With spring right around the corner and summer soon to follow, my mind starts dreaming about glowing tanned skin. Here’s the problem for me: I’m really fair skinned. Growing up, I would lay out by the pool for hours to get even a hint of a tan. As I’ve aged, I have decided that sun damage and skin cancer isn’t worth tan skin, so I avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and tanning beds. I also make sure to use sunscreen every day, especially on my face.
Last summer I found the perfect solution for my pale skin: sunless tanners! I always thought that they meant orange skin (a la Lindsay Lohan), so I had never given them much thought till now. I spent some time trying out several options and I am going to dish all the details about each product.
Let’s face it: this is the only skin that we get, so we need to take care of it. I sound like my mother, I know, but skin cancer just isn’t something that I want to mess with. Read on for some products that give you that same pretty glow without the danger of sun damage and skin cancer.
Jergens Natural Glow – $2.49
This is by far my absolute favorite sunless tanner. It’s a daily moisturizer with just a tint of color, so it starts out really gradual and grows after several applications. This works really well on me since my skin is so fair. I like that it’s a gradual change over several days because it looks really natural. As the color begins to show, you can see what areas you are missing and work on those spots. Plus, hello amazing price?!
Be sure to exfoliate before applying!
Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel – $34.00
While this one is definitely more pricey, it consistently receives rave reviews on every website. I decided to splurge and try it out and it did not disappoint. The color is natural, but I made sure to apply it lightly. Fair skin, remember? This gel is nice because it dries instantly and the color starts to appear in 2 hours. I’d recommend this self tanner if you need color quickly. The quality of the color is worth the splurge!
Use Sephora coupons to help knock that price down.
Neutrogena Micromist Airbrush Sunless Tan – $9.19
I’m a huge Neutrogena fan. I’ll proclaim that anywhere, anytime. I love this product because it’s a mist, which basically means that it is super easy to apply. It goes on easily and dries quickly. Plus, you don’t have to risk getting orange hands from rubbing. The color is pretty natural, but be careful not to overdo it. I always say start light. You can always go darker if you need to!
(Drugstore.com coupons)
Those are my three go-to self tanners. They provide natural color and easy application without making me look orange. I make sure to exfoliate first, then apply the color all over, going easy over rough areas like my hands, knees and elbows. If you get too much color somewhere or notice streaks, exfoliate the area again to help rub off some of the color.
Do y’all use self tanners? What products do y’all love?
