Well, it’s here. And the “it” I’m speaking of is summer. Summer for an adult is just about my least favorite season. Kids are home. Weather is overbearingly hot. But we still have to go to work every day. And then there’s the “s” word. Swimsuit. Not exactly something I look forward to wearing. At. All. But I have a kid who loves to swim, and so into a swimsuit, I must go.
But if one is to don a swimsuit, it’s extremely advantageous to accessorize with a nice golden tan. Let’s be honest, a bronzy glow hides a lot of imperfections. But in this day and age, it’s no longer responsible to fake bake in a tanning salon or spend endless hours lounging outside. We all know the risks and not to mention the damage and wrinkles. It’s just not worth it. So what to do when your skin is as pale as ivory?
So my solution this year is to get my tan in a bottle. I did a decent amount of online research from other favorite blogger picks and countless reviews from every site imaginable. So I’ve chronicled everything I’ve learned thus far in one place, so hopefully, it saves you some time, dear reader.
The Professional
I scheduled a photoshoot for the family in May and needed to be nicely tan for the pictures. Since stakes were higher, I decided to go the professional route and got my first spray tan. I did my research and read the reviews to find a well-recommended place in Dallas. I called multiple places to talk to staff and get answers to some basic questions. This really helped me weed out the people who really know what they’re doing. I landed on a spot up in Plano and booked an appointment.
It only takes about 5 minutes. The color is sprayed all over and can feel shockingly cold if you’re not used to it. There’s temporary color in it as well, so you’ll see some results immediately. You can’t get anything wet for at least 8 hours though. So it’s best to go in the evening and be sure to sleep in a cool room. Sweat can be the enemy of a good self tan.
The next morning I washed off all the temporary color and had a beautiful bronze glow. If you have a special event, it’s best to go two days before. That way your tan has time to set and won’t rub off on your clothes. See my before and after shots below.
 Pleasantly pale. – a few weeks before. |
 So tanned – 2 days after my first spray tan. |
Prep Time
Preparation is absolutely key. If you’re going to a pro or more of a DIYer. Exfoliate 24 hours before (this includes shaving). Get a good body scrub and one of those exfoliating mitts. It’s way better than a loofah and will give you a consistent buff. Here’s what I used:
Upkeep
They say the tans will last anywhere from 7-10 days if properly cared for. I stretched mine out to a full 10+ days. Use gentle, mineral-free soap. Under no circumstances use Dove or Olay body wash. It leaves a film on the skin and the tan won’t adhere right. Other than that, I stayed moisturized and always pat dry after a shower.
The DIY Tan
My professional tan was fantastic. The downside to this was I immediately knew I did not want to go back to being pale. But I also can’t afford an $80/month habit to keep it going. So that’s when I decided I would try to get the look at home myself. I went back to my laptop to do some more extensive research before finally landing on St. Tropez products. They’re widely available, have great reviews and come in a variety of applications. I chose to stay with the same brand so the color would be consistent. Here’s my review of their three most common ones.
Spray and Pray – St Tropez Express Bronzing Mist
After the great experience with the spray tan, I knew I wanted to try an at-home spray first. It’s super-easy to do and you can get to those hard to reach places without having to have an assistant help you out. Spray on in the shower – it does leave a mess on the floor, so be sure to rinse it out after. I would recommend using a tanning mitt to smooth the color and save yourself from Oompa-Loompa hands. Leave the spray on for 1-3 hours depending on how dark you want to be and then just rinse it off. I love how easy this one is.
Note: Protect the bottom of your feet. I ended up with orange bottoms the second time I used because I was moving inside the shower. At the salon, they had simple adhesive sheets to cover the feet. I’ll try to improvise this next time or try really hard not to move at all.
3-Minute Miracle? – St Tropez In Shower Lotion
I really wanted to love this one. The idea I can apply in the shower and almost immediately rinse off sounded too good to be true. And in reality, it probably is. You can apply it right after you shower. But you have to stay in there all dripping wet and cold for 3 minutes while it sets. This is really not all that fun unless you’re looking for ways to make 3 minutes feel like 3 hours. This was my least favorite and I really wouldn’t recommend it. I do see how it could be a good way to make your tan last longer but not sure it’s worth the effort.
The Classic – St Tropez Classic Bronzing Mousse
The San Tropez Classic Bronzing Mousse is their best-selling formula and I have to say it worked the best. Again, I would highly recommend you invest in the tanning mitt. It helps you evenly spread the dark foam all over. The downside is you really need help getting your back covered. But once you apply and let dry, wait 4-8 hours for it to set. I applied before bed and woke up to the deepest tan yet. This is the best head-to-toe formula I’ve found and the one I’ll be using to get ready for this Memorial Day.
About Face
I’m still learning and experimenting with self-tanner. It’ll be a long summer with plenty of opportunities to tan. Next up, I’ll be trying the face tanning towelettes and I’ll be sure to do a complete review of those. I very easily get sun damage to my face, so I’m interested in how I can fake this bronzy glow. In the meantime, I’ve started using the Dr. Hauschka face bronzer after my moisturizer. My mom and aunt both highly recommended it and you can’t beat Amazon prime delivery.
Please let me know if you have any favorite self-tanners out there. Have a fun and safe summer and be sure to wear your sunscreen!
Note: Use the liquid kind that doesn’t contain minerals to make your tan last longer. I bought alba Botanica Soothing Sunscreen but also heard that Sun Bum Baby has a great one too.
Love,
Sara
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