Self Tanning Tips

Summer is upon us and most of us, with the exception of my pale husband lol, want a tan. Most of my tan comes from a bottle. Especially right now. Not saying that I don't enjoy laying by the pool or swimming with my friends but I always have on some form of SPF usually 35 on my face and neck and then 15 or 30 on the rest of my body.

I don't lay in tanning beds. Not that I never have. When I was a teenager and shortly after I graduated tanning beds were the best thing ever. Even then I couldn't really dedicate myself to them though because I hated the way they made me smell and I just don't like getting hot folks. Spray tans came along and changed the game and once I got one I never really used a tanning bed ever again. Of course like I said I was never a religious tanning bed person they honestly didn't make me feel like I was tan but I would see these people who would lay every day sometimes twice a day and they literally looked like their skin was leather. This was people my age and younger and they always smelt like a burnt tanning bed. Definitely not appealing and that's not even scratching the surface when you think of all the skin cancer and complications arising now that are linked to tanning beds. Which scares the bejesus out of me.

So like I said spray tans and self tanner at home is mostly where my tan comes from. So I thought it was worth writing a post about. I'm gonna talk about my favorite tools and products that I use that I feel make a world of difference in tan application. Not really gonna talk about sun protection in this post just mainly gonna focus on how I achieve that summer glow.

First thing I want to discuss is: Mousse. I use mousse instead of Lotions, sprays that you use yourself, and gels. For years I used Loreal Sublime Bronze gel with gloves. Then I stumbled upon my current favorite with is the St Tropez bronzing mousse. I use this with a mitt. I have the St Tropez mitt but Walmart also sells foam mitts. I feel like mousse with a mitt is just easier, it's more even as far as application, it dries faster, and St Tropez specifically has a really nice color to it. It's not orange in the least its golden I think. I get the regular formula, there is a dark and an express but I just get the original. Sephora does a lot of of value sets too. So it's the best option I think as far as trying their products. Through the years I've probably been able to try everything but buying value sets, that are sometimes cheaper than a bottle of mousse anyway or the same price, is a better option.

Next up is exfoliating scrub. I have a St. Tropez body scrub but I also have a homemade body scrub. They both work well. The one I prefer is actually my homemade one. The St Tropez one is so heavily scented it almost gives me a headache.

My Homemade Scrub is:

1 cup of coffee grounds

6 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp sea salt (you can also use sugar)

So the reason I like this one is because I like the larger more rough exfoliation that sea salt gives and also coffee is supposed to reduce cellulite while coconut oil makes the skin soft and moisturized. Now some people may not want to use this on your chest and arms but I don't really care. It is messy though so be prepared for that. I don't mind the mess though if it makes my skin looks smoother and better.

Next using a makeup brush for your face and neck. Keep in mind that a synthetic kabuki brush is probably your best bet. Synthetic hair tends to work better with mousse, cream, and liquid products. I got a brush to use specifically for tanning so that I wouldn't get it mixed up with foundation brushes.

I use the Morphe M439 brush. It's larger than a regular face kabuki brush. I use it to apply tanner to my face, neck, and chest. For the rest of my body I use the mitt. I do feel like there's a little less color pay off than when you use a brush than a mitt but you don't have any streaking issues with a brush at all. Keep in mind when you apply tanner to your face it will not last as long as it does on your body because of constant washing, and makeup removal and just touching your face in general.

Moisturizer.

For moisturizer I don't always have to use one especially if I use the scrub with coconut oil. If I don't then I usually use Jergen BB Body Cream. I have the St Tropez moisturizer too but I like the Jergens if I use a lotion. Like I said I normally just use my homemade scrub.

For the next few days I try to remember to moisturize to extend the tan but I don't always cause I hate lotion. So I have a moisturizing shower oil from L'Occitane that I use in its place. I'm not saying it's better than lotion but I literally can't stand many lotions so it'll have to do.

My other option for fake tanning is Spray Tans like Versa Spa and Mystic Tan booths. I prefer Versa Spa but Mystic Tan is ok. I get a spray tan for events like weddings or pictures or anything I want to feel extra confident about. They last pretty good and they even everything out as well as getting all the hard to reach places like your back. Also you don't have to do anything but stand there so they're less hassle. You let them set about as long as you would any other tan which is usually 6-8 hrs. I apply tanner at night or get a spray tan in the afternoon and shower the next morning so that it has the maximum amount of time to get as dark as its gonna get.

So there ya go. That's my tips and tricks with self tanning. Grab a mitt and have a time.