My first encounter with self tanner happened in high school. With
my fair skin and blonde hair, I'm pretty much the perfect candidate for skin cancer. That, along with my fear of enclosed spaces pretty much guaranteed I would not be visiting the tanning salon along with my friends. Not wanting to be the only pale kid in school, I took a trip to my local drug store and picked up some horrible smelling streaky self tanner that left my body a strange shade of orange. Fortunately, self tanning products have come a long way in the last few years.
The Best Instant Tan
St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse
Hands down my favourite self tanning product ever. I really wish I had listened to all the hype and tried this sooner. The product dispenses as a light mousse which I believe is what makes it so easy to blend into your skin (I do however highly recommend purchasing the glove). It is literally so fool proof of a product, anyone could use it. The colour is a nice bronzy I-just-spent-a-week-in-cabo colour and doesn't leave that nasty self tanner scent. Even hours later I. can't. smell. anything.
The Best Gradual Tan
Xen-Tan Transform Luxe Daily Self Tan
This is a great product for those who prefer to gradually build up their tan. It leaves your skin noticeably darker even after one application and creates the most amazingly natural looking tan. The product is white in colour which helps aid in application and feels quite luxurious on the skin. It also contains a sweet vanilla scent which, unfortunately, fades after a few hours and you are left with the dreaded "fake tan" scent. You know what I mean. Nonetheless, I'm willing to put up with the smell to achieve the tan.
The Best Drugstore Tan
Jergens Natural Glow
If you are a beginner, then this is where I would start. It's similar to the Xen-Tan in application, but doesn't contain the pleasant vanilla smell. I would however definitely recommend purchasing the medium to dark colour as the light to medium version tends to run slightly orange-y. The best part about this product is you can find almost anywhere and can sometimes catch it on BOGO. Who doesn't love BOGO?
The Best Temporary Tan
Loreal Sublime Bronze One Day
My college roommate introduced me to this, and it changed my life. Currently, I have 4 bottles in my bathroom. I wish I was joking. This a liquid instant bronzer which will leave you which a beautiful instant tan which won't rub off on clothes (or on your date!!) but easily comes off in the shower. It's great for nights when your tan is slightly fading, or if you just want to amp it up. I also have used this under my makeup, and its never broken me out. I usually apply a thin layer, let it dry, and then apply another. You do need to work quickly though because it does set quite fast.
Let me know what your favourite self tanning products are, and if you have tried any of these products let me know!
xx
Lola
