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3 Easy Ways to Extend Your Tan

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at IU chapter.

After 4 long months of Mother Nature hitting us with her coldest and gloomiest weather, you finally got the chance to escape the arctic regions of the Midwest, and go on spring break. You spent all of break sweating it on the beach, perfecting that tan, only to return to your frosty home. The sun may not yet be shining in the land of snow and ice, and lying out may result in frostbite, but fear not. We have come up with some tips and tricks to keep that golden glow for just a little bit longer.

Moisturize

After baking in the sun for hours, chances are that your skin is thirstier than a college student on a Thursday (we know that’s hard to believe.) To keep your skin from looking flaky and dull, it is important to moisturize several times a day. Look for lotions that have hemp, aloe and green tea extracts. These are all natural ingredients that not only moisturize your skin, but also help fight the aging process so that you’ll look good now, and 50 years from now!

Shower With Cooler Water, or Not at All

A hot shower on a cold day is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Unfortunately, long, hot showers suck your skin of any and all moisture, leaving you dryer than the beach you were laying on the week before. In order to avoid this, it is important to try to take shorter, cooler showers, or go a day or two between showers. By doing this, you will not only be giving your skin a much needed break, but you will also save money on your water bill. As an added bonus, your hair will become shinier and healthier from the gap between showers!

Self-tanner

So, you went to the beach, got an awesome tan, ignored all of our tips above, and are now left paler than when you left? Instead of turning to harmful tanning beds, try some of these awesome self-tanners. There’s one for every price range, and they won’t leave you orange or streaky, so you’ll look as natural as when you returned from vacation. You know what they say, “If you can’t bake it, fake it.”

Jergens Natural Glow, $9.99 

Clinique Self Sun Body Tinted Lotion, $23.00

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse, $42

While we can’t bring you back to the heat of the Caribbean, or the warmth of the Keys, we can help you keep that tan you got there. Follow these tips, and your tan will last until the sun finally does decide to grace us with its presence this summer.

Junior at Indiana University, Mary is majoring in English with a minor in Studio Art. When she is not writing for one of her favorite online magazines, Her Campus, she can be found living it up at the 411, home to Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, eating yet another burrito at Chipotle, or traveling around Europe. Mary's life goals: continue writing for years to come, fit into the jeans she wore freshman year, and have children with British accents.