The Art of Tanning

My love affair with tanning started long before I ever held a bottle of self-tan.

There is a photograph of me as a child on a beach in Cape Town — a little red-haired, pale-skinned girl glowing white against a backdrop of effortlessly bronzed children. I did not live there; we were on holiday. But that picture stuck with me. I looked like a ghost who had wandered into the wrong postcard.

A few years later, on a family trip to Tel Aviv, everything changed. I discovered fake tan for the very first time. Somewhere in a drawer, there is a photo of teenage me on a sun-soaked beach, smiling with a warm, golden glow — a glow that came entirely from a bottle. I wasn’t trying to be someone else. I simply wanted the colour I admired, without burning my skin or risking the dangers that come with chasing a real tan.

That was the moment I understood something important: tanning did not have to mean sun damage. Glow could be chosen, not earned painfully. And skincare could be intelligent, gentle, and utterly beautiful.

Healthy, beautiful skin has always mattered to me. Fake tan became my way of enjoying warmth and radiance without compromising my long term skin health.
I believe tanning should be:

• Safe – no burning, no UV damage
• Gentle – suitable for sensitive skin
• Customisable – subtle or bold, your glow, your way
• Effortless – blendable, hydrating, wearable

I have always believed in tanning intelligently and safely. And this belief underpins everything I create at Sugar House Atelier.

Why Sugar House Is Different

Because the world has enough streaky legs, orange elbows, biscuit scented regrets, and tans that promise radiance but deliver emotional damage.
Sugar House Atelier was created for people who want believable colour without chaos. Glow without fear, and beauty without compromise.

Here is what sets us apart.

1. No alcohol, so it never dries out your skin

Many tans use fast drying alcohols that strip moisture, tighten the skin, and cause patchiness.
Sugar House is alcohol free, which keeps your skin calm, hydrated, and ready for a smooth, even glow.

2. Because we do not use alcohol, your colour develops evenly

No tightness. No blotches. No wrists going rogue.
Our silky, cushiony texture stays blendable so your glow goes on smooth and stays that way.
Dry spots behave. Ankles behave. Knees behave. Everyone wins.

3. No orange undertone, just believable golden hour

Cheap dyes and outdated colour systems lean too warm.
Sugar House gives you a soft, flattering tone that never strays into a flat, heavy bronze.
Golden hour is that soft, warm light just before sunset that makes everything quietly beautiful. That is the feeling we aim to recreate on your skin.

4. Zero biscuit smell, because we only use the freshest DHA available

The classic fake tan scent often comes from DHA that has oxidised or from formulas that sit on dry, unconditioned skin.
We use fresh DHA in a hydrating base, so the scent stays soft, warm, and barely there.
No stale biscuit, no heaviness, just quiet, clean glow.

5. No palm oil, for a cleaner, smoother finish

Palm oil can sit on top of the skin and create a filmy layer that interferes with even development.
We use lighter plant lipids that absorb quickly and help the colour melt in seamlessly.
Your skin feels like it has had skincare, not a coating.

6. No synthetic dyes, so your sheets stay safe

Dyes can stain, streak, and transfer onto fabric.
We skip them entirely so your linen, towels, pyjamas, and sofa remain the colour you bought them.
Your glow stays where it belongs, on your skin.

7. Made locally in small batches, so it is always fresh

Large scale tans can sit in warehouses for months before they reach you.
Sugar House is made frequently in small runs here in Australia.
Fresh formula means better texture, better scent, and more reliable results.

8. Fades evenly, never in odd little islands

Patchy fading often happens when formulas dry the skin as they break down.
Sugar House supports your moisture barrier, so your glow softens gradually and evenly instead of disappearing in random circles.

9. Your face will never look overdone

Some face tans cling or streak because they are difficult to sheer out.
Sugar House mixes beautifully with moisturiser to create a soft, natural veil of colour.
Think rested and radiant, not obvious or overdone.

10. You can fix it if you go too dark

Harsh formulas cling like concrete.
Sugar House responds gently to warm water and exfoliation, so you can rebalance without desperate scrubbing.
Glow control, in a calm, chic way.

11. Designed for every body and every skin

Most tans are created with one skin tone in mind.
Sugar House is made to flatter everyone, from the fairest and most sensitive to deeper tones that want soft, moisturised luminosity.
The result is a glow that feels personal, believable, and entirely yours.