Most of us hate getting tan lines on holiday and do everything we can to make sure that we don't get any dodgy ones. There's nothing worse than dressing up in the evening and having your pink and white bits on show.
Unless you're Italian designer KiSkin who is trying to banish these horrible tan line thoughts by launching a bikini which leaves a cheeky tan mark. The bikini bottoms have a cute, heart-shaped hole for a fun holiday reminder, with the aim of turning tan lines from an undesirable mark to "something to look at."
KiSkin said ""Our product is designed to go beyond the traditional bikini conception, transforming a simple piece of clothing into a real creative instrument." - Whilst we applaud KiSkin for getting creative with her designs we know that the majority of you find tan lines a little irritating when it comes to getting a tan.
We've come up with some great ways you can combat getting tan lines in the first place or covering them up when you do...
Fake It!
The best way not to get tan lines, is not to bake yourself all day in the sun. Whilst we're all for getting your healthy dose of Vitamin D and letting the sun kiss your skin, don't over do it and always wear a high factor sun protection cream. Yes we know (blah blah blah) but let's face it, burnt doesn't look good, the sun ages you and you're putting yourself at risk of permanent irreversible damage. Fake it before you go away, look great on the beach from day one. Don't get unsightly tan lines, don't get burnt and have a fantastic time enjoying the sunshine rather than nursing a burn sitting indoors lathered in Aloe Vera and trying to blend in your white bits to hide the extent of what you've done to your skin.
Best Bikinis to avoid tan lines
If you're intending on safe sun-tanning then the best styles of swimwear to choose are bandeau styles and small bikini pants. Any lines created by these are normally covered by underwear/clothing so you can go for hipster shorts and strapless backless dresses no problem. When laying on your front you can undo the back of your bikini to let the sun reach your whole back or occasionally move the back strap up and down your back to minimise the appearance of a line. Choose a style with the thinnest straps you can if you need that extra support for your bust from straps and move them around when laying in the sun. If your more active in the sun and wont be able to keep fiddling with straps and ties then make sure you pack a range of bikini styles instead of wearing the same style all the time and this should minimise a strong tan line in one place.
Cover with Make Up or self tan
If you're unlucky enough to end up with some tan lines, don't fret. Make-up is magical. Invest in a body foundation that is darker than your untanned skin but only as dark as you normally tan in the sun and apply this with a brush to fill in the white bits. Use a shimmery bronzer to dust all over and blend further so that the shimmery effect creates an illusion, draws attention away from the tone of your skin and will help hide the lines. This is great for a glamorous evening look but may not work if your going to be in and out of water as it will wash off eventually. If you want a more permanent solution, we recommend purchasing two self tanners, one which is fairly light and a darker one to match your current shade. Apply the darker tanner on your white areas, making sure you follow instructions and are well ex-foliated and moisturised beforehand for an even application. One this is dry, tan all over with the light self-tan to blend in the self tan with your natural tan, as whilst self tan looks natural and amazing, there will be a noticeable difference if you do not follow this step. It may be difficult to do this yourself, so make sure you've practised self tanning before your holiday.
Evening beachwear to hide tan lines
If the above sounds like far too much hassle and you just want to dress up and go, choose evening wear that will cover your tan lines so you don't have to do anything! There are some gorgeous beach dresses and cover-ups at Simply Beach that are perfect for throwing over your swimsuit or bikini on the beach but will take you right into the evening with some well chosen accessories. Which is great because you get more useage for your money and you'll travel lighter whilst looking and feeling amazing!