More and more people these days are steering clear of the sun. It’s no secret that getting excessive amounts of the sun’s UV rays can significantly increase your risk of having skin cancer. That is why medical authorities strongly advice the public against sunbathing, especially in between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.
What’s more, skincare specialists add that getting too much sun is the primary cause of premature aging signs. Fine lines, wrinkles, liver spots, roughness and dryness — all of these horrible cosmetic issues can make you look several years older.
Luckily, you really don’t have to bake under the sweltering sun for minutes or hours just to be spotted with a gorgeous complexion. That’s because indoor tanning is highly popular these days. With the availability of at-home tanning sprays and lotions, you can save yourself from stepping foot inside an expensive tanning salon in your city.
Not all at-home tanners on the current market, however, are effective. What’s more, a lot of them do not come cheap and many rely on harmful ingredients. They may give you the lovely complexion of your dreams, but you may be at risk of ending up with irritated skin and an empty wallet.
If you want a cheap and effective sunless tanner, read on. Below you will find a very simple homemade sunless tanner recipe — so simple that you only need to get your hands on a total of 3 ingredients. The nicest thing about this DIY at-home tanner is, unlike commercially available ones whose color stay on your skin for about a week, the deep shade created lasts only until you step foot inside the shower. This is perfect if you are after a really temporary change in skin tone.
Ingredients:
- 8 bags of black tea
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 2 cups of water
Procedure:
- In a small saucepan, combine your 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.
- Bring to a boil using medium heat.
- Once boiling, remove from heat.
- Dunk your 8 black tea bags into the mixture. Allow to steep for about 10 minutes. Use a spoon to press the teabags against the saucepan once in a while to make sure that the tea gets extracted.
- After about 10 minutes, remove the black tea bags. Make sure you squeeze out all the excess water.
- Allow the resulting mixture enough time to cool completely.
That’s it — you now have a sunless tanner that you may apply to be seen with a gorgeous complexion. But before you apply it on your skin, it’s a good idea to have it exfoliated first.
Exfoliating the skin is a standard procedure when tanning indoors, whether done at home or at a tanning salon. Doing this removes dead skin cells, allowing you to achieve a blotch-free fake tan that lasts for a long time. However, it’s a good idea to opt for a simple sugar or salt scrub without the addition of olive oil or vegetable oil. A layer of oil coating the skin will keep the tanner from doing its job. Better yet, you may remove dead skin cells with the use of a rough washcloth and soap