If you’re anything like me, then you love a good tan. Unfortunately, I burn easily, so self tanning has become my best friend. Here is my easy to follow and low maintenance guide for self tanning for beginners:
All products will be linked here on LTK!
Before I get into my favorite products, I MUST include this photo from one of my favorite Friends episodes! It’s the one where Ross accidentally spray tans on only one side of his body. Every time I tan myself, I think about this episode and laugh!
Now, I wouldn’t be true to myself if I didn’t mention that none of these self tanners contain SPF, so remember to apply each morning. And here’s a friendly reminder to schedule your annual dermatology skin check 🙂 Alright, let’s get into it…
Prepation:
1. Showering is a must. You need your skin oil free to ensure an even color. Typically, I shower at night, so applying self tanner at that same time is the best for my schedule. I also line this up with a hair washing shower, so my next few showers are shorter.
2. While showering, exfoliate and shave. For this step, my favorite scrub is this by Tree Hut! It smells and feels wonderful!
To shave, I’ve had the best luck with these Gilletee Razors. I have extraordinarily sensitive skin, and these razors minimize any rash burns.
3. Once you finish showering, do not put any lotions, deodorants, oils, etc., on your skin! I am so used to my regular shower routine that I have repeatedly messed this step up. If you foreget, all you need to do is rewash that area.
4. You are done prepping! Now for the application…
Self Tanning Your Face:
1. Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops
These Isle of Paradise drops are my ALL TIME FAVORITE. As much as I love a good tan, I am lazy when keeping up with long routines. These drops are so simple to use, and I have never had a bad experience after six years of use. I am fair skinned and use the shade “medium.”
Here’s how I use them… After washing my face at night, I’ll add around four drops to my face lotion and then rub it all over my face and neck. It applies clear but I have found it very user friendly. Just remember to wash your hands afterward. Easy as that! By morning, you’ll have a wonderful glow that should last a few days. Typically, I will re-apply twice a week to maintain color.
2. Drunk Elepant D-Bronzi Drops
These Drunk Elephant drops are similar to the Isle of Paradise but differ slightly. I follow the same process of adding four drops to my face lotion and applying it all over my neck and face, but I would only use these in the morning. The Drunk Elephant bronze will appear immediately, but it washes off in your first wash. These are perfect if you’re looking for immediate results or worried you may mess up the more semi-permanent tanning drops. I typically only use these when I’m in a rush or didn’t apply my Isle of Paradise drops the night before.
3. Dr. Dennis Gross Glow Pads
For these facial wipes, you would follow a routine similar to the Isle of Paradise drops by applying the pad to your face and neck at night. By morning, you would wake up with a beautiful glow. These wipes are perfect for traveling. I love tossing a handful of packets into my toiletry bag because they take up zero space.
They even have a more concentrated body wipe you can use every where except your face!
Self Tanning Your Body:
1. St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse
If you want to apply self tanner to your whole body with a mitt or a glove, this is my favorite bronzing mousse. It applies as a brown/green shade, which sounds scary but isn’t. First, you can enjoy this tan immediately, but it will get deeper the longer you let it set. Then the green undertone prevents that stereotypical fake orange tan.
2. Norvell Spray Tan Solution
This Norvell solution could be a whole post, so I’ll be brief here. I recently invested in a spray tanning kit. So, I now have a spray gun, tent, and all the supplies for a full body spray tan. This purchase was a big step up for my self tanning experience, but I love the results. This solution is excellent. I was worried when my friend recommended the “dark” shade, but it’s very buildable.
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That’s it for my self tanning routine! I hope you have a wonderful day and get a little tan too 🙂
See you next week! xx
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