What in the world is tantouring? It’s a contouring technique for both face and body, that
allows you to semi-permanently add contouring by using a self-tanner. It’s been around for quite a while, but I finally decided to try it.
I’ve been a self-tanning fan ever since I started a fulltime career and found myself looking pale from working inside during the daylight hours. So especially when spring rolls around and I switch my winter boots and sweaters for sandals, skirts and tops that show off the legs and arms, I pull out my self-tanner to give myself some natural-looking color.
Having a healthy bronzed look (that gradually darkens over the summer!) just makes me feel more confident and comfortable, yes, even happier in my own skin. And with a self-tanning product, I avoid UV damage to my skin and I don’t need to spend hours (hours that I don’t have) in the sun to achieve the look that I want.
I use a self-tanning mousse called Blue Saint Instant Body Self-Tanner, which is a new generation organic self-tanning product that gives me a “fake tan” without a hint of orange, and looks so natural that my work colleagues think that I must spend every weekend at the pool or beach.
Vacation Prep with my Self-Tanning Mousse – A Must!
So I’ve got vacation time coming up and I can’t wait! I’ve never been to the Caribbean and I’ve got tickets to go with a friend. That means a lot of hanging out at pools and beaches, and it’s going to be hot and sunny. I wouldn’t dream of being in a swimsuit without a good tan, so you can be sure I’ll do my self-tanning routine before I go. Some folks start their holiday looking like they haven’t seen the sun in a long time. But not me, I’ve already got my healthy glow. Neither do I fly home with a splotchy, itchy, peeling sunburn from misguided tanning attempts and overdoing in the sun. With my healthy-option self-tanning mousse, I don’t have to depend on the sun to get my look. I take care of myself and wear a generous amount of sunblock whenever I’m outside.
Can a Self-Tanner Really Help You to Look Slimmer?
So I decided to try something new for this vacation, and I’m going to use my Blue Saint Instant Body Tanner to see if I can get a more defined and sculpted look. I’ve heard that body contouring with self-tanner can also make one look 10 to15 pounds slimmer, just with a self-tanning product. I could see how body contouring could give you a more toned look, but 10 to 15 pounds, really?!
So for this first time I opted to have it done by a professional who knows how to use light and shade. I wanted to get it done correctly so that I could see how it really looks, as opposed to messing around with the do-it-myself-with-a-youtube-tutorial method. I especially wanted to see if body contouring could truly make me look thinner. I’m just your normal girl and I don’t get to go to the Caribbean that often, so I wanted to make the most of it. I had also planned to do a lot of picture-taking on the trip to grow my Instagram following. Did I tell you that I’m an Instagrammer? I wouldn’t say I’m a total addict, but I really love creating and posting lots of unique and interesting photos and using my page to build connections. And like anyone else, of course, I want to look good in any photos I post of myself.
How to Contour With Self-Tanner | My Salon Experience
So I’m going to invite you along on my appointment with a professional body contour artist. This was my first experience, and I was excited to see the procedure and the results.
Here’s what my “tantouring” body contouring session was like. I went in with a base layer of tan already applied, and then the tanning artist used a darker shade for the contouring process. The technician started with my arms, applying color on the outside and inside. That makes the arms look firmer and slimmer, and hides any saggy parts on the upper arms. Then for the collarbone, he shaded the area above and below the bone. If you do this yourself at home, hunch your shoulders forward and you will see your collarbone clearly defined. For the neck, he did the sides lightly, and then made a vertical streak from the collarbone to define the cleavage. For longer-looking legs, shading is applied on the outside and inside of the legs, in particular along the natural definition of the inner thighs, and also behind the calves. Then came shading the sides of the obliques and creating two curved lines that look like parentheses and outline the abdominals. This technique creates the illusion of tighter, more defined abs and a slimmer waist. I wasn’t interested in getting a 6-pack done with the shading, but some people want that and it’s a look that can also be created with this sculpting technique.
Then he went on to my face, and told me with a smile that I wouldn’t have to worry about make-up washing off in the water, as adding contour with self-tanner allows you to look great even when soaking wet. For facial tanning, he used my Blue Saint Face Self-Tanning Drops. This is applied much like using a contour stick or blusher, defining below the cheekbone and jawbone, the sides of the forehead and around the top along the hairline. He also made two thin lines down either side of my nose starting from the end of the inner eyebrow. After a few minutes, these lines were blended using a larger size make-up brush.
I rinsed off a few hours later, OMG it worked! I had defined arms, toned legs, and trimmer 
core —safely and painlessly, without a crash diet or liposuction or anything drastic like that. I already knew that Blue Saint Self-Tanner would hide any cellulite on my booty and upper legs. So combined with the outer and inner shading of my thighs, my legs ended up with pretty much a killer look, like wearing 5 inch high heels. This isn’t bragging since I didn’t do this myself, but the results were pretty amazing.
I can understand now why so many celebrities have self-tanning body contouring done whenever they make a personal appearance. In fact, I’ve discovered that all kinds of people have been employing and enjoying this technique, from teenage cheerleaders to mothers-of-the-bride and plenty of men too.
I’ve since learned that self-tanner can even hide stretch marks, according to one of my friends who just had her second child. She says fake tan and body contouring are two of the most valuable hacks to keep herself looking good after having kids!
Anyway, I’m still single and I’d been thinking about doing was some online dating for awhile, but you know how hard it is to take a good profile photo to be posted on the internet for all to see. I did a few photo shoots with my bestie, but nothing was up-to-par. However, thanks to my new trim and sculpted bod and face, the vacation shots came out perfectly and I’ve finally got the profile pics I want. So I’ll see how that goes and maybe next time I’ll write about online dating!
The Happy Ending | I Can’t Wait to Show Off on Instagram!
My vacation was so much fun, it was definitely one of those special times that I’ll never forget. And I absolutely think that having “the look” I wanted, feeling confident and comfortable with myself in a swimsuit, made a big difference. It was fun to towel off after a dip in the pool, and feel no need to put on a cover-up or sarong when I go for lunch at the poolside café in my bikini. I can’t tell you how free and natural that feels. Or how about just slipping a pair of shorts over your swimsuit and chilling with a drink at a beachside café before swimming. With my tanned, contoured body, I was truly relaxed – no self-consciousness about white skin, unsightly bulges, and cellulite. The Caribbean is hot and humid, just like summer weather in a lot of places in the U.S., and wearing only a swimsuit in that climate is the ultimate in keeping cool and comfortable. I’m definitely going to enjoy doing this in non-vacation times too.
So remember, self-tanner can mask all sorts of skin imperfections, bulges, and cellulite. Darker skin is toned skin. If you’ve never tried it, why not give it a go? I’d recommend the Blue Saint product line, which will give you perfect results and never turn orange or streaky. I’m pretty sure you will love your new healthier, trimmer look and make it part of your life!
