Natural Beauty. A published author, she wrote the organic beauty bible ‘Naturally Gorgeous’. Previously, she qualified as a nurse and spent over 10 years working in pharmaceuticals.
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