Achieve that beautiful summer glow, even in the midst of winter, with Blush Effect By Sonja

Credit: Rabbit House Studio Photography

We posed Sonja Bowden from Blush Effect by Sonja (www.blusheffect.co.uk) the following question:

I feel better with bronzed skin but for a winter wedding, it’s unlikely I’ll have any summer glow left. Can you advise on the best products and options for a fake tan?

Sonja says: You may want to consider going for a slightly lighter shade, as the lighting in the winter months is different to summer and you don't want to look out of place for that season. You can still get a glow without being too dark.

Unless you’re a die-hard self-tanner I’d suggest you have a professional tan. Many DIY tans can transfer onto your expensive wedding dress and can lead to mistakes, the most common being the dreaded orange hands.

The best option is a professional spray tan. With this you’ll get the pro’s experience and advice to get your flawless faux glow, as well as an all over, even application using a streak free mist.

For my bridal tans, I only use Nouvatan’s Transparent. This is a clear solution with no bronzer in so there’s no risk of this coming off on the dress but will leave you looking naturally bronzed on your big day.

Whatever method you decide on, ensure you prepare your skin well, exfoliate well, stay hydrated and moisturise. Finally, make sure you have a trial well before the day to get an idea of the finished look and to make sure it’s the shade you were hoping for once it’s fully developed.