Summer Body

So it's that time of the year again where all booking our summer holidays and get our bikini bodies into shape, but are we thinking about protecting our bodies from the harmful uv rays? 

Us girls all love to lay by the pool all day, soaking up the lovely sun and topping up our tan but we also need to consider our sun tan lotions. So I take it we've all heard about avoiding the midday sun and reapplying your sunscreen every two hours but there are other things that you need to bear in mind.

1. Never rely on SPF.

Your sun tan lotion may have SPF but if there is no mention of 'broad spectrum' or high UVA protection' then it's no good. It will help to shield your skin from harmful UVB rays but not from ageing, cancer-causing UVA.

2. When it comes to SPF; Go for factor 30, this is recommended both by the FDA and EU. It filters 97% of UVB rays, while SPF50 filters 98%. The latter can give a false sense of security and can be so chalkyyou may no reapply it every two hours like you should.

3. Some people believe that your fine as long as you don't burn which is so untrue, DNA damage is what activates the tanning process so the moment you start to bronze, your skin is under seige. Invest in a sunscreen that contains antioxidants, such as vitamin C, plus DNA-repairing ingredients such as endonucleases. 

What sunscreen should i use?

La-roche-posay anthelios range are really great. A little bit pricey but well worth the investment. I personally use lancaster sunscreen products. but ideally you want to look out for a sunscreen with SPF 30, something that is waterproof or highly water resistant, look out for the word 'photostable' on the packaging plus the words 'broad spectrum' or an indication of high UVA protection

What about 'tan accelerating' creams?

Nothing you apply to your skin can speed up the process of your tan, but taking a daily 25g beta-carotene supplement can. However it doesn't mean to say that you can use less sunscreen.

Also remember that fake tan offers no sun protection!! This is an often misconception.

Review: I heart my tan london 10% DHA Spray tan solution

Fake tan is something you see a lot of in my house. Self confessed fake tan addict lol. 

Although I do still use gradual tanners and application tanners, I also have my own spray tanning booth so I tend to buy spray tan solution rather than actual fake tanning products.

I recently Purchased the 'I heart My Tan London' 10% DHA tanning solution ( The higher the percentage the stronger the tan, bearing in mind that it does develop over time)

To get a dark tan I would normally use a 12% However, I decided to purchase a 10% as I wanted something that I could build up, plus the stronger the tan the more effort it requires e.g. scrubbing it off to avoid looking like I have some sort of skin disease and ensuring my hands do not turn black! lol

I wanted a colour that was more easy to care for, I believe there is a 6% Tan solution available however I would only really recommend this if you have very fair skin and want to start of slowly.

So I'd never purchased from  mytanlondon.co.uk before, but looking at the the good reviews it had I really wanted to try. What I love about mytanlondon.co.uk is that they offer good bundle packs, they had a solution sample pack which included an 8%, a 10% and a 12% solution for £3.74 which is a great idea if your just starting out and want to find the right colour for you. 

They had a wide variety of tans to choose from however I chose the 1L 10% Tropical coconut solution, one of the downfalls to fake tan is the smell, so the fact they do different scents is amazing. I have used a coconut smelling one before, however the fake tan smell was still overpowering this tan did not have an overpowering smell of fake tan and actually smelt of tropical coconut. Smells good enough to eat! haha

If you are looking to purchase spray tan solution 10% is a great colour to start with, It gives a warm, deep glow that is noticeable but isn't overpowering and looks natural. It's suitable for all skin tones.

Some spray tanning brands charge ridiculous prices for their solutions, mytanlondon.co.uk however are very affordable, 1L solution from fake bake costs around £60 whereas this tan solution, which is also 1L is only £23!! plus free delivery! aaa-mazing!

If you do not have a spray tanning machine and prefer to use home tanning products such as mousses and airbrush tans mytanlondon.co.uk offers all that too! again at reasonable prices. So if your a tanning junkie like me I'd defiantly check it out!

Big thumbs up!

Clarins Extra-Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing cream: Review

I've been in desperate need for a new cleanser, and after seeing this brand new Clarins 

cleanser in a magazine I knew I needed to try it out.

This Cleanser is not actually out officially until Monday 13th January, However I was lucky enough to able to buy mine before then. The Lady at my local clarins was so helpful and lovely :)

Clarins extra-comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream is a cream cleanser lol hence the name. Which is suitable for ALL skin types.

It is designed for skin that is exposed to our planets urban pollution. It is Enriched with purifying moringa and nourishing shea and mango.

Using this cleanser the very first time it was so lovely on my skin, it took my make up off like a dream and was so gentle I was even able to use it to take off my eye make up. It's such a big bottle too, you only need a 50p size amount, as a little goes a long way.

It retails for £25 which I think it reasonable considering the size.

Unlike clarins other cleanser, you have to take this off with water. As this activates all the ingredients, but I prefer using water anyway.

I would defiantly recommend this to anyone and everyone. If your looking for a new cleanser then I suggest going to your local clarins store and asking for a tester!