Tan ambition

Unless you live under some kind of air-conditioned rock (ah, the bliss that is climate control), you can tell that summer’s pretty much here. After noon, it gets so blisteringly hot that plastic literally melts on the street. Okay, I exaggerate. But I did leave a plastic notebook in my car, which was parked on the street, and when I returned, the plastic cover was all crinkly. And it was the thick kind of plastic, too. I kid you not.

But the worst part about summer is everyone’s returning obsession with getting a tan. We live in the tropics, people! Just walking from the mall to the parking lot results in a tan. During lunch one day, I overheard – or eavesdropped, whatever – a bunch of girls discussing their plans for the beach. One girl complained about her tan lines. "Grabe, they’re so obvious ha!" The other, how light she was compared to all the other beach bunnies she’d come across. "I’m like a shadow beside the tan people there noh." While the rest murmured or naysayed along with these queens of comedy.

Once again, the parade of Pamela Lee-wannabes begins. Women coated in cheesy over-baked tans coo to the crowd as they prance about the beach in their teeny tiny two-piece monstrosities. Who are they kidding? Do they honestly believe this look is cool? Just pair one of these too-tan horrors with Baywatch grandfather David Hasselhof and you’ve got the makings of a B-quality Tarzan special. Not exactly Nielsen-friendly, if you get my drift.

For those not in the know, summer looks for 2005 are clean, simple and understated. Makeup maven Leo Posadas suggests going the romantic route and opting for wispy hair and shiny pale colors. For hair, "pre-Raphaelite curls are gorgeous," he shares. "Big, loose curls with lots of volume are perfect for this summer." Simply wrap wet hair tightly with rollers, dry, then unwrap and brush out. "It looks sexier," Leo adds, "when it looks as natural as possible."

Cool light shades of aqua, green, yellow and pastel pink work great for the eyes with just a hint of shimmer. Sun-kissed cheeks, with apricot-like highlights, are subtle and fresh, while lip colors go basic with gossamer light corals and bronze. Add power to your pout with lipgloss, one of the uniform statements of designers at the Spring/Summer 2005 shows.

Draw life into your skin with tanning lotions, instead of sunbathing. Apply lightly and make sure to test it before heading to the beach. You don’t want to glop it on and emerge from home two hours later darker than onyx. For dark-skinned girls, highlight your gorgeous skin color with only a touch of bronzer on the cheekbones, collarbone and arms. A thick coating of tanning products works best for the fair-skinned, not for morenas.

For model Ria Bolivar, who’s blessed with rich golden-cocoa skin, Leo simply applied a dab of rosy blush, shimmery highlights on the nose and cheeks, pale pink lipgloss, and shiny light turquoise on the inner corners of her eyes. Simple but effective, the final look is sexy and young.

If you’re too busy to head for the beach and get a real tan, or are aware of the harmful effects of sunbathing, head to the shop and check out these great products for an easy summer glow. A word of advice: Go easy on the products. No one likes a girl who glows in the dark.

Sunscreen

Propoline Suncare Total Sunblock SPF 25

We can never stress how important it is to use sunblock. Even on regular days when you expect to be out in the sun (playing golf or reading a book in the garden), apply some for a cancer-free future.

Propoline’s face and body milk sunblock protects the skin from the sun’s harmful rays (which include UVA, UVB and IR). Hypoallergenic and water resistant, this walnut-scented number is under the Apivita line, a label known for its adherence to natural ingredients. Beauty-conscious people will be happy to know that the product’s combination of acerola, grape seed, green tea and sunflower has anti-ageing properties.

Propoline Suncare Anti-spot Face Cream SPF 50
For those with or worried about brown spots, this cream contains achillea, which works against brown spots. The same good stuff in Propoline’s sunblock is also in the face cream, which means you get the same anti-ageing magic.

Exfoliating scrub

Lancome’s Aromatonic Energizing Scrub

Experts say smooth skin provides the best base for an attractive tan. Exfoliate your skin before applying any sunless tanning products. Putting tanning creams over moisturizer can cause uneven coloring. (Note: Always moisturize after tanning cream has been absorbed by the skin.) Lancome’s high-tech crew came up with this aromatherapy scrub that removes dead cells and impurities, leaving skin smooth, toned and soft. The smoothing agent and vitamin E revitalizes the skin and moisturizes it at the same time. Best for once or twice a week max.

Facial bronzer

Soleil Flash Bronzer by Lancome

Applying body bronzer on the face can be tricky, resulting in fine facial lines that look darker than the rest of the face. Lancome solves the problem with their flash bronzer, a tinted self-tanning cream that gives the face a vibrant glow. Enriched with vitamin E, the rich cream glides smoothly on the face for an earthy tan.

Tanning lotion

Sugar Baby Glow Baby Glow Bronzing Cream

The name may sound a bit half-witted, but Sugar Baby’s bronzing cream delivers the tanning goods. Even makeup artist Leo Posadas couldn’t help but whistle in admiration when he tried out the product on the model. Its dark yellow-bronze gleamed under the afternoon sun as soon as it was applied. Enhanced with tiny shimmering crystals, it reflects light during the day and shimmers at night. Great for a night out on the town as well as a day on the beach.

Body lotion

Mario Badescu Super Rich Olive Body Lotion

This creamy rich olive-oil based lotion moisturizes the skin really well. And its unisex fragrance makes it perfect for family beach outings. Rejuvenating olive oil restores moisture to skin dried out by sun and salt water. This product is excellent for hydrating the skin after sunbathing or swimming.

Mario Badescu Self-tanning Lotion SPF 15

Coming from a tradition of healthy skincare products, Mario Badescu is known for their non-animal tested products. This self-tanner is gentle enough for the face and body. And its light sweet scent is so mild, compared to the assaulting smells of other labels, and homey, with a trail of beeswax. This is perfect for sensitive or dry skin types because the mild formula won’t cause irritation. Apply liberally while skin is slightly damp. Wait for at least 20 minutes before coming into contact with fabric, because self-tanners always stain.

Indie Art’s Moon Summer Lotion

This local homemade skincare line is so inviting with its rustic handicraft quality. An exotic blend of sampaguita, ylang-ylang and magnolia make for a memorable scent that transports anyone to their childhood summers. Shea and cocoa butter create a meltingly creamy lotion, which is also infused with olive and sweet almond oils. While experts recommend you apply any lotion regularly throughout the day if you’re out at the beach, the hedonist in me can’t help but call out for this pink pot of scented love. Available at Magnet Plus at The Loop ABS-CBN/ Paseo Center, Makati/ Katipunan (tel. 843-0330).Tanning highlights

Sugar Baby Glow Baby Glow Bronzing Cream (in compact)

This mini-version of the bronzing cream comes in a convenient compact for your purse. Pack for those touch-ups at the beach or bar. The cream can be used all over, but we recommend highlighting the cheeks and eyelids for a realistic but flattering summer glow. Applying it all over the face is way too much and will make you look like a disco ball. Not quite the best way to have all eyes on you.

Lancome Starlette

This illuminating sparkling powder creates such a sexy vibe. The light dust, when sprinkled gently with a large makeup brush over the face and collarbone, creates a subtle shimmer that’s soft and luscious.

The bare necessities

Unprotected sunbathing can leave you with skin damage, sun spots, a greater risk for skin cancer and, worse, wrinkles. You don’t want to look like a leathery bag of flesh when you’re 30, do you? So take a gander at these important suggestions. Hot tip: It’s always best to skip the sun and opt for a fake bake. But that’s just us.

Always use sunscreen.

There aren’t any sunless tanners with adequate sun protection. Sunscreen must be applied liberally and frequently; you can’t do this with a sunless tanner. Apply sunless tanners in the evening before you go to bed and use sunscreen during the day. Also beware of SPF claims by sunless tanners. If they don’t list the ingredients of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or avobenzone, (or Mexoryl SX or Tinosorb outside the U.S.), they don’t protect against UVA rays, which are the most damaging to skin.

Paint by number.

Sunscreen lasts for about 10 minutes. If, for example, an SPF 8 sunscreen is applied, this means the skin can remain in the sun for 8 x 10 minutes (80 minutes) without getting burnt.

Stay away from the sun between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The sun is at its most harmful during these hours. Sunbathing during the day’s hottest period can leave you dizzy and dehydrated, which, when overdone, can be dangerous. Just see what happened to Marissa on Outback Jack and you’ll get what I mean.

Go bare.

Certain perfumes and a few perfume-free creams can cause severe eczema from sunbathing. To be safe, avoid wearing any products other than sunscreen when exposed to the sun.

Como esta agua?

My Spanish may be rough, but this rule doesn’t need any translating: Make sure to drink lots of fluids if you’re going to be out in the sun. The extreme dry heat of summer can cause dehydration and leave the skin looking lackluster. Yeah, I thought that would catch your attention.

How to get the glow (or spare yourself from turning orange)

• Exfoliate while you shower or bathe with a soft cotton washcloth. Nylon or loofah scrubbers can cause a streaky effect. Look for an exfoliator which contains polyethylene as its active ingredient.

• Use a sponge paintbrush (available at hardware stores or National bookstore) to apply self tanner to your back. Look for one that is from two to three inches in size. Wash before use and let it air dry.

• If you are new to sunless tanning products, don’t use sprays. They are difficult (maybe impossible?) to apply evenly. What helps: spray the stuff onto your sponge paintbrush and apply it that way.

• Wash your hands at least every five minutes while applying. Use a soapy nailbrush to scrub palms, fingers, and fingernails.

• Or wear gloves! Get the inexpensive medical supply kind, which come in a box. You should still wash your hands afterwards as a precaution as some sunless tanner may have seeped underneath.

• Five to 10 minutes after applying a sunless tanner, rub areas such as elbows and knees with a little lotion to lighten the effect. Same goes for wrists and backs of hands to blend with arms, and ankles and tops of feet to blend with legs.

• Your freckles and moles will darken along with the rest of your skin. In fact, some colorless moles may become significantly darker. This is a sad fact of sunless tanning.

• After your sunless tan has developed (which will take about three hours or more), hydrogen peroxide can be used to lighten dark spots on your palms if you make a mistake. Apply the hydrogen peroxide with a Q-Tip or cotton ball, and be sure to rinse the hydrogen peroxide off your skin afterwards. You have to be very careful because a drop anywhere else will leave a spot! If the mistake was a small one, you will be better off ignoring it. And note that it isn’t foolproof – the hydrogen peroxide may have no effect whatsoever. Lesson: concentrate on preventing orange palms, because there really isn’t a cure.

• Apply moisturizer to your "tan" every day.

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Makeup and sunless tanning neophytes should check products labels before attempting to use any tanning products – especially if you have sensitive skin.

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If you’re pregnant or nursing, experts recommend checking with your physician before applying sunless tanners, especially salon sprays.

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Send me photos of gross over-tanned people at ohbea@rocketmail.com.