BEAUTY 101

Model Bianca Valerio's Top Tanning Tips

The model, stylist, and Cosmo.ph columnist talks about the pros and cons of sunbathing and self-tanning to get that sun-kissed summer glow.
Posted on April 26, 2010 12:00 pm by Bianca Valerio, model, make-up artist, image consultant, and TV host

Whether it's summer or not, nothing looks sexier than having a tanned and toned physique. Even without hitting the gym, a darker skin tone creates more shadows or contours, which, in effect, gives the optical illusion of a more fit and slimmer bod.

As much as I am an advocate for avoiding the sun and its harmful rays (which will instantly age your skin), admittedly, there are many out there who'd rather bake in the sun than fake it.

So, to appease the sun worshippers and so-called haters, allow me to give you, Cosmo chicks, the lowdown on Sunbathing vs. Self-Tanning.

SUNBATHING

You can bask and bake under the warm sun.
It's an excuse to go on vacation to the beach or to a pool party.
No guarantee: You can either become really tanned or red as a tomato.
Summer months are the best time to achieve a golden tan.
Unless you joined a nudist colony, tan lines are just as bad as laugh lines.
The only thing you should gain from aging is wisdom, and not those horrid wrinkles and sun spots.
It's pointless to use sunblock if your intention is to catch those harsh rays.
The sun is your one and only tanning source.

SELF-TANNING

No need to sweat and burn, even if you look like you already have.
Who needs a pool party to look bronzed and hot in the middle of winter vacation?
Looking tanned with unsightly peeling and itching becomes an urban legend.
You can have a tan 365 days a year: anytime, anywhere!
What tan lines? The only lines I got are the contours on my seemingly toned bod.
Slather on some tan extenders to not only nourish your supple skin, but even to prolong your faux yet fab tan!
Look like a bronzed goddess while protecting your skin with at least SPF 30.
Take your pick: spray tanners, lotions, booths, or airbrush; washable, semi-permanent; your options are endless (see featured image for some product ideas and check out this gallery for a description of each).

We shouldn't have to sacrifice our skin's future just to look tanned for a few days. There are so many products in the market that offer great ways to achieve a golden complexion, minus the peeling, itching, freckles, sunburn, and premature wrinkles (oh, let's not forget damaged hair, too). Choose from a variety of applications and formulations to make your tan look natural, streak-free, and most of all, hassle-free.

Nonetheless, if there's one valuable tip I can offer when it comes to prolonging one's tan, it's to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

Keeping the skin hydrated prevents the topmost layer of skin (a.k.a. dead skin) from flaking off faster. That top layer is the skin which has burned or has been tinted with self-tanner. And since our skin regenerates daily, we can slow it down by helping it adhere to our skin as long as possible with the use of oils, moisturizers, or even better, tan extenders, which have a small amount of non-toxic self-tanners in their formulations.

Whatever you choose, don't forget to bring your hat and sunglasses wherever you go! Who said sun protection only comes in bottles, anyway?

Watch the image-building workshop Bianca gave our Make Over Your Life Winner Amie Perez! Click here for Part 1 and on this link for Part 2. Watch for more of Bianca's columns on Cosmo.ph. If you want to ask Bianca about your most pressing fashion, beauty, or image concerns, email your question or concern to webmaster@cosmo.ph, and she just might answer it for you!

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Tags: tips,beauty,beauty tips,Bianca Valerio,tanning,summer,celebrity beauty secrets,tan,self-tanning,sunbathing,makeup tip and tricks

BiancaValerio

14. Hi Bashful Vixen, to reply to your post on what sunblock do I use? Since you can only post 3 comments max per article and this tanning article also deals with Sunblock, I'll answer it here instead :-) I use several brands for my purse, the beach, everyday, etc, but a staple one has been the in-house brand on Watson's (yellow/orange bottle with SPF30), which I discovered in Bangkok thru Bubbles Paraiso. It's non-greasy and has proven to be effective even after much sun, wind and water. However, I must also stress than almost all beauty products are effective. It's just a matter of finding one that works for you. I was lucky enough to find one that works at a low price. That's why I shared with Amie (winner of Cosmo Makeover Your Life Contest) that when testing products, do two things: If buying, opt for the cheaper brands first so if you find one that works, then you won't have to spend more money. High prices don't equal high quality and vice-versa. Next, rather than buying right away, if your friends have other sunblock brands on hand or stores have testers, try those out first without spending a cent. Test on the inside of your wrist for your body and test on your jawline, as you would with foundation shades if testing for the face. Wait at least half a day. It's not a sure fire way since our skin varies but it's a great and cheaper way to start :-) Most importantly, you mentioned you would break out, so look for words like NON-COMEDOGENIC. It's the term applied to oils, lotions, and skin creams that do not block pores. If that still doesn't work, as with any problem, trial and error is your best bet, good luck!
May 08, 2010 at 09:13 pm report abuse
MSDIAZ

13. The new variants of Johnsons lotion smells really good
May 03, 2010 at 01:22 pm report abuse
laila

12. when we had our company outing last march, di ako umitim but i love what sun did to my cheeks... natural blush. it is wonderful xe un sunburn ko medyo lang at prang nagadd ng natural color to my cheeks...
May 03, 2010 at 10:20 am report abuse
kgtiu87

11. One half of my arm is tanned. Hehe
May 03, 2010 at 02:44 am report abuse
valerientine

10. go self-tanning!
April 30, 2010 at 01:04 am report abuse
BiancaValerio

9. Hi girls! The beauty about self-tanning is products that are DHA-based (made from sugar cane and non-toxic), reacts to your own PH levels. Meaning, you get a customized-looking tan without the harsh effects of going under the sun. Yes it can be pricey since going under the sun is, well, free, haha but in the long run, age spots, sun spots, wrinkles, skin dehydration, early aging and skin cancer will definitely cost you more in the long run! Don't forget your hands and feet! So gross naman you're so fair then your feet na are so dark with shoe tan lines! ;-)
April 29, 2010 at 05:43 pm report abuse
flyingfish

8. i think ill convert! i love sunbathing but im sure its about time as i dont want to have cancer or wrinkles soon
April 27, 2010 at 05:37 pm report abuse
pink_baby

7. I have never tried self-tanning. I don't tan that easily under the sun. I'll try this one of these days and see how my skin would react.
April 27, 2010 at 01:32 pm report abuse
rowananne

6. go for self-tanning!!!
April 27, 2010 at 11:12 am report abuse
lavfifth

5. though sunbathing is the most natural way to get tanned,but due to the greenhouse effect,the heat of the sun today is no longer like the older days..
April 27, 2010 at 08:23 am report abuse
bashful_vixen

4. no tanning? hehehehe :) i try to tan sa beach but i put on sunblock first.
April 27, 2010 at 05:57 am report abuse
Santori01

3. self tanning for me...
April 27, 2010 at 03:29 am report abuse
akira_tokyo14

2. I also go with self-tanning because it's instant but expensive
April 26, 2010 at 07:58 pm report abuse
zyramae_12

1. I go for self-tanning because it's healthier especially nowadays that sun produces harmful rays like UVA and UVB.
April 26, 2010 at 07:42 pm report abuse