I love the glow of dewy summer skin. And while we recently talked about the importance of using plenty of broad spectrum SPF, this week I’m focusing on all of the fab new products out there to help you get a healthy dose of color, and then both perfect and maintain it with products that leave your face and body moisturized and happy.
So let’s kick things off with the foundation: A tan that’s healthy —meaning either one that was acquired gradually over time while wearing plenty of SPF, or one that’s fake. Plenty of people haven’t had enough time to achieve the former, and the key to the latter is getting one that doesn’t look or smell phony. (We all know those smelly self-tanners that streak all too easily and leave an orange hue.)
The secret is the quality of your product. One of the best new brands on this front is Vacation — the company that’s come up with innovative formulas like Instant Vacation ($24 on vacation.inc). The bronze-toned lotion leaves your body subtly brown immediately (it’s made with natural mineral pigment), so you aren’t guessing about how evenly you’ve applied it. Meanwhile, its self-tanner technology gets to work turning you a legit golden shade, moisturizes your skin with several oils (hazelnut, shea, and cacao butter) and it even tightens and firms skin a little bit with a dose of coffee arabica. And it’s perfumed with hazelnut and boasts SPF 30 protection.
Just for faces, I direct your attention to Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for Face by Clarins ($36 on clarinsusa.com). Mix two or three drops of the lightweight liquid with your favorite moisturizer three to four times a week. That regimen maintains a beautiful and natural color (it’s also great for evening out any existing color you already have). The formula combines DHA + Erythrulose, two 100% naturally sourced plant sugars — so again, no weird telltale odor.
Now that you’ve got a gorgeous sun-kissed glow going on, it’s time to keep it up.
Washing your face with Eadem’s Dew Dream Cleansing Balm ($30 on eadem.co) cleans everything off your skin without stripping it. To use the jelly-like balm, warm a dime-size dollop in your dry hands until it transforms into oil. Massage it onto your dry skin in circular motions, then wet your hands with warm water, massage a bit more, and wash off. You’ll be left with radiant, incredibly soft skin.
Now you have the perfect canvas for Omorovicza’s Queen Oil ($160 on omorovicza.com), a stunningly effective hydrating oil that works instantly to plump and firm your face. It’s packed with concentrated omegas that rebuild skin’s lipid levels and leave a glowing complexion. And for even more golden glow on your body, Omorovicza has created a Gold Shimmer Oil ($82 on omorovicza.com). It uses tiny gold particles to add a subtle shimmer to your skin. Just shake it well and massage it into whichever body parts need hydration and dewiness.
Whenever you’re feeling ready to return to your pre-summer color — or want to prep your skin perfectly to reapply self-tanner — turn to genius products like The Buffing Bar ($28 on softservices.com) that use superfine microcrystals to exfoliate the body.
And for the face, there’s The Instafacial Collection from Dr. Diamond, the Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who’s formulated an Emulsion and Plasma set ($550 for the set on drdiamondsmetacine.com) that’s extremely effective at smoothing out skin. The products combine growth factors, peptides, and retinoids to support collagen production. The result gives you soft and radiant summer skin.
