From Spooky to Sexy: Suntan Edition
There is a palpable excitement in the air as we approach the fall season here at Vanderbilt. After all, who doesn’t love pumpkin-spiced lattes, living in your favorite oversized sweater, and planning the perfect costume for Halloween?! Though I adore just about everything that autumn brings, less sunlight and colder temperatures mean the death of my summer tan. And that is downright scary.
If a ghastly complexion is part of your costume (read: vampire, zombie, Kelly Osbourne) feel free to stop reading now. However, for the rest of us who are spooked by a pasty appearance or haunted by the effects of UV exposure on premature aging and skin cancer, you need not worry—this self-tanner review will prove to be less ‘boo!’ and more ‘beautiful.’ (shamefully overdoing it with the Halloween puns….’tis the season, right?)
With the new self-tanners available on the market today, you can achieve an enviable, glowing tan that is fast, safe, and natural looking. That means any of you dressing up as Snooki or Willy Wonka’s Oompa Loompa had best look elsewhere—the self-tanners listed below are some of my favorites and the best in their game, sure to leave you with a golden, streak-free fake bake that looks totally real!
1. Jergen’s Natural Glow, retail price $8.69
This oldie-but-goodie has been earned my stamp of approval because it is trustworthy, it’s cheap, and it’s basically impossible to mess up. Because it is a gradual self-tanner, you’re less likely to have noticeable streaks or missed spots, and you can control how intense the color gets with the number of applications you do. Pick it up at nearly any drugstore and use it daily in place of your regular body lotion to build a nice, ‘natural glow,’ as the name suggests.
PROS:
–inexpensive
–very moisturizing
–great for self-tanning ‘beginners’
CONS:
–strong smell
–might be too gradual for some users
2. Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel, retail price $35
Clarins is my go-to, tried-and-true favorite. I experiment with a lot of different self-tanners, but I always end up coming back to this one. The consistency is like a gel rather than a lotion, which soaks in nicely and makes for an easy application. While it definitely has a distinct smell, it isn’t an obvious ‘self tanner’ odor—in fact, people have actually told me I smell good after applying it! It also doesn’t last as long as I’d like it to, but I love that I can always rely on it to produce an enviable, vacation-worthy glow overnight.
PROS:
–easy application
–deep color with only one application
–virtually streak free with prior exfoliation
CONS:
–fades somewhat quickly
3. St. Tropez Self Tan Dark Bronzing Mousse, retail price $44
I can’t tell you how many people told me to try this stuff before I eventually bit the bullet and invested in a bottle. This product is different from many others on the market in that it has a mousse-like consistency. To make matters even stranger, however, the mousse is green. That’s right. Green. Apparently, the green pigments are part of an innovative technology that tailors the color to suit your individual skin tone. Sounds awesome, but be warned that you will look like Shrek post-application. Don’t fear, however, because after you shower, the green will give way to a beautiful, glowing bronze that makes it all worth it in the end.
PROS:
–nearly no odor
–produces a deep, warm tan (very realistic!)
–fades gradually and evenly
CONS:
–the green color (you can’t go out in public until you shower, you might terrify your boyfriend, etc.)
–you need to buy the tanning mitt (an extra $6.50) in order to avoid brown palms and nails
4. TanTowel Plus Sunless Tanning Towelettes, retail price $27 (for a pack of 10 half-body applications)
With the promise that you’ll “look good naked,” it’s no wonder that these babies are a cult favorite in the tanning world. They are also incredibly convenient, since they come in single use packages that you can toss in your purse and literally use just about anywhere (I once even used them in a gas station bathroom…can you say #tanorexic?). Rather than slathering lotion all over your body and waiting for it to dry, you simply wipe the towel in circular motions to produce a streak free, easy-peasy tan. They are great for a quick fix and are an absolute must in my tanning arsenal for a subtle glow or speedy touch up!
**Expert tip: buy the half body towelettes (and use 2) rather than the full body ones—trust me, its way easier than trying to make one towelette last to cover your entire body, and the price is actually the same!**
PROS:
–super convenient/easy to travel with
–dries quickly
–does not stain clothing
CONS:
–there is no color guide (it goes on clear)
–multiple towelettes must be used to produce a dark color
~ A quick note on using all self-tanners: ~
–I beg of you, please ALWAYS make sure to thoroughly wash your hands after application. I typically wash mine twice, and make sure to get in between the fingers, on the wrists, and scrub the palms. I cannot emphasize enough how important this is, as your palms tend to soak in the self-tanner and actually turn orange. Orange palms=dead giveaway.
–Exfoliate beforehand! It makes such a big difference in the way the tan adheres and later fades. In the shower, either use exfoliating gloves (I buy mine for like $1 at CVS) or an exfoliating scrub (my favorite is Clinique’s sparkle skin—I swear by it). This step will help remove rough, dry patches which turn orange upon application, so make sure to focus on your elbows and knees as part of your full body scrub down. As an added benefit, your skin will feel baby soft—win win!
–To maintain your glow, be sure to moisturize daily. If your skin is dry, the tan will fade more quickly and will likely look patchy, so applying lotion (after the tan has dried and set) is an absolute must. To keep the bronzed look going year-round, develop a routine of applying self tanner every 3 days or so, making sure to exfoliate and moisturize in between.
Now go rock the best costume accessory—tanned, glowing skin (done the safe way!)—this coming Halloween!! Have fun my bronzed beauties!