1. Cool showers
Hot baths can dehydrate your skin, leading to faster peeling. Stick to cool showers and use a moisturising shower oil to really lock-down your colour. We like L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil, £19.50.
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2. Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise
There's no better way to hang on to sexy summer skin than by slathering on the lotion. Post-holiday you should upgrade to a body butter and lotion-up every day. Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, £18, not only drenches skin in moisture, it also smells of hot beaches and sun cream – putting you right back in the holiday zone. Someone pass me a margarita...
![Brazilian Bum Bum Cream [240ml]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1553530493-sdj001_soldejaneiro_brazilianbumbumcream_240ml_1_1560x1960-y0857.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.658xh;0,0.168xh&resize=980:* "Brazilian Bum Bum Cream [240ml]")
3. Exfoliate
It can feel like the last thing on your mind but it's important to give your body a weekly exfoliation to help remove dull, parched surface cells and prepare the skin for the self-tanning to come. Sanctuary Spa Body Scrub, £2.50, is gentle and packed with mood-boosting essential oils too.
4. Facial self-tan
Your face is the first thing people notice about you and a sun-kissed complexion makes you look fresh-from-the-plane pretty. In our experience, many gradual tans for face are so subtle we hardly notice them, but Hylamide's Glow Radiance Booster Serum, £17, is one of the few that gives skin a dreamy golden tint after a couple of applications.
5. Gradual tan
The secret to extending your tan is to create a simple ritual that's easy to maintain. A gradual tan is what's needed here: something you can slap on as readily as a body lotion, straight after your morning shower, and get dressed without waiting for it to dry. The subtle colour will enhance your tan without looking overdone and you can reapply every two days without streaks. Here on the beauty desk, we reach for Clarins Self-Tanning After Sun Moisturiser, £21.
6. Bronzer
Use a matte bronzer like Maybelline's City Bronzer, £7.99, to help recreate that 'perched at the beach-bar all-day' look. The trick is to swirl it where the sun naturally hits – the forehead, temples, nose and cheekbones – rather than all-over.
Maybelline City Bronze Bronzer (Various Shades) [Shade : 200 Light Shimmer]
![Maybelline City Bronze Bronzer (Various Shades) [Shade : 200 Light Shimmer]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1553530231-12019033-4644646571518118.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Maybelline City Bronze Bronzer (Various Shades) [Shade : 200 Light Shimmer]")
7. Eat beta-carotenes
Various studies have shown that a diet rich in beta-carotenes (a type of red-orange pigment) can recreate the glow of sun-kissed skin from within. The best natural sources are sweet potatoes, apricots, mangoes and especially carrots. So be sure to pack your meals with these sunshine-coloured fruits and veg.
8. Drink water
Don't slack-off drinking water just because you're not in 30 degree heat. Keeping hydrated can help prolong the life of all cells (including those nicely tanned cells at the surface) and also plump and smooth the skin.
9. Wear white
Finally, it's a tried-and-tested trick for giving the illusion of darker skin: simply wear a white or lighter shade next to your face. A crisp white shirt, bronzer and a bold red lip is one of the best mood-boosting combos we know.
Summer Beauty Essentials
Swipe this over your body after shaving and it'll help prevent razor bumps and ingrown hairs.
Arguably the best fake tan yet. Easy to apply, dreamy golden shade and zero streaks, guaranteed.
AMELIORATE Transforming Body Lotion
Full of lactic acid, this smoothing body lotion minimises Keratosis Pilaris (aka dry, bumpy skin) asap.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Invisible Fluid
Sick of your sun cream breaking you out? La Roche-Posay's genius formula is a Cosmo favourite and won't clog your pores!
Victoria Jowett is an award-winning journalist and the former Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. She was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 for her work in beauty journalism and oversees the skincare, hair, makeup and fragrance content across all of Cosmopolitan’s platforms. She's worked in the beauty industry for over 13 years (and tested 1000s of products), making her an expert when it comes to recommending beauty brands that truly work. Having started her career working weekends on a makeup counter, Victoria began interning at the likes of AnOther and IDOL magazine, before landing her first Beauty Writer job at weekly fashion magazine, LOOK. Joining Cosmopolitan in 2016, Victoria has always remained a beauty fanatic and has been lucky enough to interview everyone from Britney Spears to Kourtney Kardashian about their beauty routines. Follow her on LinkedIn.
