You've probably head of both contouring and self tan; but tantouring involves using the latter to enhance your natural features – from adding definion to your cheekbones to creating a more sculpted appearance on your legs.
Say what you like about contouring, but when it comes to makeup trends it has stood the test of time for its ability to create a bespoke base and glow – not to mention being behind many of the most glamorous and iconic makeup looks on the red carpet. I've long relied on the best cream bronzer to assist with how to contour in a subtle, blended way. That was until gently sculpting the face and body with fake tan became the latest buzzy trend to try – enter, tantouring.
As both a self tan and contour fanatic, I was intrigued by the technique that combines the two. But even if you are new to the best fake tan, the method is surprisingly beginner-friendly – just a bit of know-how will lead to impressive results. I spoke to James Read, founder of James Read Tan, and Nicola Matthews, founder of Sienna X, to get the low-down on everything from basic techniques to the best products to use. Let's dive in...
The complete guide to tantouring, explained by the experts
What is tantouring?
Before we get into the finer details, let's first break down this beauty buzzword. "Tantouring is an easy way to achieve an all-over flawless, skin-perfecting contour, using sunless tanning products that will leave you with a subtle glow," Matthews explains. "[It] involves using different depths of colour on the skin to create a natural-looking, sculpted look."
Read adds: "tantouring is about using self-tan to add definition in areas where the sun would hit, to create the illusion of a real-looking glow and enhance certain areas." Just as a strategic dusting of your best bronzer yields a sunkissed glow, this technique will create the look of a week in the sun without any actual sun exposure – adding definition to your face and working wonders on the body. "Tan can be used on the body to contour any areas you want to sculpt and define," says Matthews, adding that you can use tantouring "to create beautiful soft lines and show the body to its fullest potential."
Whether you want to create a sculpted party makeup look or add definition to your limbs before a holiday, another benefit of this technique is its long-lasting results: "Tantouring will ensure you look sculpted for longer with a defined look, which is more convenient than a temporary make-up fix," Matthews confirms.
How to prepare for tantouring
Tantouring may sound scary but, as with anything tan-related, careful preparation will help you avoid most pitfalls. I have made every possible mistake with fake tanning so you don't have to and prepping the skin with your best body exfoliator is key to creating a smooth base for streak-free application.
Matthews adds: "Remember to use primer around the elbows, ankles, knees, and feet to ensure you get a natural-looking finish and create a flawless all-over glow." Your best body moisturiser will soften rough patches and act as a crucial priming layer that'll stop you panicking over how to get fake tan off your hands down the line (the other key thing to remember is to wash your palms as soon as you're done applying).
After that, "It all starts with good lighting" Matthews continues. "A normal bathroom light just won't do; you will end up casting shadows that you don't want to show off. You need to tantour in the brightest light you own." Grab a full length or makeup mirror, depending on where you're tantouring, and stand somewhere with plenty of natural light. Read agrees that lighting is key, adding that this allows you to "get a real feel of the colour and results."
How to contour with fake tan
As you would with any tanning routine, "Start with one layer of light gradual tan," Read advises. "[This adds] a glow first to aid as a background colour and to highlight areas you want to add definition to, i.e. the shoulders, the front of legs, the cheekbones. You want it to look real and healthy."
Now for the creative part. When applying the contour layer, Matthews recommends that you use a contour brush to buff everything in for a seamless blend. When deciding which of your best makeup brushes to use, Matthews notes: ''The thicker the brush, the better the application on larger areas such as the cheeks and forehead. A thinner brush is ideal for tackling trickier areas that require more precision such as the nose and brows." After that, use the following placement guidelines.
- Face: Blend your facial tan on ''the top of the forehead, cheekbones, sides of the nose and jawline," Reed recommends. "Don't overdo it, less is more, and you want it to look healthy, natural-looking." Meanwhile Matthews suggests aiming for "a diamond face shape. Applying to the forehead will create a soft round face, and you can work the contour brush back and forth across the shape of the eye socket."
- Body: Read recommends applying tan "on the tops of the shoulders, the top of the arms, the front of the legs and the décolleté." Plenty of buffing will result in a natural-looking blend that's practically foolproof. Matthews adds: "Once you get the hang of the perfect technique and sculpt for your body, there will be no going back – you’ll be obsessed."
Our beauty experts' best buys for tantouring
RRP: £27 for 226g
Gently buffing away any dead skin cells is essential to prep your base and ensure a natural-looking tan that doesn't cling to patches of dry skin. First Aid Beauty's Bump Eraser scrub is a two-pronged attack with fine physical particles and a 10% AHA blend to exfoliate and create a smooth canvas for your tan.
RRP: £33 for 100ml
Available in three different shades (Dark, Medium and Light), this blurring formula imparts a nice wash of warmth with a soft focus finish — ideal for an all-over glow or for tantouring for a well-blended finish.
RRP: £16 for 200ml
It's no surprise that this gradual body tanner gets Matthews' seal of approval, and we can understand why. It is ideal for experimenting with tantouring as you can build up the color very gradually by applying several coats, making it the best fake tan for pale skin.
RRP: £39
When choosing the brush to use, Matthews advises, "not be tempted to go bigger than your face allows". When I tried this 2-in-1 complexion brush for tantouring, it worked like a charm! Use the larger end areas like the cheeks, hairline, and jawline; turn it around and use the smaller end for the sides of the nose and eye sockets.
RRP: £19
You can always rely on Coco & Eve's products to deliver impressive results - just let my Coco & Eve tan review convince you. This brush is designed to use with fake tan and offers seamless blending. Its densely packed bristles cover large areas of skin, making it perfect for use on the body.
RRP: £34 for 200ml
One of the go-to formulas for quick results is St Tropez's Express Mousse, which gets to work within three hours (depending on how deep a colour you're after) before rinsing off. As with any liquid tan formula, just be sure to really buff the edges to avoid any harsh lines from appearing.
