By Gaynor Alder
For a social occasion such as the races, a professional spray tan is definitely the way forward. Even though DIY fake tan formulations have come a long way since their inception (stained hands were always a dead giveaway, but that’s only if you could get within cooee of the smell), many people’s technique has not.
However, not all spray tanners are created equal. I’ve witnessed many a spray tan, which looked as natural as Nicole Kidman’s face (love you Nicole, but enough with the botox). I spent the day before my friend’s wedding scrubbing off her spray tan with fake tan remover, and eventually AJAX. I’m talking dark patches in between her fingers and bright orange feet.
Alicia Pearce, expert spray tanner and owner of FAKE-IT in Perth, advises to look for a spray tan formulation that is green based, as this creates a natural sun kissed glow, instead of the nasty orange look. Alicia’s spray tans also contain DHA, which reacts to your skin pigment to create an even tan that suits your individual complexion. What I love even more than Alicia’s pride in fake tan perfection, is the after hours and mobile service that she offers for group bookings.
Endota Spa’s drenched treatment is the perfect way to prepare your body for a tan – oh, how I love to swan about in fluffy robes whilst I float on clouds of relaxation and sip herbal tea. The signature treatment offers two hours of pampering including a billabong footbath, body cleanse, honey body exfoliation, yoghurt cocoon, bath soak and scented scalp massage.
endota adj. (indigenous australian) (en-doe-ta) beautiful endota spa noun. (modern australian) the fresh, soothing, all-australian spa. open to absolutely anyone. where wellness is the way. flawless walls. warm cocoa benches. essential oils meandering on the air. a billabong footbath lapping at your feet.
Endota’s Flinders Lane Melbourne spa, is a stylish blend of organic Australian influences and modern touches, creating a warm and relaxing ambience that immediately embraced me as I entered the lounge to enjoy my herbal tea. My spa therapist, Sarah, put me at ease with her calming and attentive nature as she led me to my room.
My feet were soaked and scrubbed in a beautiful foot bath with essential oils, which infused the room with the fresh and natural scent of lemon myrtle. My body was cleansed with river salt & desert lime shower gel and exfoliated with honey mixed with mimosa and ginseng body polish. The polish revealed fresh new skin, whilst the honey left my body feeling hydrated and soft. Yoghurt was then painted on my body in soft soothing strokes, followed by being cocooned in a wrap to infuse moisture deeper into my skin.
This is the point where I started to pray that I wouldn’t be left in the room on my own for 15 minutes to “relax” (what would I do if I started to itch?). As soon as my body is forced into a situation where it has to relax, my mind rebels against it and starts thinking about shopping lists, things I have to do and other non such that escalate into a mound of anxiety, because I keep getting anxious that I should be relaxing and not thinking about anything. I then, of course, tell myself to relax and stop thinking, which then triggers another round of meaningless chit chat with myself, further perpetuating the anxiety and undoing all the relaxation of my treatments. To my relief and sheer delight, the lovely Sarah not only stayed by my side, but massaged my scalp with essential oils. I then soaked in a bath for 20 heavenly minutes – a luxurious indulgence when you live in a studio sans bath (think Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment without the extensive Manolo collection).
After hours of treatments, not only did my skin feel nourished, I was so relaxed I could barely stand up and jokingly (and not so jokingly) asked if I could stay on the table and sleep the night. Return to the lounge did I for another cup of herbal tea, to be met by someone coming in who said, “I want to feel like how you look.”
You can take home Endota’s own organic range of spa products for keeps, to relive the spa experience in your own bathroom. To maintain your smooth and soft skin, I recommend the River Salt + Desert Lime Shower Gel. It’s a refreshing body wash that gently exfoliates impurities and stimulates skin renewal. The desert lime is bursting with youth-enhancing Vitamin C that revitalises tissue and the smells of lemon scented tea tree are a perfect way to start the day. To prepare your skin for DIY fake tan, try the Mimosa + Ginseng Body Polish, which is a more intensive scrub that also boosts circulation and heals imperfections.
Endota’s River Salt + Desert Lime Shower Gel ($38.00), Endota’s Mimosa + Ginseng Body Polish, 70ml ($42.00).
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