Whether you fake tan all year round or just during one season, there are constantly new products coming out with reviews to read and brands to test. For beginner tanners, it is recommended to do either a mousse or spray tan because it is immediately known where they are or if there are any spots you may have missed, as you observe the product during the application.
Prices on both types of products can range from $25 to $45 for mousse and $100 to over $300 for an at-home spray tanning machine. To figure out the quality of each and what works best with the bustling lifestyle of young adults, let’s take a look at the well-known self-tanning brand St. Tropez which goes for $45, and a high-quality spray tanning machine with a market sale of $300. For someone who fake tans once every week, one bottle of mousse will last a month and a half, while one bottle of product for the spray tanning machine will last three to four months. When looking at prices, it seems like the machine is way too expensive, but if you are someone that is involved in a rigorous self-tanning routine, it may be worth the investment. Over a year, one with that regime would need to buy ~8 bottles of mousse, valued at $360, or 2 bottles for the machine, valued at $130. With the original cost of the spray tanning machine added to the cost for the year, the total costs for each become $360 for the mousse versus $430 for spray tanning. Add another annual cost so that you are looking at the cost over two years, and the total becomes $720 for the mousse and $560 for the spray tan. It is obvious, investing in a high-quality spray tanning machine at home can save you money if you are in this routine of self-tanning once a week. However, if you are an occasional self-tanner, then the time frame for when the cost of the machine will be less than the cost of the mousse will be longer than two years.
While the process of getting each product on is very different, the preparation for any fake tan always involves a full body scrub before applying anything. A lot of websites suggest exfoliation and shaving the day before, but after interviewing an avid fake tanner, this is not necessarily great for when you want your tan to last longer. She argues, “I don’t think it makes that much of a difference because if you do that you will have to shave in the middle of one of your “great days” where your tan looks amazing (let’s say after two days) which will affect the length of the tan. It’s better to shave the day of fake tanning and then have your tan last a day longer before your next shave”.
For the mousse, you will need a mitt to spread the product all over your body, and this can be done by yourself, depending on how flexible you are to reach your own back. The mitt should be replaced every so often otherwise the tan will not come out as well. This tan should last roughly two to three “great days” after your first wash and then, overall, it will last five to seven days. This range changes if you shower a lot, as well as depending on the season, especially since winter can cause dry skin, giving the tan a shorter life span. The feeling of putting on the mousse is smooth and it easily glides onto the skin. If you do a mousse or a tanning moisturizer, wear gloves while applying it and then apply it to the hands and feet after doing everything else or else your palms can turn orange. Wait until the layer of the product feels dry, and then feel free to get ready for bed. I will warn you, the smell is very prominent and the feeling on your skin is a little sticky.
The process of spray tanning is much quicker, but it can not be done by yourself like the mousse can because you need someone to make sure every part is covered. If you and a friend want to tan a lot, then you could potentially split the cost of a spray tanning machine. The entire application process may only take five minutes if you have someone who knows what they are doing, and the most time-consuming part of this process is the clean-up. Cleaning the machine and the room will take ten to fifteen minutes, but this can be done during your drying time as well so there is no time being wasted. The overall range of how long this tan lasts is the same as mousse, five to seven days, but the number of “great days” is longer, as it lasts from four to five days rather than just two to three. In some cases, it can last an extra couple of days depending on the application and maintenance of the fake tan with moisturizing. One thing to get precise is the motion and angle when you spray for each part of your body as well as what position to take to make sure no areas are left pale. Spray tanning will generally look better than the mousse when it comes to the feet and hands because the palms won’t turn orange. It is important to take a baby wipe and wipe off any excess product from fingernails, toenails, nipples, and lips. After waiting five minutes for the spray tan to dry the product feels very comfortable compared to the mousse and I feel comfortable putting on pajamas and going right to bed. All that’s left is to wash my sheets to get rid of any fake tan smell and to take a shower in the morning (depending on how dark you want your tan to be) to rinse it all off.
One major difference I found between whether to use the mousse or a spray tan is that the mousse came off more easily when I sweated than the spray tan. This caused a lot of my clothes to stain or be completely ruined. The at-home spray tan worked with sweating under my underarms or underboob. I also found that the fake tan smell was way less noticeable in the spray tan than the mousse. These aspects for me are very important when picking which self-tanner to do and if you are prone to sweating or hate pungent smells these are things to factor into your decision.
Ultimately, if you are someone that is into self-tanning to get that summer glow and have the budget to invest in a high-quality product, then the spray tanning machine is your best option. The process is so easy and as long as you develop the skills to do it and have a friend that wants to join in on it too, then missing an area is super unlikely. Another note to keep in mind, if you are like me who is insanely pale then it is nice to know that both of these products looked good or were not too dark, which was one thing I was really worried about. The spray tan machine especially looked good on my skin as many people thought it looked very natural (except for the flip flop tan on my feet because I choose to not worry about how my feet look in the winter).
On another note, if you are someone who wants to just dip their toes into self-tanning or getting a slight glow then putting self-tanner drops into your moisturizer is another way to do it. A lot of people say this is great, especially for your face, and just makes you look more alive or awake.
If you go to Holy Cross and want to try out a spray tan, go to the Worcester Shore on campus for a great price and experience. This girl has got her technique down and perfected since she has been getting a lot of practice over the years from when she began self-tanning in the 7th grade.
Quote from the owner of Worcester Shore:
“Spraying works better. I think it smells much nicer, it’s a lot less time-consuming, and a lot less technique-oriented because with the mousse it can look sloppy, and as long as you do the correct steps/motions the spray tan will be good”.
Contact her on Instagram: @theworcestershore