Gertie's Guide to Gold

Is it me or are women getting more and more tanned every year? This is a rhetorial question, it’s a fact, they are! The all year round tan is in fashion and the fake-baked fashionista sista’s are making everyone else look positively goth-like. We all know that a natural looking fake tan isn't necessarily an easy look to pull off and it can take an enormous amount of time and dedication. It is in fact an art form and quite frankly a pain in the proverbial, but if you can't beat em join em, and let's face it, a tan covers a multitude of sins.

So how to achieve the perfect healthy looking glow without risking your health or worse your street cred. No Mandy Mad-Tan’s allowed!!!! You know who you are!

Gertie’s Guide to a Natural Golden Glow:

1. Never use sunbeds. Just don't! Even if you are young enough to think that you will never have a cleavage that looks like crepe paper, everybody should now be aware of the damage caused by UV rays. Make sure your daily moisturiser contains SPF.

2. Use a body moisturiser, all over, every day. It doesn't have to be a fancy one, just use one.

3. Cream Tan. For a gradually developing tan, kill two birds with one stone and try a body moisturiser with tan already in it. This way you can keep your tan at the level that suits you. My recommendations are Johnson's Holiday Skin Body Lotion 250ml and the new St Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan Body Fair to Medium 200ml.

4. Sunbathe! Get out in the garden whenever you have time/ the sun has got his hat on. Yes ok so these are still UV rays but as long as you are sensible with sun block, you can tan, get a boost of vitamin D to lift your mood AND get the time to relax and get some reading in. Bliss!

5. Home Spray Tans. I had tried loads of different brands of home spray tans from St Tropez to Clarins and after a mixed bag of streaky results, had given up and was prepared to live a pasty life forever more when a friend recommended Garnier Ambre Solaire Original Intense No Streaks Bronzer Dry Body Mist 150 ml. It sounded child (me) proof, so I gave it a whirl and have never looked back. It's affordable, seriously easy to use and the result is a lovely natural bronze that can be built up for a deeper tan over a few days. I would add a note on this product however. There is a ’light’ version which does not give you much of a colour at all. I always get the ’medium’ colour as it isn't dark at all and you get more bang for your buck.

6. Professional Tanning. Costs a fortune and I have had mixed results so I don’t often bother but if you have a yearning and a special occasion to tan instantly for, then I would recommend the professional Fake Bake tans as the most natural looking and least likely to streak.

7. Instant Tan. I have used Sun Shimmer by Rimmel London Instant Tan for Face & Body (Medium) 125ml for ever and I still love it. It is temporary so you just use it after your shower and I mix it with my moisturiser so it spreads easily over body and face. It smells nice and has a sheen that gives your natural contours accentuated shape and illuminates your face.

8. Mitts! Invest in a tanning mitt. They aren't expensive and they make self tanning a million times easier. Who wants to wave the cute guy at the bar over to their table with radioactive coloured paws?!

Please avoid all surgical tanning implants. Good things come to those who work at it and it’s frankly scary! How does the implant know when you’re tanned enough? Shades of tangerine and oompa-loompa will not be tolerated!

Go forth and gold yourselves! Love Gertie x