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This Is What It's Like to Spray Tan Kendall Jenner
The first global tanning director of TAN-LUXE has incredible tales to tell.
Pasty skin can be an unfortunate side-effect of wintertime—but celebrities won't stand for it. After all, the red carpet is no place for a sallow complexion. Enter Jules Von Help. The first global tanning director for TAN-LUXE is a go-to for celebs who want to look their golden-est. And if you think Jules's job sounds fascinating, you're right. So, what exactly does a "celebrity tanning expert" do?
"[It's] one of those jobs that most will not even know exists—but it does!" Jules told The Lookbook. "Celebrities are just like you and me. Our skin can look tired; we have fat days, and sometimes all we want our PJs and a movie...Unlike you and I, they have to go on the red carpet, present TV shows and act in films, which is an incredible amount of pressure. Especially when it comes to their skin, which is where I get a call."
And it's anyone's guess when that call will come. "I can work at all times of the day, because they can too," Jules says. He's been flown across the globe to apply an expert tan at just a moment's notice. Jules remembers one particularly erratic—and amazing—day."I was once booked totally last minute by a publicist," he recalls. "I had two hours to get to the airport with only my kit and the clothes on my back, flown to Venice, put on a speed boat and taken to a private island. I tanned my client, stayed over, had breakfast overlooking the city, and flew back that following morning. It was a complete pinch-me moment."
Even though his job can be glamorous, it's hardly stress-free. "I have the underlying pressure of don't streak this leg as the whole entire world will see," Jules says. "Luckily, I've been practicing this art for years and was trained by Nichola Joss, a top celebrity facialist and beauty expert." But, Jules's work doesn't end when the skin-perfecting does. At various times, the tan guru has been called on to help style stars for the red carpet and sign for couture-dress deliveries. He's even helped bath clients' children after his clients have had spray tans, since the celebs can't get wet while the tan develops.
Jules says that he typically tans his clients the day before a big event. He'll arrive with his products just as the facialist is leaving, and set up beside racks of shoes, couture dresses, and accessories. "The water [I use] is infused with raspberry-seed oil, and I customize the tan using TAN-LUXE Body Drops to give added benefits including skin-firming properties and Vitamin E complex," he shares. "Tanning now isn't about looking deep-bronzed, especially on the red carpet. It's about looking like you've slept for two weeks straight, disguising redness, lifting skin tone, and looking effortless."
Throughout his career, Jules has worked with everyone from Kate Moss to Blake Lively. He also recalls an amusing encounter with Kendall Jenner. "I worked with Kendal backstage in Milan during fashion week and couldn't believe how normal, down to earth, and simply divine she was," he shares. "But it was completely embarrassing—I didn't recognize her until halfway through the tan! I blame the 4 a.m. call time."
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