Filling in the Dreaded Tan Line

It's summer and bridal season which means lots of strapless dresses, and dealing with the dreaded tan line. Whether you're a runner, got some sun white having a drink at a patio, or even if you wear halter top bikinis it's almost impossible to avoid them. Well, unless you're wearing tube tops and bandeaus everyday, sooner or later you will have to figure out a way to cover those puppies up. Now I know a lot of people don't feel like tan lines are a big deal, but there is nothing worse that seeing those super white lines when you're in someones wedding pictures which are going to be treasured for years. You don't want to be the girl with the giant white marks.

To deal with tan lines you can go one of two ways, either the powder based bronzer, or the liquid based self tanners. First we'll deal with the powders. The most important thing about picking a bronzer to cover lines is that it doesn't have a ton of shimmer in it, and the color should be more brown based than orange. Use a loose powder brush to swirl the color over the line and blend out into the tanned area. Some of my favorite bronzers that cover lines really well are NARS Bronzer Powder in Laguna and Guerlain Terracotta Tan Booster Active Bronzing Powder in Light. What I like most about the powders is that you don't have to worry about the color running if you start to sweat and they don't stain. Obviously be careful when applying so you don't get bronzer everywhere.

Self tanners are a little more tricky. You have to apply at least a few hours before, but I would recommend the day before, so you know what the color will be once it has settled. To be honest I'm not a huge fan of the lotions because they usually rub off and are kind of orangey. I tend to go with liquid bronzers like Clarins Intense Bronze Self Tanning Tint, or Lancome's Flash Bronzer. The Clarins Tint can be applied with a cotton ball to the areas that need color or all over for a more complete tan. After a few hours you get a very natural golden glow that you can deepen with another application. It's not orange at all, and you don't have to worry about it running. The Lancome Flash Bronzer is a gel and it's transfer resistant, which means when you apply it dries super quick and won't rub off onto your clothes. Because these two products are heavily tinted, you can see where you have applied and where you need more to ensure even coverage without leaving any streaks.

There are a ton of different ways to deal with tan lines without laying out in the sun for hours trying to even everything out. So in my opinion there is no excuse for having those glaring white lines. It's like seeing panty lines through a dress when all you needed to do is wear a thong.