I was born with the curse of Irish skin. As the years have passed and the ‘whiter than a ghost’ jokes have gotten older and older I have decided to take matters into my own hands. Being pale among a group of your bronzed friends just isn’t fun and since I’m not willing to risk my health or have the skin of crocodile before I’m 40, I’ve decided to investigate the world of self-tanners.
Don’t get me wrong, I (just like you might be!) certainly was skeptical after hearing the endless tales of streaky, splotchy nightmares that come along with switching to a tan in a bottle but have officially been converted! Here’s a few tanners my friends have suggested, I have tried and what the results were!
1. Jergens Natural Glow Body Moisterizer
With the word “natural” in the tile, I was sure this was going to be a winner! No body wants to resemble an oompa-loompa after applying their self tanner and this certainly won’t make you look like a worker for Wonka! Jergens’ tan will build over time, so the more often you apply it, the more of a difference you’ll notice! This tanner also comes in several shades so you can choose based on the look you’re going for. I used the ‘medium’ version and was able to see a noticeable difference in about 3 days. I do however think it’s necessary to point out that this stuff reeks! I personally could not get over the smell and was forced to trash the $7 bottle and try something else.
2. St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse
After a trip to Sephora, I found this guy showcased in the middle of the store. Confident that the makeup mega-house wouldn’t advertise a product that would make me look like I had been using a carrot-based body wash I decided to give it a try. This mousse goes on brown so it’s super easy to see where you have already applied. It does stain your clothes easily if you don’t let it dry completely, but it does dry very quickly! Overall I was happy with the color but I would not recommend applying it in the morning and wearing it out. This tanner must be showered off or you run the risk of looking like you jumped in a puddle of mud since it is much darker than most tanners. It also only comes in one shade so if you have naturally pale skin, it will be very very noticeable. Also, do not apply this tanner to your face, it will leave you very splotchy and some spots seemed to appear darker even after careful exfoliation. The smell was better than other options, almost smelling like a perfume- but probably not one you would choose yourself. At $30 it is a little pricey but definitely will give you a quick, dark tan if you’re short on time and need something drastic!
3. Two-Faced Tanning Bed in a Tube
This was suggested to me after I went looking for a tanner specifically for smell. I was promised that this one wouldn’t leave me with the after-tanner stench and it proved to do just that! It smells really good as far as tanning-lotions go. However, it does have a shimmer to it which I was not a fan of. It does also take a while to dry and the color will transfer to almost anything you touch. I would suggest using this just for your legs because of the shimmer and certainly not as an every day tanner. It is $28 a bottle which is a little too pricey for me if I’m only able to use it on half of my body, but if you’re looking to show off your gams for a night on the town, this stuff is sure to do an awesome job of highlighting all those minutes you’ve spent on the treadmill!
4. Nivea Sun-Kissed Moisturizer
This is not a tanner I have personally tried but one of my best friends does prefer it for herself. She says that it is very easy to apply and it does dry pretty quickly. She has very fair skin and it does look natural enough on her while still giving her a pretty glow. It takes about 5 days for a color to build but also doubles as a moisturizer so you skin doesn’t look dry! I have never noticed a bad smell on her but she does say that it has smells strongly like self-tanner until she showers it off. Her main complaint was that if you skip a few days of application it does become very splotchy. It is very affordable at only about $7 a bottle and comes in a pretty large bottle!
5. Victoria’s Secret Bare Bronze
I have give this one a double thumbs down. Besides the fact that the bottle is cute and my skin wasn’t dry, there was very little I liked about this tanner. It left me looking orange and scrubbing until there was no sign of it left. I would not buy this again unless I was planning on moonlighting as an exotic dancer or dressing up as Snookie for Halloween. $15 dollars a bottle is $15 dollars too much.
6. Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel
And the winner is…Clarins Instant Gel! After testing my way through tanners I have finally found one that I think rises above them all! This tanner doesn’t leave me looking orange and is safe to apply all over, even on your face! Some reviews I have read say that it transfers to clothes or sheets but I haven’t noticed that at all. You will notice a difference after the first application and it doubles as an awesome moisturizer! I was afraid that skipping a few days would leave me splotchy, but Clarins proved me wrong and instead it faded very evenly! It will leave your hands orange if you don’t wash them immediately after application, but I have found that wearing gloves to apply saves me that worry. It does have a smell but it is not the smell of a self tanner and instead smells like a strong scented body wash which will fade after showering. One thing I do like is that I can apply it in the morning and don’t have to worry about anything drastic happening as it sets in. It is a bit pricey at $33 for a small bottle but I honestly think that it is worth every penny! I will definitely be going back for another bottle when this one runs out!
Self Tanning Tips:
Self tanning does take a little bit of effort. If you don’t want to look splotchy or orange make sure you follow these rules for healthy glow, no tanning package/tropical vacation required!
1. Exfoliate!
Purchase a body scrub before you purchase your tanner! Make sure you scrub all those dead cells off so that your tanner can go on smoothly and leave you with an even, natural looking tan!
2. Wash you hands!
Skipping this step will make you look like you’ve been on a two-day cheeto binge. Make sure to wash all the tanner off immediately after applying or you’ll be letting the whole world know you’re faking your bake with every handshake!
3. No glove, no love!
Okay, not what you’re thinking but seriously if you’re going to forget to wash your hands invest in some latex gloves to be sure you’re not a bronzed godess with the hands of the Tigger.
4. Use sparingly!
Less is more when it comes to tanners. We live in New Hampshire so if you’re starting to look like you spent the last month on the beaches of Tahiti and it’s the middle of the semester, its time to tone it down a bit. Take a few days off every once in a while for a more natural look.
5. Let it dry!
Not letting your tanner dry could mean a wardrobe of orange! Be patient and don’t get dressed until you can’t feel a dampness on your skin anymore. Plus, it’s an awesome excuse to walk around naked! Sorry roomies!