Glow On!

To our regret, it looks like summer might finally be over. It is not to say we didn’t have a good run: multiple heatwaves, days basking in the sun, and a couple holidays if we’ve been lucky. But, if you’re like me, any semblance of a tan was gone by the time I got off the plane. Come late September, I’m fully back to my frail, wintery pallor. I was always skeptical (or, scared) of an artificial tan, but as of late I have been emotionally and cosmetically warming up. 

I grew up in Northern England, so I am well acquainted with the tanning ritual. Watching my peers pull up to secondary school sporting a deep biscuity shade (and smell), put a fear in me from the start, as a chronically pale girl.  But we’ve come a long way since then, with luxury offerings such as Meagan Pate’s brand, Three Warriors, proving that successful at-home tanning can be done with ease. Meagan is from Australia, where sunbathing is a big deal and skin cancer rates are sadly high. 

“It wasn’t until my early twenties that I began to take the risks seriously,” says Meagan. “I was working on a MAC makeup counter, and you could see the difference between those who had protected their skin and those who hadn’t. Seeing how sun damage showed up as people aged was honestly quite frightening.”

For Meagan, the biggest misconception around tanning is that “tanned skin equals healthy skin.” Rather, she reiterates the universal importance of daily SPF, and ensures that all her products are rich with ingredients which nourish the skin, not just tint it. She is critical of the “regressive” formulas of most fake tans, which treat tanning as a quick fix rather than an integrated part of one’s skincare routine. 

From my experience, her gradual tan looks incredibly natural, and that’s coming from someone who never thought a tan could ever look natural on me. It took a couple trials, but after perfecting the application (bone-dry skin, evenly spread, covering all bases), I have it down to a fine art. For the more courageous, she also has tanning mousses and face serums, which I am yet to try.

Speaking of the face: though fake tan can be great, nothing beats the humble bronzer. I recently discovered the Victoria Beckham Bronze Water Tint, which is an investment, sure, but a worthy one. Being a liquid tint, you have to move quickly and carefully; for those wanting more control, a cream or a powder is perhaps more accessible. I’m also a fan of Rationale’s Tinted Serum SPF50+, which gives you a post-beach glow without the sun exposure, and their SPF30 blushes, bronzers and highlighter products, which are great. For the body, an SPF-enriched oil is a good addition to catch the fleeting final rays of the summer sun.

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