When prepping for a self-tan, the goal is to make sure your skin is ready for a glow. If your skin is not looking or feeling fresh, your tan may end up looking dull, streaky or uneven. This happens because of lingering dead skin cells and dry skin patches on the body. Those lingering dead skin cells are meant to come off of your skin and the dry patches just need help in becoming moisturized again. Exfoliation of skin is the natural way for our bodies to get rid of dead skin cells. But what most people don’t do is aid the body in buffing away those skin cells prior to a self-tan to allow for soft, smooth and supple skin, plus a longer glow. Using a loofa or special wash cloth in the shower daily helps to eliminate those flakes, but when you are preparing to put on a self-tanner, it is important to create a shower routine to achieve a long lasting and gorgeous tan. Part of that shower routine should be to use a body scrub.
What is a Body Scrub?
There are many kinds of body scrubs on the market for all skin types. These are products that have abrasive ingredients in them, like sugar or salt, to use as the exfoliant. Abrasive is a harsh term when talking about it in this form. A body scrub should not hurt your skin. It should not make your body turn red or even bleed. Stay away from body scrubs that have large abrasive ingredients in them. A body scrub should feel gritty and should also include other ingredients to smooth and replenish the skin, like oils or moisturizers. Scrubs can be used all over the body and face to delicately, but physically, remove the dead skin cells from the body. It is a safe, yet effective, method to helping the skin rejuvenate new skin cells.
Why Should I Use a Body Scrub?
Besides removing flaky and dead skin cells, body scrubs can even out the outer most layer of your skin to leave it feeling soft and smooth. Our elbows, knees and feet tend to be very dry areas of the body. Using a body scrub on those areas will help soften and smooth the skin.
When you exfoliate with a body scrub, you are stimulating skin cell turnover for your body, basically aiding in making your skin do what it naturally wants to do – shed the dead skin cells! When this happens, your pores are happier, therefore, the appearance of them minimizes allowing the self-tanner to be applied more evenly across your whole body and face. Additionally, using a body scrub provides you more time with your glow. If you leave the dead, flaky skin on your body and just apply the self-tanner, the self-tanner will come off with those skin flakes. Your tan will be splotchy and imperfect.
How Often Should I Use a Body Scrub?
This is one of those questions that is going to depend upon your body. Most people suggest using a body scrub 1 or 2 times a week. You don’t want to overly exfoliate your skin though, stripping it of necessary components from your skin system.
We like to suggest that you use a body scrub as often as you are going to reapply your vegan self tanner. If you feel that your tan has faded, or you want to just do your usual re-application, then use your favorite body scrub prior to your self-tanner.
However, always avoid using a body scrub on areas that are damaged, sun burnt or irritated as your body is already trying to heal those areas.
And remember, always, always, ALWAYS apply a moisturizer to your skin after your tan has developed and anytime your skin feels dry. Exfoliating with a body scrub can potentially dry out the skin if you do not replenish and rehydrate afterwards.
When self-tanner is applied properly to the face and body, it gives the appearance of a flawless, just left the beach, but totally safe glow! Self-tanners, no matter if someone is using a spray, self tanning mousse, sunless gradual tanning lotion or whatever, will look flawless if the proper prep is done before application. Don’t skip out on using a body scrub pre-tan. It is an important step toward that sexy and confident glow.