Caroline's Blog

Caroline, a makeup junkie since an early age, loves nothing more than perusing the West End’s beauty halls. A trained makeup artist (she has worked for Lancôme, Chanel & Clinique), she keeps up her skills running a wedding makeup business part-time.

By day, Caroline works in the Clinique online team. Clinique is part of the Estee Lauder group so she’s oozing with insider knowledge on the likes of MAC, Bobbi Brown & Estee Lauder. Her favourite online stores are Clinique.co.uk (of course!), CocoRibbon.com, TheWhiteCompany.com and Asos.com.

Faking It

Published on Tuesday 19th May 2009

We’ve all been there…that awful moment when you realise those legs that you’ve been hiding behind tights and trousers all winter may have to see the light of day. Your summer holiday is not for a while and so you have two choices; grin and bear it…or fake it.

I prefer to reach for the fake tan (not the sunbeds). But not last year’s product – unless you’re a year-round user, the product has probably separated in its tube and will definitely not go on streak-free.

But do you pick the gradual build moisturiser, the spray on colour, the traditional tan-in-a-tube or do you just go and get a spray tan? I've tried every possible option so I thought I’d share my knowledge in case anyone reading is in a similar ‘pale skinned dilemma'.

Gradual build moisturisers were made uber-popular when Johnsons launched their holiday skin product. One that many of my friends use but I find that the colour is actually a little too orange for my pink-toned skin.

Plus I always make the mistake of thinking that as it’s a moisturiser the exfoliation preparation isn’t as necessary which always results in a leopard print-like design on my legs! I’d recommend this option for those with a tan already, as it gives a lovely, glowy finish.

The sprays always scare me as I envisage myself just coating my entire bathroom with it, so this year, I'm opting for Lancaster’s Shimmering Bronze Creamy Gel For Legs. However, Clinique have just brought out Body Airbrush Spray which is a really fine mist which works on all angles, including hard-to-reach areas.

Spray tans remind me of that episode of Friends when Ross accidentally gets too many coats on one side, but as long as you go to a great salon two days before the event, and moisturise regularly, you can avoid the two-toned tango effect.

Hope that helps. I'm off to get exfoliating and fake tanning, just in case the weather stays nice for the Bank Holiday...

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