okay the long awaited tanning post

first things first, some of you are probably looking to get a “base” tan at a tanning salon before roasting yourself in the real sun so you don’t get a nasty ass sunburn. this is usually a good choice because it is more controlled and you going in a tanning bed for 5-6 minutes your first time most likely isn’t going to burn you like the sun would!

honestly there is no such thing as a “safe” tan, unless its fake. there are plenty of good fake tanners out there that look exactly the same as a real tan- st tropez/ st moriz. and as far as salon fake tan goes, mystic/ versa spa etc whatever yeah yeah you get the idea

no matter how many personal testimonies people give you, or how many precautions you may take, tanning is dangerous and melanoma is becoming more and more widespread (especially with younger girls) so you really have to put thought into what you’re doing before you go through with it. always keep in mind before you decide to take the leap to tan skin, (ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE NEW TO TANNING SALONS!!) “am i still going to be happy with myself when i am pale again? or am i going to care so much that i am going to keep tanning because it makes me look good?” 

SO PLEASE JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. 

and don’t be a fucking idiot when it comes to tanning. science rules over someone at a tanning salon telling you you’re not going to get cancer. its fact that eventually if you keep tanning, the percentage is high enough that you will probably get some type of skin cancer due to tanning if you do it throughout your life. 

ALRIGHT NOW YOU HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU WANT A TOASTY TAN AND DON’T REALLY CARE ABOUT GETTING CANCER OR WHATEVER OR SKIN DAMAGE OR LOOKING OLD AND LEATHERY AND SUNSPOTS AT THE AGE OF 30 (yes i am trying to discourage you because tanning really is addictive and its really not good for you, yeah you get vitamin D but that is about it…. you could really just take supplements for that… just try to be happy with your skin BUT IF YOU WANT A SUMMER GLOW THEN OKAY!!!!!!!! I GOT YOUR BACK!!)

INDOOR TANNING:

REMEMBER TO PUT YOUR HAIR UP/ GO NAKED/ AND REMOVE ANY UNWANTED JEWELRY OR CRAP SO YOU DON’T GET NASTY TANLINES. AND PLEASE DON’T DO THOSE STICKERS THEY ARE SO CHEESEY AND I WILL JUMP OFF A CLIF IF YOU DO BECAUSE THEY LOOK LIKE A DISEASE AND I SPENT SO MUCH TIME MAKING THIS POST. PLEASE DO ME AND HUMANKIND  A FAVOR AND DO NOT PUT ON NASTY ASS STICKERS SO YOU CAN HAVE AN EMBARRASSING SHAPED TANLINE THANK YOU THANKS THANKY THANK

for beginning tanners:

if you are pale as HECK, i would totally recommend getting a tanning membership so you can be in a controlled environment.  the first visit you go, do about 5 minutes then increase it by 1 minute each time you go (more/less depending on how your skin is reacting). most tanning salons have regulations on how often you can go (usually not more than once within a 24 hour time period). don’t feel rushed or obligated to use EVERY SINGLE DAY that you have on your tanning membership, you will get pretty frickin dark within like 13 sessions no matter how pale you are right now. IF YOU GET BURNED, DON’T GO THE NEXT DAY! wait it out until your skin is back to feelin normal then you are a-ok

also most tanning salons sell really over priced lotions (and most prohibit outdoor tanning lotions because the oils or whatever eat the acrylic of the bed) but you can get good ones at Sally’s beauty supply, but the lotions at the salons are better and smell better bUT THEY ARE SO FLIPPIN EXPENSIVE be ready to fork out 30-60 dollars for just ONE BOTTLE!!!

-make sure you exfoliate at least once a week

- use an accelerator tanning lotion right before you hop in the tanning bed (if you use a lotion with bronzer you will probably look orange and streaky, especially if you are really pale right now)

- moisturize every time you get out of the shower (MOISTURIZE A LOT because it helps to extend the life of your tan!)

intermediate tanners:

alright even if you are not new to a tanning salon, you still wanna start out slow especially if you haven’t been in the sun for a while. 

- start out at 6/7 or 8 minutes depending on your current skin tone and how badly you burn

- if you are pale, use an accelerator, if you are like kinda tanish or whatever use a bronzer. 

- exfoliate at least once a week

- load up on moisturizer 

expert tanners u ratchet hoes like me:

ok so if you are already tan but want to get your darkest, follow these bad boy steps yeah and soon you will look like a boston market chicken

- EXFOLIATE/shave/ everything be completely smooth 

- use black bronzer and use tingle lotions (bronzer lotions add color and the tingle lotions will help to bring the blood in your skin to the surface so you can get a darker tan)

- moisturize like a nazi

- do full time /etc

ok so basically indoor tanning is pretty simple and usually you have NO SPF when you tan there. 

OUTDOOR TANNING:

***REMEMBER*** YOU CAN USE INDOOR TANNING LOTION OUTSIDE, BUT YOU CANNOT USE OUTDOOR TANNING LOTION INSIDE 

tips for outdoor tanning:

best time to tan: anywhere between 10am-3pm because that is when the UV rays are at their highest (i usually like to tan at 1-2ish because where i live that is when they peak)

- decide what kind of tanlines you want and either try to stick to that swimsuit or switch it up everytime you tan outside (i hate tanning in different swimsuits because then you get all sorts of tanlines goin on and it just looks really gross so i wear similar ones each time)

- try not to wear bracelets/rings and crap like that because it is gonna give you a tanline

- PUT YOUR HAIR UP!!!!!!!!!!! you are gonna get super sweaty and when you FLIP to your back you dont want your hair covering any part of your body

- when you flip to tan your back, take off your top. its ok no one will care you are safe dont worry just dont really do it at the pool or whatever because you will get dirty looks

IF YOU ARE PASTY PALE: use lotions, preferably some with some SPF so you don’t get burnt to a crisp, or just really watch the time that you are outside for. i would recommend like 10-15 mins for your front and backside for a few days and just see if you get burned or not! (that is, without spf and just either an accelerator or outdoor tanning lotion that you can pick up at walmart or wherever, it doesn’t really matter)

IF YOU DON’T BURN/ ALREADY HAVE A BASE TAN: 

tanning oils tanning oils tanning oils. they will get you soooo dark in the fastest amount of time possible. there are continuous spray bottles/squirt bottles/ and regular bottles (and there is even a dry oil too that is kinda like a wax, but i love it so much more than the regular oils because you don’t get that nasty greasy feel!!!!) 

rub yourself down and lay on your front for about 30 mins to an hour, and the same amount of time on your back!

and heck even crack out a tingle lotion 

OKAY I HOPED THIS HELPS, sorry it is super messy but it was a really big post and i didnt want to have to be super paranoid about proper grammar and punctuation and stuff like that JUST TRYNA GET MY POINT ACROSS HOLLER

- Linnea

SORRY I SUCK I HARDLY EVER UPDATE THIS BUT HERE IS A SUPER COOL PRETTY FUN EASY NAIL POLISH COLOR TUTORIAL

if you’re going to a weekend getaway at the beach, or doing some outdoorsey summery activity that requires you to pack up your crap and leave your house and not haul all 29832893 makeup items that you may own, you might be asking yourself: WHAT SHOULD I TAKE WITH ME SO I DON’T LOOK LIKE A TURD?

well, here is the answer.

all of these items are awesome if you want some makeup for the beach, or to dual up for a night out on the town!

no one wants to bring every item that they own to a few days away from the house!

first things for packing light first:

1.) BRUSHES!

- at least ONE medium sized eyeshadow brush that you can apply all over color with as well as use it in your crease to give some depth for night time outtings!

- at least 1 powder brush that you can also use as a bronzer brush

2.) ITEMS THAT SERVE DUAL PURPOSES!

- FACIAL LOTION WITH SPF: keeps your skin moisturized and protects from those uv rays that are gonna leave your face all freckly

- concealer!!! this is really good if you want to go to the beach and not look like a total zombie. you just spot treat your problem areas and set with a little powder and BAM you are totally set!

- BRONZER (makes contourin’ fabulous) 

(AT NIGHT TIME: if you are looking for a little bit more coverage and don’t want to bring a thing of foundation, you can mix your concealer with some of your FACIAL LOTION and it makes a tinted moisturizer! it adds more coverage but it still looks very fresh and natural and awesome!)

- EYESHADOW PALLETS THAT CONAIN NEUTRAL COLORS!: its going to be 500 billion times easier to have one pallet that has your go-to colors already in it. you can even de-pot your own eyeshadows and make your own pallet (there are a ton of youtube tutorials for DIY makeup pallets!) 

- LIPSTICK!!! you can use it on your CHEEKS and on your lips! 

- EYELINER: at night you can also use eyeliner as an eyeshadow by smudging it some (if it’s a stick of course!!) or even just paint on the liquid!  (AND EYELINER ALSO WORKS AS AN EYEBROW PENCIL!!!)

- waterproof mascara!

- A GOOD CHAPSTICK TO KEEP YOUR LIPS FROM GETTING CHAPPED FROM THE SUN!

BEACH MAKEUP IDEAS:

no one really wants to wear a crapton of makeup when they are just gonna be in the sun all day!

- CONCEALER UNDER YOUR EYES AND ON YOUR EYELIDS TO PREVENT SUNBURN because that skin is VERY sensitive!!! (i wouldn’t even set it with powder if i am going to be in the water or anything, just keep it simple!)

- EYEBROW SHADING! just shade in your eyebrows lightly!

- chapstick!

- waterproof mascara if you want to go to that length! (don’t wear regular because if you are going in the water, you’re gonna look like a raccoon!)

your cheeks should get pretty rosey in the sun so i wouldn’t even worry about wearing blush or bronzer or anything. just wear your sunglasses if you are scared of lookin haggard 

NIGHT OUT:

- concealer mixed with lotion for a tinted moisturizer / set with powder

- contour cheekbones/sides of forehead and jawline with bronzer

- use lipstick as blush 

- smear black stick eyeliner to make a smokey eye / finish with mascara

- shade in your eyebrows

- lipstick or chapstick or lipgloss

BOOM BOOM YOU ARE HOTT AS HECK

obviously you can tailor the makeup that you take with you to your needs, but personally i would bring this stuff as a minimum but then again i am disgustingly high maintenance when it comes to the makeup department.

but i hope this helped if you are in a bit of a predicament with packing for upcoming vacations!

- Linnea 

If you’re anything like me, a few days of wearing makeup makes your skin look pretty gross and dry! If you have rough patches, huge gross scaly things coming off of your nose, or little nasty ass fine dry spots, this helps to completely smooth your skin and moisturize it, making it look and feel like a baby’s butt!!!

I do this every few days when my skin needs it and it’s honestly the best thing that I do to keep my skin fabulous!

I mix this up whenever I use it, I suggest you do the same because if not the honey mixed with the other ingredients will make it way too coarse for your face if you let it sit out for too long !

what you’ll need:
Honey
Sea salt
Baking soda

take out your hand and put a small amount of honey, then put some sea salt on top, and then baking soda and mix it all together until it looks like peanut butter! I never really exactly measure it but try to use more baking soda than sea salt. It works super well and I love it so much!!!!

- Linnea

easy diy highlights for summer! you just spray this on a section of your hair that you want to lighten, then drag your straightener over it a few times then BAM! PERMANENT highlights! 

I haven’t tried this but this one youtube guru (atkristabradford) made a video on it and it looks SO COOL! you can get it at CVS and Ulta! its like 9 bucks a bottle!

neutrogena has awesome ones!!

HEY MY MESSAGES ARE WORKING so if you have any questions just shoot em at me and i can respond privately 

i just got back to so many that were over a month old, i’m sorry ahh!

Every other day is fine, but the longer the better!

I love this mask because it is super hydrating, easy to make, feels awesome, and makes your skin glowing and moisturized!

What you’ll need: 1/4 of an avocado and about 1-2tsp honey

Mix it all together with a fork then apply it to your cleansed face and wait about 15-20 minutes then rinse and follow with a toner + moisturizer! 

The batch I made looks super gross and chunky but it made my skin so smooth but you definitely want to use a toner OR a cleanser after it because it tends to leave a little bit behind!

- Linnea

now that the weather is getting warmer, most of us are going to have the problem of transforming into a huge disgusting greaseball. so here are a few little tips on how to avoid that the best you can!

1.) try to avoid washing your hair as much! (the more you wash your hair, the more its being stripped of its natural oils which makes it try to replenish itself by producing even more!) it may take a while to really see the results of it but try to go as long as you can!

You can avoid shampooing your hair as much by:

- using a dry shampoo (any kind will work, you can pick one up at walmart or at the salon!)

- massaging your scalp with warm water instead of shampoo while you’re in the shower (the water brings the oil from your scalp down to your tips)

- co-washing (using only a conditioner while washing your hair)

- putting your hair UP!!! get it out of your face, if it’s not hanging down the back of your neck or all over your forehead, you’re less likely to feel it and the greasy effects! 

- doing hairstyles that last for more than one day (putting your hair in braids for one day (or two!), take them out the next and rock the wavy hair / curling your hair and DROWNING them in hairspray then putting it up while you sleep and having a softer curl the next day/ etc)

and if you really can’t stand going a long period of time without washing your hair, try adding some baking soda every few days to your shampoo. It definitely helps to suck up the oils, but try not to do this too often because it can dry out your hair! Make sure to only massage your scalp while using baking soda in your shampoo, do not scrub your ends!!

other tips:

- use a gentle shampoo when you do wash so you are not COMPLETELY stripping your hair of its life! (I love burt’s bees!) and clarifying shampoos help to remove buildup (these are good to use about once a week) 

- do not apply conditioner to your roots! they really don’t need it at all. just apply it to your ends (about chin length down, depending on how long your hair is!)

- look at what PRODUCTS you are using on your hair right now, they could be the culprit of your oily hair! using products that aren’t right for your specific hair type can tend to do this; say if you are using a deep conditioner for thick hair while your hair is thin, it will add wayyyy too much moisture causing it to weigh down and look greasy. 

things that can be making it greasy that you are using (although they may not make it greasy the first day, the second day when more of your natural oils are producing they are going to be added to what you already have in your hair!):

- leave-in conditioners! using way too much or a really heavy one can leave you with super greasy hair. try to focus it only on the ends and not your entire head!

- OILS!!!!! although these help to make your hair super shiny right after blow drying it, they can help you stock up on the grease if you are not applying it ONLY TO YOUR ENDS!

the main point is, if you are using moisturizing products after shampooing make sure to only apply them to your ends! it is crucial for trying to minimize the grease in your hair!

I hope this helps!

- Linnea