Beauty Bible beauty clinic: What's the best self-tanner for people with de-pigmentation problems?

Our weekly Q&A from the Beauty Bible experts Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley, whose latest book is The Ultimate Natural Beauty Bible. Their series of Beauty Bible books are now bestsellers worldwide – and this column solves your beauty dilemmas. Visit their website, beautybible.com, for lots more information, tips and exclusive offers. If you have any beauty dilemma you would like them to answer, you can e-mail them there too.

Visit their website, beautybible.com, to source any of the products mentioned below online – and for lots more information, tips and exclusive offers.

 

Q I have vitiligo, a long-term skin problem that produces white patches of de-pigmentation. Can you tell me which fake tan is best to use? I need one that doesn't work on your own melanin.

A While we understand your concern, in fact, DHA (dihydroxyacetone), the active ingredient in sunless tanners, doesn't actually stimulate melanin production from your own melanocytes, which are found in the basal layer of the epidermis.

DHA, itself a colourless 3-carbon sugar acts on proteins in the very top layer of the skin – the stratum corneum – to produce pigments called melanoidins, which produces a skin-darkening effect. 

Both NHS Choices and Vitiligo Support International recommend any self-tan you choose. The tricky bit is to match the white patches of vitiligo with the rest of your skin. So experts suggest applying self-tan all over then taking a paint-brush and colouring in the patches.  (NB tinted self-tan is easier as you can see where it goes.) Instead of self-tan, you may want to try an instant bronzer, although this will wash off and need to be reapplied the next day.  

If you have a spray tan professionally applied at a salon, they can apply tan top to toe (always shield eyes, nose and mouth) then pinpoint the white patches and even them up. (St Tropez comes top of most salon tanners’ wish list, see here for details.)

You can also find waterproof camouflage make-up that last up to four days on your body, which may be available on prescription. Discuss this with your health professional. More information from Changing Faces Skin Camouflage Service.

You may never be able to camouflage the patches totally by these means but you can end up with a much more even skin tone.

Finally, one word of caution: self-tanners give you absolutely no protection against UV rays and, by definition, the de-pigmented patches of vitiligo are vulnerable. So you must be sure to apply SPF30 regularly whenever you are exposed to the sun and top up every two hours or so. Also, do not use sunbeds.

For best products, see the ongoing installments of our Summer Sun Guide on beautybible.com – we'll be looking at the winning self-tanners in more depth, but these include TanOrganic Self-Tanning Oil, £24.99 for 100ml, and Omorovicza Glam Glow, £35 for 150ml.

 

Beauty Bible ♥ Ogario London Travel Kits

We have been hooked on this fantastic haircare range - 'super-care', we'd call it - since we first encountered it at a Cosmetics Executive Women product demo evening. Then we encouraged Ogario London to enter it for our Beauty Bible Awards - and testers raved about the products as enthusiastically as we have.

Now, there are two travel kits so that you can - like us - always have your Ogario to hand. (Or to head.) And if you haven't tried the products before, it's a brilliant way to find out what all the fuss is about.

Ogario The Weekend Set, left, and The Jet Set

First off, three dinky-sized products in the Ogario London Weekend Set: three 15 ml pots of shampoo, conditioner and the hair masque we love so much, stashed in a cotton travel bag. It's enough to discover how brilliantly the formulas - moringa, baobab, avocado and tamarind - help hydrate, and boost shine. (And enough for you to fall head over heels for the delicious zesty scent, too.)

Perfect for longer getaways is the Jet Set Collection - enough to get you through your summer holiday (enough product to get you through three weeks, they suggest - 100 ml of shampoo and conditioner, so it's security-friendly, plus 50 ml of the hair masque). Again, there's a drawstring pouch.

We're happy - because these smaller sizes means we're no longer lugging bottles to our hairdresser. (Ogario don't yet do a 'Sneak It Into Your Salon' kit, so we're making do with these.)

All the best things really do come in smaller sizes, now. £6.50 for The Weekend Set and £26.50 for The Jet Set.