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As a brown beauty, you usually don’t have tan in the summer to get the appearance of sun-kissed skin. But if you are visiting a tropical locale like Hawaii or Tahiti in the winter, you’ll want to even out your pale legs and thighs with a self-tanning product -- before you slip into a bathing suit. The best tanner for your skin tone will complement the yellow undertones in your skin and make your milk chocolate-hued body appear smooth, more toned and sexy.
1.
Select a self-tanner that adds a natural glow to your skin. For your milk-chocolate skin tone, select a deep-colored shade of tanner with gold undertones. The gold undertones will add warmth and color to your body while complementing your skin’s warm, yellow undertones beautifully.
2.
Check the DHA levels of the tanning product. Dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, is the active ingredient in self tanners that adds the deep dark color to your skin. In most self-tanners, DHA concentrations can range from 2.5 percent to 10 percent or more. While dark-brown bronzers contain DHA levels in the 10-percent range, milk chocolate-colored beauties should apply a tanning product with a low concentration of DHA. A product with a higher concentration of DHA may cause your skin to look ruddy or orange.
3.
Protect your beautiful brown skin from harmful rays. Yes, you have darker skin than your pale or olive-toned girlfriends, but brown girls can burn in the sun too! To combat UVA and UVB rays, select a self-tanning product with a minimum SPF 20 or higher.
4.
Choose a formulation for your skin type. Lotion and cream-based formulations help moisturize dry skin and are best for sensitive skin types. If you skin is oily, however, swipe on a self-tanning mousse -- instead of a lotion of cream-based tanning product. On average, you’ll keep the gorgeous glow from your self-tanning product for about seven days.
5.
Cover scars and skin blemishes with your self-tanner. If you have dark-spots or uneven skin on your legs, apply a caramel- or bronze-hued self-tanner to cover imperfections. To set the self-tanning product for all day wear, dust your legs with translucent powder applied with a fluffy blush brush.
Skip self-tanning products with orange- or red-based colors. These hues will look like a mask when applied to your brown skin.
Allow the self-tanner to dry for at least 10 minutes before putting on your clothes.
To avoid streaky-looking skin, exfoliate with a loofah or scrub brush before applying the self-tanner.
