Tanning tips: how to make your summer glow last longer

Sinking your toes into soft white sand, plunging into the dancing waves and watching the sky slowly turn pink as you sip an ice-cold drink. Holiday memories may last forever, but unfortunately, a golden sun-kissed glow fades. Yet saying goodbye to your tan needn't happen so quickly. Take a little extra care by following these steps and you can stay beautifully bronzed for longer.

Use an SPF cream

While it might sound counterintuitive to use high-factor sunscreen when tanning, it won't prevent you from going golden. What it will do is help skin stay hydrated, so it's less likely to peel, as well as protect it from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

A BB or CC cream, which adds a light tint to skin, is the perfect foundation replacement for sun-soaked days. They tend to feel lighter on the skin than a traditional foundation – perfect for hot weather – and are less pigmented, allowing your natural glow or freckles to peek through. The best are fortified with sun protection.

Drink plenty of water

The key to a lasting tan is having moisture-rich skin. Spending time in the sun can be drying, making the golden top layer more prone to flaking once you're away from the rays. Bring a large bottle of water outdoors with you to quench your thirst and sip it regularly. Drinking six to eight glasses each day is a good aim to stay well-hydrated on a normal day, so you might want to have an extra glass or two if you're spending ample time soaking up the soul-soothing warmth of the rays.

Exfoliate

Before basking in the sunshine, give your body a gorgeously exfoliating scrub. This will eliminate old cells on the surface of your skin, so your tan will appear smoother – and should be longer lasting. Our Almond Shower Scrub contains softening almond oil and crushed shells to slough off dead cells. It leaves a light scent on skin, reminiscent of the diamond-shaped calisson sweets that appear in the windows of Aix-in-Provence's patisseries.

Eat more fruit and vegetables

Indulging in healthy foods will help to nourish your skin from the inside. Fruit and vegetables high in beta-carotene – the pigment that provides carrots with their vibrant orange hue – can help to make your tan last longer. How? Because it encourages the production of melanin, which gives skin its colour. Papaya, sweet potato, mango and juicy cantaloupe melons from Cavaillon in Provence are all high in this powerful nutrient – as are peppers, yellow peaches, carrots and spinach. Whizz them into energy-boosting breakfast smoothies or add them into a rainbow-toned summer salad.

Turn down the heat in the shower

Long, hot baths and showers are blissful, but they can also leave skin feeling dehydrated, as overly warm water can strips away its natural oils. Keep the temperature lukewarm and use a luxuriously textured moisturising body wash – like our Ultra Rich Shower Cream – to keep your skin feeling gloriously hydrated and supple. Wet skin is better at absorbing moisturisers than dry skin, so you'll receive the full benefits if you smooth on lotion or body butter directly after cleansing.

Moisturise before and after you head out into the sun

Add a sun-protecting facial moisturiser like Immortelle Divine Light Cream SPF 20 into your morning skincare routine and apply lotion to your body at least once a day. When you step inside after a stint in the sun, apply a layer of a lightweight moisturiser to help maintain your skin's natural hydration.

Skincare and lifestyle both play a role in how to keep a tan from fading. These tips will help you to gain a lasting tan naturally while protecting your body.