How can it already be “tan season”? As the sun is beating down outside, I wanted to share with you some self tanning advice from a My Red Glasses guest contributor, Chelsi Oestreich. Chelsi has almost 20 years of cosmetic experience with brands such as Laura Mercier, SundayRiley and most recently as the VP of Marketing and Product Development for Cover FX. Chelsi is also a product junkie who offers great insight to the world of self tanners.
Top 5 Easy to Use Self Tanners
I love this time of year! The temperature is rising yet the humidity is still low enough to allow for good hair days. It is the perfect weather to be outdoors and soak up the sun….well, soak it up underneath the SPF 30 you surely have slathered on, right?
Even though we all want to protect our skin from the harmful, wrinkle-causing effects of the sun, we still obsess over and want the look of tanned skin. Lucky for us, we can get that look sans UV rays with the help of self-tanners. For those of you who just winced, self-tanners have come a loooong way from their smelly, Oompa Loompa origins. They now are available in so many different textures, little to no odor and look more natural than ever. Here are a few of my favorites!
St. Tropez Gradual Tan in Shower Lotion
This is an innovative self-tanner that can be used in the shower. After cleansing, turn the water off to apply the lotion where desired, wait 3 minutes, then rinse off. It is recommended to use 3 days in a row in order to see the effect, which in my experience was accurate. Also important to note, there was no mess in my shower after application. Available in 2 shades.
Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster
Clarins is one of the best self-tanner brands out there and this product lets you turn your day or night cream into a self-tanner. The product is 99.8% natural and so easy to use. Simply mix in 3 drops into your cream and apply to the face, neck and chest. I saw a result after a few days but it was natural-looking with no mess or odor. Golden Glow Booster for the Body is available as well to give you that same glow head to toe.
Tarte Braziliance™ PLUS+ Self Tanner
For those of you who need a tan fast, Tarte’s best-selling self-tanner starts to work in as little as 4 hours! It contains a ton of good-for-your-skin ingredients like squalene and aloe but now also contains PUREshield™, which eliminates any and all odor. Paired with the application mitt, it will give you a streak-free, even tan.
Vita Liberata Fabulous Tinted Self-Tanning Mousse
The key to this self-tanner is how fast is dries. The mousse formula gives instant color and dries almost immediately so you can get dressed and go about your day within seconds of application. It contains Odour Remove™, which is their own odor eliminating technology, plus uses certified organic botanicals to nourish the skin. Available in 2 shades.
Jergens Natural Glow + Firming Daily Moisturizer
From the drug store, this double-duty product lightly deepens your skin over time but also works to firm the skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite (yes, please!). It has a very light scent but I love the fact that I can use this in the warm weather months as my normal lotion to create and keep a light tan. Available in 2 shades.
Before you start self-tanning, there are a few tricks to ensure you get the best result. First, exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Pay extra attention to the knees, elbows, hands and feet –any dry patch on your skin will grab the product and create a darker spot. Second, after your self-tanner is dry, apply lotion. To keep your tan looking natural longer, keep the skin hydrated and moisturize it daily.
Have any favorites or tricks of your own? We’d love to hear from you!