Lottie Tomlinson is no regular 21-year-old. She's a makeup artist, the creator of tanning brand Tanologist, and a mega influencer with a following of 3.4 million, and she has a collection with fashion giant In The Style [1] (oh, and she has a superfamous brother, Louis Tomlinson). She's bossing life and doing so with the perfect golden glow. With all of her tanning expertise, POPSUGAR caught up with Tomlinson about all of her fake-tan [2] tips.
A great faux tan is something I aspire to have at all times, but I know there is always more to learn. Tomlinson and I talked about our preferred tanning formulas, shared our top tips — she repeatedly told me the importance of blending — and talked about smart application techniques. But it's not all just about the tan for her. Tomlinson's acutely aware of the fortunate position she's in as well as the influence she has and made it clear in our chat that she's keen to show the world the not-so-glamorous side of being in the spotlight. Read on to see all of the tips Tomlinson shared with me, as well as how she feels about being a role model on Instagram, in a world where "likes" are part of her business.
Lottie Tomlinson's Fake-Tan Routine
Tomlinson's tan routine might seem extensive if you're not used to tanning, but trust me, all of her steps are worth it. Once a week, she uses Tanologist Self Tan Dark Mousse [3] (£15). Once that week is over, she exfoliates away the old tan using Tanologist Self Tan Eraser and Primer [4] (£12), removing any buildup or patchiness. After four or five days, if the tan is starting to fade or not look so fresh, Tomlinson evens out the colour in those areas with Tanologist Insta Glow [5] (£12).
I confessed to her that after I apply tan right before bed, I dust a little translucent powder to my inner elbows to ensure it doesn't rub off during the night. Thankfully, she was impressed with the tip, but also suggested I try the Tanologist Self Tan Water [6] (£14), which avoids any transfer.
Lottie Tomlinson's Current Routine For the Perfect Base
Tomlinson's current favourite foundation is Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation [7] (£35) for a few reasons. It gives really nice coverage, it's long-wearing, and it works well with self-tan drops. If you're thinking "self-tan drops in foundation?," well, same. At first, the idea seemed odd, but turns out the trick is pretty genius. "Every few days, I just put a few of the Tanologist Self Tan Drops [8] (£15) in my foundation, and it keeps my faced topped up [with tan]." She did warn me to be extra careful that the foundation is completely blended to avoid any patchy tan developing.
Tomlinson also uses Insta Glow [9] (£12) on her face as a contour, explaining that it sets matte and gives another layer of bronze to the skin. She follows this with Tarte Shape Tape Concealer [10] (£28) and Benefit Cosmetics Caramel Bronzer [11] (£26) for the ultimate glowing and bronzed base.
As for her brows, forget about using soap [12] to perfect them; Tomlinson uses hair wax to set her eyebrows in place and says it works even better than soap.
Lottie Tomlinson's Top Tanning Tip
Tomlinson's top tanning tip is applying Vaseline around her hairline to prevent an obvious darker tan line developing along the top of her forehead. To avoid a dark line along her jaw, she recommends blending the fake-tan formula right to your ears, down your neck, and even around and down the back of your neck. Alternatively, after applying tan to her face, she likes to use a dry makeup brush to gently buff the fake-tan formula into her hairline and along any other edges.
Lottie Tomlinson's Brush vs. Mitt Rule
Tomlinson prefers using a mitt due to the bigger surface area. When applying tanning water, however, she uses a brush because it's less messy — making the point that your applicator of choice really does matter.
She explains that it's worth spending the extra time blending everything together to ensure perfect, even coverage and no dreaded streaks. For her foundation-plus-tanning-drops base, Tomlinson applies the mixture with a brush first, then ensures everything is evenly distributed by going back in with a Beautyblender.
Lottie Tomlinson on the Pressures of Being a Role Model
Tomlinson admitted that the pressure of being a role model is difficult with such a large following. "I'm meant to appreciate [life] and not show the rough side of it," explaining that she's aware of her "fortunate position." It's not all talk for her, either. "I think it's important for young people to see that it's not all what it seems and we obviously all still have insecurities and struggles. I think going forward, I'm going to try and be a bit more open in that sense." She is also very aware of not comparing herself to others. Instead, she's encouraging her followers to "enhance your own looks rather than trying to create something totally different."