Self tanning for the win

For the record, I was going to call this post "brown skin" like the song, but then thought that might be offensive if that showed up in someone's reader and they don't know me well. So yeah... Anyhoo...moving forward...

This is the time of year where I start my daily affirmations of "Tanning beds are bad. Do not go to the tanning bed."

I'm a recovered tanning bed addict visitor. And now that I'm older and wiser, I want to kick myself for all the time I spent in those cancer beds. :( I visit my derm regularly, wear sunblock (and hats! Very impt!) in the sun, but yeah... I still get the urge to bronze myself a lot. I read somewhere that every time you go "just a few times," you increase your risk of cancer by 2%. Not worth it, friends. Not worth it.

Okay, stepping off my PSA soapbox. Anyway, I've tried several self tanners recently and thought I'd tell you what I think about them. Also I'm trying to get my booty on my blog more, so thought this was a good opportunity to ramble and review all at once.

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1. I have always loved (and will continue to love) the Jergen's Natural Glow Express. I mix it with my moisturizer (Olay Quench is my favorite) and as the sun becomes more present (and so do short sleeves), that mixture becomes more tanner/less moisturizer. Usually around 3/4 tanner and the rest my moisturizer. If I need to get tan more quickly, I just skip the moisturizer, but it isn't as subtle on me that way. I prefer the medium to dark even though I'm quite fair b/c I think the darker ones look less orangey. Someone told me that once and it's a great tip and so true. Anyway, I didn't list a ton of pros, but this really is my favorite self tanner lotion out there right now.

Pros
- Works quickly
- Looks natural
- Isn't super pricey
- Everyone carries it- Ulta, Target, drugstores. That's a bonus if you ask me. Easy access...haha...:)
- If you exfoliate first and moisturize, the tan lasts quite awhile for a lotion. I'll apply it like three days in a row and then not apply for the next 4 or 5 days and still have good color.

Cons
- Smells like burnt fritos (that's what I think self tanners smell like)
- Bottle doesn't last a long time

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2. Tan Towels. I'd heard good things about these so I picked up a couple at Ulta and gave em a shot. It's definitely more economical to get the pack of 10 than just buy them individually ($5/each), but I didn't want to commit that much. The application was SUPER easy. Not nearly as messy as a lotion. And the smell was fine. I mean, there's a hint of self tanner smell, but not as strong as a lotion I didn't think. After two, I noticed a definite difference. But after one, I didn't really notice a ton. I did get some color though off one towel. I just think two applications is better. :) I really want to buy these on Amazon and give them a solid run b/c they really were that easy.

Pros
- SO EASY
- Not messy at all
- Faint smell
- Good color
- One cloth really does cover your whole body
- Don't get that sticky feel you get from a lotion.

Cons
- Can't really see where it's going on as you wipe it on. Color develops later. (But I should note that it still didn't dry streaky. I just like to see where it's going, that's all).
- Kind of pricey. I mean, at $5/towel for one tan application vs $7.99 or whatever for the Jergens that gives you multiple applications...eh.. But the multipack IS a good deal, especially on Amazon.

Buy it here. 

3. Fake Bake Flawless. Let me start with saying this is my current favorite. I was perusing the interwebs and saw reviews for this, ended up on Amazon...and it ended up in my shopping cart. With Eric out of town some of this week, I thought I might as well give it a go. (In case it totally made a mess of our bathroom, he would never know...haha). As you can see, it's a spray bottle, which concerned me. You spray the tanner on the mitt it comes with and use that to apply the tan all over in circular motions. It's like three-five sprays per leg, three sprays per arm.. Anyway, you get the gist.  I watched a youtube video on how to apply it first and then went for it. I have to say, this is super easy, even though it doesn't seem like it would be. And it gives you an even tan immediately. It smells more tropical than self tanner, but it's still quite strong. I don't mind the tropical scent though. And since you have gloves and a mitt, it's really not that messy! I put a towel down first and I'm glad I did that b/c I'm not that accurate with my sprays apparently. (oops). But even if you get some on the bathroom, it wipes up with a paper towel. Easy peasy.

On my first application, I was hesitant and didn't apply that much. I got in the shower the next day and watched my tan wash down the drain. :( I had color, but I definitely could have applied more. So, that's what I did the next time. It gives you that false color...like when you spray tan...so you think you're tanner than you are. But, then after sleeping overnight and showering or whatever, it looks really natural! On me, it looks kinda like a level one spray tan...or maybe even a tinge darker...but definitely not level two...after two applications. (Remember, my first application was super light b/c I was nervous).

Overall, this one is my favorite for right now and I'm going to stick with it. Plus, I feel like my two applications barely made a DENT in the bottle. This will last a long time! YAY! I will, however, need Eric to spray my back and use the mitt to rub it in. (Oh the joys he gets to deal with living with me). Let me say.. I haven't let this fade yet. So I could come back next week with blotches and craziness and totally take all this back...haha.. But for now, I am totally blown away by how much I like this product. 

Pros
- Cost effective (Even if you buy it at Ulta or somewhere not as cheap as Amazon, I can tell it lasts a long time, so that makes it awesome!)
- Great color!
- No streaking...seriously...even less streaking than with any lotion I've tried.
- Easy as heck.
- Immediate color. Since it gives you that "false" spray tan color while it develops, you could easily spray this and go out for the night with a tan.
- Pleasant smell...compared to the others I've tried that smell like stale or burnt fritos. *blech* And the smell is tropical/strong at first but after your shower, you really can't even smell it. I don't feel that way about the lotions.

Cons
- Is definitely messier than the Tan Towels. I mean...it has a spray bottle, after all. I have to emphasize that this was not ANYWHERE near as messy as I assumed. The spray should go on the mitt and then on your body. Not hard. Unless your challenged like me and accidentally spray the toilet...haha.. :)
- Rubs off a little bit on clothes and sheets before you shower it off...just like a spray tan would.

So, feel free to take my tanning .02 or leave it.... These are what have worked for me and my fair skin. I've used MANY self tanning products, but these are just some of my thoughts on recent products. Be sure to read the web reviews, too, just so you get other opinions. I don't know about you, but I barely read product info anymore. I just read reviews before I purchase things like this... *shrugs*

Yeah.. I just wrote a super long post about tanners. Wow. Eh well... Happy Friday, friends! :)