Summer means going to the beach, getting a tan and going wild for many of us. These days that might be a bit difficult and paired with other risks, some of us choose to use products over tanning. We got some helpful tips from our beauty experts as we know the world of tanning can be complicated! Hopefully this tanning Q&A will prove insightful!
🦋 What are your favorite tanning products that you’ve tried?
Eri
Hands down the Tanologist line is the best one that I’ve ever used. I typically mix the medium and dark shades together. They have a clear mousse, an express one with a guide color, drops that can be put in moisturizer, gradual tan lotion, and even a wash off body bronzer. There’s a few other brands that I’d like to try soon. But I stocked up like crazy on Tanologist, so I’ll be good for a while….
Melissa
I’ve tried so many products, but if I’d have to narrow it down, I’d go with Coco & Eve, MineTan or Tanologist products. I really like their mousses because they’re express tans — your tan is fully developed between 1 to 4 hours depending on the results you want. I like that Tanologist is available in local shops, and they have tan drops that you can mix into your moisturizer to tan your face and hands without it being too dark.
MineTan is online-only but they have such a wide range of tanners with different undertones to compliment all skin colors. MineTan also has a sister company called b.tan which is more affordable and available at Walmart. The results are similar, but the formula doesn’t feel as nice, so I use that if I’m in a pinch.
My current fave is Coco & Eve’s Sunny Honey tan mousse, which comes in medium, dark, and ultra dark. I use medium and it gives me the perfect golden glow, and it smells like the beach. It’s more pricy than Tanologist or MineTan, but the results are worth it and the shipping is really fast!
Eri
As much as some people like it, the Jergens mousse never worked for me. It always came out really blotchy and the color never looked really orangey. Same goes for the Neutrogena and Loreal formulas.
Also for tools, get a velour mitt as opposed to the cheap foam ones. The foam ones tend to fall apart and the tan seeps through it, which will stain your palms. Bondi Sands makes an excellent mitt that can be washed and reused many times. And it even has a plastic liner on the inside to prevent any product from seeping through.
Melissa
The Neutrogena one that comes in a spray can. The nozzle clogs after a few uses and it’s kind of orangey. Also, personal preference, but I hate the way that the L’Oréal mousse smells, so I avoid that one.
🦋 Have you ever used a tanning bed, or tanned outdoors? What was your experience?
Eri
I used to be a swimmer and worked
as a lifeguard in High School, so I’d usually get a bit tan in the
Summer. But I’m really pale so it takes a while to build up a tan
outdoors. So laying out to tan has never really worked for me.
As
for tanning beds, my first experience with them made me feel a bit like
a rotisserie chicken hanging out under the heat lamps at the grocery
store. I didn’t burn or have a bad reaction, it just makes me feel a
little claustrophobic haha.
Melissa
Oh, all the time when I was a teenager! When we were too young, my friends and I used to lie about our ages and say we were 16 so we could use the beds at local tanning salons. I grew up at the beach, so a tan was a must. Nowadays, I don’t recommend bed tanning for cosmetic reasons. Sun tanning is ok in moderation, as long as you’re using a broad spectrum sunscreen under your tanning oil to protect against sun damage and skin cancer. However, if you’re very fair or ginger, I only recommend spray tanning or self tanning.
🦋 What’s some advice you have for Gals that are tanning for the first time and intimidated by self tanner?
Eri
Exfoliate and shave/wax
preferably the day before tanning. That will make sure it goes on evenly
and prevent the “strawberry legs” look. Which is when the tanner seeps
into the pores on the body and gets really dark, creating little dots
everywhere.
As for
application I always go legs, stomach, back, chest, arms, then feet and
hands. I don’t tan my face, I usually just wear a darker foundation or
more bronzer when I’m tan. But that application order works best for me.
I’d heard that it was also a good tip if you’re a little more
full-figured; as going from top to bottom would create weird creases in
the stomach area when bending down to do your legs.
It
takes a few times to really get the hang of applying tanner. But you
can always start with the lightest shade for your skin and build it up.
Melissa
- Be sure you exfoliate well and, if you choose to shave, shave 24 hours before your application, and to apply it to clean, dry skin.
- Use a mitt for your body and a damp beauty blender or kabuki brush for your face and hands. And always wash your hands afterward.
- Be sure to moisturize daily to extend the life of your tan and keep it from getting patchy.
Once
a week, exfoliate and reapply. I prefer express mousses but there are
also gradual tanners that you apply daily and you’ll see natural results
after a few days.
If you’re nervous about doing it yourself or have
a hard time reaching certain parts of your body, look into salon spray
tans. Most salons will do discounts on certain weekdays, like Mystic
Monday’s or Spray Tan Saturday’s where spray tans are $15-$20. If you
accidentally go too dark, it’s okay! They start to fade off in a couple
days.
🦋 Application
There are so many products on the market, and you might have different favourites or even horror stories about the products used here… what products do you use? We aim to help out wherever we can, so check out our post on Makeup for Beginners if you haven’t yet!
Join the conversation!