The Art of Figure Presentation
No matter what federation or level you
compete at, you are sure to see ladies who have gone the extra distance
in terms of presentation. These are the ones with the perfect tan, the
immaculate makeup, the manicured nails and the poised posing. You may
think this is excessive but think again-figure is not only about your
physique, but about overall appearance as well.
This is the first in a series I am writing
on how to present yourself confidently and professionally.
PART ONE : SKIN PREPARATION AND TANNING
Skin Preparation
In order for your skin to ‘take’
the tan optimally you need to start preparing it around 6 weeks before
show day. Two things you will need are a loofah or exfoliating mit and
a good body scrub, both relatively cheap to purchase.
I recommend starting the exfoliating
process once a week initially depending on your skins sensitivity and
working up to twice a week. If your skin is unusually dry or flaky,
you may need to exfoliate more regularly than this. Concentrate around
the knees, ankles and elbows as these are areas which can often look
scaly and patchy on stage, but do not neglect your decolletage (upper
chest) and backs of thighs.
After each exfoliation massage a good
lotion all over your body-ones I recommend are The Body Shop Cocoa Butter
and Palmers Cocoa Butter. Make sure you do this daily especially after
showering. If your skin is especially dry you may need to do this twice
daily.
Hair Removal
There are many different ways to remove
body hair these days but the simplest ones are waxing and shaving. If
you want a smooth skin on which to apply your tan, I high recommend
waxing because it pulls the hair out by the root, not leaving the stubble
that one gets with shaving.
It is perfectly acceptable to use a mixture of shaving and waxing if
you are on a budget as long as you pay attention to the bikini line,
underarms and legs with the wax.
If you have never had a wax before or you have very sensitive skin I highly recommend you give it a trial run approximately 6 weeks out-this gives enough time for re-growth to occur and a much less painful touch up wax to be achieved the week of the show.
Caution:
If your skin does get irritated by the
waxing process apply either tea tree oil or pure aloe-vera to minimise
discomfort. Alternatively some paracetamol may be in order if it is
particularly painful. Do not apply moisturiser within 12 hours of the
waxing process as it can block pores.
There are many options for base tanning
these days and it is no longer necessary to go the tanning bed route,
especially if your skin is fair or sensitive.
Guidelines for Spray Tans
Spray tans are a recent development
in the beauty industry and are great for those of you that don’t want
to increase your risk of skin cancer by using a solarium.
If you have very fair skin you may need
2 coats within 24 hours-the best advice I can give you on this is to
get as darker base as possible so you don't have to have too heavier
an application of Dream Tan or Shimmer Tan on the day.
Always ask for a test patch to be done
the week before to ensure your skin is not sensitive to the ingredients.
The main coat(s) will be applied approximately 2-3 days before the show,
depending on the fairness of your skin.
Your last moisturiser application should
be at least 24 hours before the spray tan as the skin needs a dry even
surface to absorb the tan.
I highly recommend wearing baggy clothing
to and from the tanning salon as the tan itself takes a while to dry
and may stick to close fitting clothes.
Follow the EXACT instructions the salon
gives you or if in doubt, wait at least 12 hours before showering to
give the tan maximum time to set and react with your skin.
Guidelines for Paint on Base Tans
Another alternative is a paint-on base,
Pro Tan and Dream Tan spray are the ones most commonly used in the USA
but in Australia and New Zealand there is a similar product known as
Contest Colour. Depending on your degree of natural colour you may need
anything from 2-6 coats.
Some competitors use spray tans and
then follow up with the paint on base simply to ensure adequate colour
under the harsh stage lights. You may think you look dark enough but
I have seen many a competitor look pale and pasty next to their fellow
competitors. If in doubt ask for a second opinion.
Start with dry skin.
Apply the tan in small sections and
blend as you go-the stain dries quickly. A small paintbrush or sponge
usually comes with the product.
Make sure the whole body is covered,
especially under the butt cheeks, the edges of the bikini line and between
the thighs-lighter patches show up under the stage lights and make the
tan look patchy.
Start with the bigger areas first then
lastly the rough areas like knees, elbows and ankles last-they absorb
the tan rapidly and do not require as much as other parts of the body.
Leave AT LEAST 12 hours then have a
really quick shower (without soap) to remove any excess stain.
Continue to apply coats until a dark
enough base is achieved. (It is not necessary to shower between subsequent
coats unless the tan is looking particularly streaky or patchy).
It is better NOT to apply Pro Tan or
Dream tan spray to your face-use a bronzing powder, fake face tanner
or dark foundation for a more professional look. MAC cosmetics make
stage quality foundation that is well worth a look if you can afford
it.
Final Coat
There are 2 main products on the market
for top coats. These are Dream Tan and Body Shimmer (an Australian product).
The main difference between the two is that Dream Tan is a heavier cream
with thicker coverage and Shimmer Tan is a more translucent cream showing
more of a natural skin tone. If you choose the latter product you WILL
need some kind of base tan.
Dream Tan comes in 2 colours, #1 golden
bronze and # 2 red bronze. Most competitors these days use #2 simply
because it gives a better depth of colour than #1 and suits most skin
tones.
Application of Dream Tan:
There are several options when it comes
to application of Dream Tan
Using small blobs of the cream, spread
over small areas of the body with a light hand. Once the cream has been
spread more, start slapping the skin quite firmly to help it adhere
to the skin surface. Do not rub the product in as this will affect the
final colour result.
The order I usually tan by bodypart
is
Back
Chest and Shoulders, up to collarbones
Abs
Arms and Armpits
Legs and feet
Hands
Comments:
The product is easier to apply if you
are naked, else you will probably end up with tan on your costume, something
you should avoid. The tan not only damages the fabric but also stains.
After the application has been completed,
I highly recommend a coat of regular or sparkly hair spray as this helps
the product stick to the skin.
Posing oil is not generally necessary
for figure but if you do decide to use it be careful not to rub it in
as it will cause the Dream Tan to run.
Application of Shimmer Tan:
In my opinion, this product is much
easier to apply than Dream Tan, because it can be rubbed more vigorously
without distorting the colour. But it needs a good base either from
Pro Tan, Dream Tan spray or Contest Colour.
The application is very similar to Dream
Tan, in that you should start with smaller patches until full body coverage
is achieved. It is a much sheerer product and looks good on fair skin
tones with a good base tan.
Again, it can be finished off with a
light coating of hairspray to help it set.
For more information on this product
and Contest Colour please look at: