How to get a sexy tan– my foolproof method

by Marlies Dekkers

Old boyfriends remember me as being way ahead of my time. “You were always reading in the shade, completely covered in sun lotion, while everybody else was frying in the sun,” one of them told me the other day. It’s true, this was a long time before people were fully aware of the effect of UV radiation, but my intuition told me to protect my skin against the damaging rays. It was also way before True Blood, but I already loved that pale, vampire-like look.

Then, about ten years ago, I fell in love with a man who had a bit of a fetish for women with a bronzed, gypsy-like tan. My imagination was tickled. I had mastered the geisha look, why not try the bohemian thing? (Oh the things we do for love!) I still had no intention of going into the sun, so I was forced to experiment with self-tanners. Well, after much trial and error –Oompa Loompa orange, streaks and blotches, you name it- I developed a foolproof method, which I’m still using now.

And my lover? We had a lot of fun with my sexy tan. I still think of him sometimes, when I smooth on the self-tanner. The funny thing is that my new lovers all comment on the smoothness and softness of my skin. I guess staying out of the sun really did pay off..

Here’s my foolproof tanning method in 3 steps:

1. First, I have a shower and use an exfoliating scrub all over, paying extra attention to my knees and elbows. I love Dermalogica’s Exfoliating Body Scrub.

2. I then use a tanning spray, spraying at an even speed, making sure I keep the bottle at a distance of 8 to 12 inches from my body. My favorite: L’Oreal Sublime ProPerfect Salon Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist. Also wonderful: Marc Inbane’s natural tanning spray with aloe vera and ginkgo.

3. I wait about 15 minutes for it to dry -you can speed up the process by using a blowdryer- then apply a self-tanning cream. (I recommend L’Oreal’s NutriBronze lotion). It seems to even out the spray tan, and so the two combined create a gorgeous streak-free tan.

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Maison Marlies blog

The marlies|dekkers brand offers a wide variety of lingerie that can be worn by anyone and caters to every woman’s individual needs. Within our Maison Marlies blog you can read all about the life behind and surrounding the company. Whether you are eager to know where Marlies gets her inspiration for designing new lingerie collections, her lifestyle, healthy cooking ideas, or simply to share her taste in amazing art - you will find it in the blog. Our fearless creative director manages to find time to write about her business trips and even her shopping sprees and vacations for the times she can let her hair down for a while. And even while she is on holiday she will not leave you hanging.

Giving style advice

When you are feeling lost in finding the right fit or determine your bra size, Maison Marlies offers a set of guidelines so that you can continue shaking your bon bons without them falling out. You'll get style tips on how to wear and style your bras, and bikinis. You would not want a wardrobe malfunction which can actually be prevented when you are wearing high quality luxury lingerie. And when your breasts are kept in place in marlies|dekkers bras or bikinis, you can fully celebrate your femininity in all its glory and full potential. The blog offers advise on how to mix and match womens lingerie to boost, inspire your own fashion sense and keeps you updated on the latest fashion trends.

Marlies and friends

Her celebrity friends are also very pleased with that perfect fit a marlies|dekkers bra can offer you. These women proudly show off their marlies|dekkers lingerie sets in photoshoots for magazines, on stage when they're performing, during a cameo on tv or on the big screen in movies. Maison Marlies dedicates a special section of the blog to all gender equality related news so you are always updated about the latest developments around this special mission that embodies Marlies’ vision for the future.