2023 SI Swim Model Georgina Burke’s Tips for a Long-Lasting Sunless Tan

Shop the Burke NYC founder’s line of faux tanning products for a safe summer glow.

Georgina Burke was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico.Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

July is all about self-care for SI Swimsuit, and this month your favorite models will share their best self-care tips. We’ll delve deep into the specific self-care routines of various models and Swimsuit community members so you can learn about the products and techniques they use to take care of themselves both physically and mentally. Get inspired by these SI Swimsuit models and prioritize your self-care routine with tips from the pros.

After her rookie feature last year, Georgina Burke returned to the fold for the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue and traveled to Puerto Rico, where she posed for photographer Ben Watts. In addition to her back-to-back photo shoots with the magazine and work with brands such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Polo Ralph Lauren, Burke is also an entrepreneur. 

She is the founder of Burke NYC, a size-friendly swimwear line that also offers sunless tanning solutions. Since there’s no better form of self-care than protecting your skin from harsh ultraviolet rays and tanning the faux way, we chatted with Burke about safe and sunless tanning.

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A post shared by Georgina Burke (@missgeoburke)

Growing up in Brisbane, Australia, Burke says bronzed, glowing skin was all the rage, and she wasn’t always diligent about wearing sunscreen. Now that SPF is part of her daily skin-care routine, she chooses to fake bake instead. When she couldn’t find a self-tanner on the market that was suitable for her sensitive skin, Burke took it upon herself to create her own vegan and paraben-free self-tanner.

“It’s free of a lot of nasties that you find in tans,” she says of Burke NYC’s mousse product. “As someone with such sensitive skin, I went through a lot of product testing on myself to find a formula that worked with my skin. The color also had to be just right. A few times, I ended up looking like a giant Oompa Loompa as the product made me too orange. [We went] through trial and error until we landed on a product that didn’t give me any reactions and came out with just the right color to suit many skin types.”

The Confidential - Mousse Body Tan, $32 (burkenyc.com)

burkenyc.com

Since she self-tans at least once a week, it was important to Burke that her product line also include a tan remover ($27) to keep up with her frequent application. 

“This was a huge one for me, as nothing’s worse than having a streaky tan or cracked crocodile skin for a shoot,” she says. “So this makes it easy to keep your skin looking freshly tanned and hydrated.”

Whether you’re new to the self-tanning game or an expert, Burke has a few essential tips to offer when it comes to creating a long-lasting faux glow at home.

“The key to having the most even, long-lasting tan is exfoliating with The Polishing Mitt ($10) and drying off your skin well prior to tanning,” she explains. “It’s important to remember to not take extra hot showers and use only a light soap all over your body. Of course, the tan remover goes hand in hand to make sure your tan is fresh and even between [each] tan application. Layering a tan has never looked good—trust me, I have tried. Finally, staying super hydrated will help it last longer as well.”

Shop Burke NYC’s Sunless Tan Body Bundle ($75) for everything you need to achieve the ultimate summer glow.

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