Whether you’ve caught the sun naturally or it’s courtesy of a bottle, these tan extenders will help you keep your summer glow for longer.
Tan extenders are skincare products – normally body lotions or creams – that use targeted ingredients to maintain or deepen your tan. Their main focus is drenching your skin with moisture using nourishing oils and hydrators, as dry skin tends to shed faster, leading to fading and tan patchiness. These are our tried-and-tested tips and products for extending your summer glow.
How can I extend my tan?
If you’ve spent lots of time in the sun, your skin is likely to be in need of some TLC. Tan extenders often contain soothing ingredients like aloe vera to calm your naturally tanned limbs, while others may use antioxidants to offer some broader protective benefits.
For those who prefer a faux-glow, tan-extending formulas can help you maximise the effect too. They contain a small amount of DHA (the active ingredient in self-tanners), which gradually darkens your skin, helping to boost your tan over time, while also providing all-important moisturising benefits. For an instant but temporary boost, you may find products with a hint of bronzer or golden sparkle too, giving the illusion of a healthy sheen for an evening out or a day by the pool.
How to use a tan extender?
To maximise the longevity of your tan, apply a tan extender daily, just like you would a regular moisturiser. You can switch out your usual one if you already have a body product in your routine to avoid multiple moisturising steps.
Gently exfoliating your skin may seem counterintuitive but it can also help prolong your colour by removing dull, dead skin cells, allowing your tan extender to work more effectively.
However, you should limit this to once a week and use a milder chemical exfoliant such as PHAs to avoid irritation or accidentally scrubbing off your whole tan. Try The Inkey List’s PHA Exfoliating and Hydrating Body Water Cream or Byoma’s Smoothing Body Polish.
Are tan extenders safe to use?
Yes – they are primarily body moisturisers so are very safe to use, and the soothing ingredients can be beneficial to sensitive skin. However, if you’re using a product with DHA for the first time, it is wise to patch test to ensure you don’t react. Also, its important to remember that tan extenders do not help protect you from sunburn or UV damage from the sun – always wear SPF if you are heading out into the sunshine.
The best tan-extenders to try
Probably the best known – and very much loved – tan extender on the market, this fast-absorbing formula prolongs your tan in two ways. It quickly re-hydrates your skin by locking in moisture, while also stimulating melanin production (the pigment that gives you a tan).
Sisley has turned the potentially ardious task of prolonging your tan into a luxurious experience; you'll find it easy to apply everyday. It's actually enjoyable to slather the soothing formula on your skin and the addition of low levels of DHA mean your tan gets better over time.
Gatineau's clever formula not only prolongs your tan once you have it, but helps you tan more evenly in the first place. That's due to its melanin-activating ingredients that boost your natural colour, while the silky smooth cream makes your skin touchably soft too.
If deepening your tan is your main focus (but you want really subtle results) this gradual tanner from Tan Luxe is our top pick. You get the colour boost you crave but with a super nourishing formula to ensure it lasts. It is also brilliant for covering up any accidental tan lines.
If you want a quick and instant tan boost, Dior's glimmer-infused oil is the summer essential for you. It nourishes any existing colour you have, makes your skin smooth and soft, and provides a healthy sheen to your arms, legs and chest that won't leave streaks or noticeable stains.
Designed to give your skin a glow boost from head-to-toe, this cooling after-sun milk repairs and hydrates your skin, making it less prone to flakiness and tan fade. It's also great at stopping peeling if you do get too much sun.
This is our recommendation for prolonging fake tan on your face as it applies streak-free and won't clog pores. The lightweight face cream gradually builds up your colour over time, while being deeply hydrating so that you can keep your summer radiance for longer.
If you're a nervous self tan first timer, this body lotion helps you apply your colour boost more evenly and keeps it that way with its moisturising ingredients. It also helps enhance your colour gradually, which means less risk of an uneven finish.
Intensely hydrating and soothing, this vegan body cream uses aloe vera, coconut oil and organic grape water to nourish sun-worn skin – helping keep your faux or real tan looking smooth. Plus, it doesn't have a sticky feel due to its lightweight, milky texture.
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Lead image credit: Hunza G
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