Self-tanners..

Aug 3, 2011

Andrea F.

Thanks to my Scandinavian heritage, I'm about as ghostly as it gets. Does anyone have any good recommendations for self-tanners, perferably ones that would be good for sensitive skin?

And, maybe some tips on how to use them? I'm deathly afraid of looking like an orange zebra... :)

Aug 4, 2011

Liz H.

I understand.... I'm super ghostly too! and I've tried SO many self tanners over the past year, I think I finally narrowed down to 3 that I think are the best.
For a gradual self-tanner (like Jergen's, but I think that one is a waste of time/money) Nivea makes one called Sun-Kissed Radiant Skin. It gives a decent color that's super believable, and this is my go-to self-tanner for the fall/winter months. I use the one for Medium/Tan skin tones, and I know this may sound scary, but the color is super natural! You may one to start out with something like this, because they can be a bit more forgiving as far as streaking goes. I've found this product at most drug stores and ULTA.
For the summer, I found two really good "instant" self-tanners, one is at a more affordable price point and the other is a bit pricey. The affordable one is called Toma's Sunless Tanning lotion, and you can find it on their website or at Sally Beauty Supply. One application gives you a nice color, but it only lasts 3-4 days on my skin, which is why I didn't repurchase.
My go-to tanner for this summer has been the SunLabs sunless tanner, and this is seriously the most natural looking fake tan EVER. It's a bit pricey at around $30, but it's so worth it. You can purchase this on the SunLabs website or at ULTA.
As far as tips and tricks go, if you're a beginner at self-tanning it can definitely take some practice to get it down right. To prep the skin, you definitely want to make sure it's clean and smooth. Before each time you apply self-tanner, you want to make sure you use a body scrub (unless you're using a gradual tanner). I would recommend using a body scrub before shaving, or else it may irritate the skin. Right before applying the self-tanner, I recommend using a regular moisturizer on the knees, elbows, ankles, wrists, and anywhere else that may have dry patches because dryness picks up the color more than normal parts of the skin. Wearing gloves is a MUST, because stained palms are really not a good look...lol. You want to rub the tanner in circular motions to ensure there's no streaking, and go VERY lightly over the knees, elbows and feet. To tan the hands, moisturizing them before is a good idea so they don't absorb too much color, and since you're a beginner I would recommend starting out by squirting a TINY bit on a cotton ball and spreading it over the hand, making sure you get between the fingers. Once you get better, you can squirt a little less than a dime-sized amount on the back of one hand and then rub them together, making sure you spread the color evenly and in between the fingers.
I know this was a long post, but I hope this helps :)

Aug 4, 2011

Kaitlin M.

I just uploaded a video on my favorite self tanner and how to apply it! :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UZNQI077nI

Aug 4, 2011

Andrea F.

Thanks, both of you were super helpful!!  :)

Aug 4, 2011

Kaitlin M.

no problem.. glad I could help :)