SUNLESS TANNING ESSENTIALS

Jun 2, 2017


I am a firm believer in sunless tanning. When I was younger, I would throw on baby oil, plop in a chair outside, and sit for hours and hours. Then, I realized that if I continued to do that, I was going to get wrinkles, not to mention the possibility of skin cancer. In college, I started to use the sunless tanners you can grab at the drugstores, but I never found any that looked "real". Well, I found some really amazing ones that actually look like a real tan and not all orange and streaky!

The key with sunless tanners is to exfoliate your skin like crazy! I usually shower, shave, and exfoliate right before sunless tanning in order to have a smooth and seamless application. Some people use an exfoliating scrub, but I find that using my washcloth is enough for me. Once your skin is prepped and completely dry, you are ready to bronze! 


I figured, the best way to show you how amazing these products work would be to do a before and after. So, for the first time ever, here are some unedited pictures headed for the blog. The before and after pictures were taken at the same time in the same location, just the next day. No edits. I promise. :)

Before //


          

After //



          

If you're ready to get a bronzed glow, you're gonna love the products below.


St. Tropez is an amazing brand that I trust. My face has never broken out from using this product, and I have super sensitive skin. I love how it blends easily into the skin (I just use my fingers and then wash my hands immediately after) and it gives a natural-looking color. I also love using a sunless tanner on my face, because then when I'm doing my makeup, I use less. It's great to have a tan base on my face, because then I won't get any weird pale patches coming through my makeup, since I'm obviously going to be using a much darker shade of foundation to match my neck and the rest of my body.


I picked this coconut glowing face mask up at Ulta last year, and I have been using it ever since. I don't use it with every tanning application, just every once in awhile. It's super inexpensive and could be a great alternative to the St. Tropez bronzing face lotion I mentioned above. It has the most amazing coconut scent, leaving your face bronzed and smelling like you're on vacation sipping on a piña colada. I apply this with my fingers as well, and then wash my hands immediately after.


Tarte is by far one of my favorite makeup brands, and I use several products in my daily routine. I started using this same exact sunless tanner in college about six years ago. I love that it doesn't have a super weird self-tanner smell; to me it smells like almonds! Tarte Brazilliance also gives a beautiful, natural-looking tan that is super easy to blend. 

It's perfect, because the tanning mitt comes with the self-tanner! For me, the self-tanner will last a bit longer than the mitt itself. I would recommend replacing your mitt every couple of months, or at least every season, just so you have a clean mitt to apply a smoother application. In between buying the set, I will usually buy this tanning mitt from Ulta.


Okay, this brush is amazing at blending in not only foundation, but since it is a synthetic makeup brush, it's perfect for liquids as well! I started using this foundation brush to blend in my self-tanner about a year ago, and I can't use anything else. It's perfect to blend your feet, arms, and my favorite use, my hands. Since it's smaller than the mitt, it helps me have perfect control of the amount of product I am using as well as how well it's blended in. Your hands and feet are the hardest places to mess up, but with this brush, you can't go wrong. I also found this brush that you can try if you are looking for a less expensive alternative!

Tip: The next morning, take a 2 min shower just to wash off the "top layer" of tan! That way nothing will transfer to any clothing and it helps "erase" any mistakes you might have made the night before! I'm wearing white shorts on day 2 of my tan and absolutely nothing transferred. :)

Have you ever used any of these products before? What are some of your favorite sunless tanning essentials? 

Stay Classy. 

xx, 
Kristen

14 comments

  1. AnonymousJune 02, 2017

    These are great products. I love being tan in the summer but because I'm a skin cancer survivor, I refuse to sacrifice my health to sit in the sun. It's awesome that we have so many great options for sunless tanning!

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    1. Yes, exactly! Never ever sacrifice your health! Skin cancer is more common than people think--these products are such an amazing option!

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  2. I've been debating delving into the sunless tanning world for awhile but super nervous to try things and look like an oompa loompa. Thanks for breaking this down and I am hitting up Ulta this weekend!

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    1. Of course! I hope you love them as much as I do! Let me know how you like them! :)

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  3. I seriously need to break out my Tarte self-tanner! I need a glow!

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  4. I'm all about self tanners. I haven't tried the St. Tropez and I'm going to give that one a try next.

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    1. I love the St. Tropez. You'll love it! :)

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  5. This is good to know. Growing up on the coast, it is really second nature for me to just get a tan from being on the beach, but now that I don't live there any more, I miss my tan! haha

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    1. haha! Aw! Sunless tanners are the way to go. Now you can be golden again! :)

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  6. I haven't tried tanner since high school, but holy cow...it looks so natural and awesome on you!! Great tips! My husband had melanoma skin cancer and I am always really cautious about sun exposure because of that, I'll have to check out these products :)

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    1. Aw thanks, Autumn! Oh gosh, yeah always be so cautious. I hope your hubby is okay now. I always get so scared. Sunless tanners are def the way to go!

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  7. Wow, that stuff really works! You look super cute! I spent the 3-4 months prior to the wedding tanning in a bed (I know so bad). Now I'm hoping to try some sunless tanning products to keep the tan.

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    1. Aw thanks! <3 And no more tanning beds for you! Sunless tanning will change your life!!

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