I haven’t spent much time in the sun, but even when I do, I don’t tan! What happens? I burn, peel, wrinkle every single time. By now, I’ve given up on sitting in the sun and trying to get a beautiful glow naturally. Make sure you check out this best bronzers for fair skin also! So how can you get the perfect diy sunless tan? It’s a combination of the right products and technique.
The Perfect DIY Sunless Tan
Products Consideration
Most products have come a long way in 2021 in terms of performing well. However, there’s things you may want to consider; is your skin oily, are you in a hurry, what shade of dark are you looking for, is clean beauty important to you? One thing I’ve noticed, and has been confirmed by tanning experts, is that skin becomes tan resistant. After while of using the same product over and over, your skin doesn’t tan as easily as it once did. Therefore, I usually rotate my sunless tanning products to maximize the color and so that my skin doesn’t get used to it. I usually use one product for 2-3 weeks at a time then rotate.
Water Gels- I love these bronzing gels because the don’t transfer if you plan on wearing white the same day you tan. However, it’s hard to tell what spots you’ve missed.
Mousse- This is probably my favorite substance! I like that I can see what I’ve covered and feel easier to control than a lotion. I prefer the St. Tropez Classic Tan (vs the Express) because I like the toasty tan color it gives me. Express Mousse tends to skew a bit more orange. The consideration with the Classic Mousse, is that you can sweat in it for the rest of the day if you want to prevent streaking. ;)Apply after your workout!
Oil- I LOVE the Tan Luxe Body Roll. The color is phenomenal. The only drawback is that you have to plan for it and kinda hang out as it dries and aborbs.
Clean Beauty Options- Tan LUXE and Vita Liberati are clean options. I reallly like the Vita LIberati Tanning Water. I did NOT care for their mousse whatsoever.
For Face- There’s 4 products I love for face: St. Tropez Bronzing Spray (dummy proof), St. Tropez Bronzing Serum and Tan Luxe Face Drops. The face drops are oil based so I can only use those in fall/winter. I also love these Dr. Gross Glo Pads for skincare and glow overnight!
Perfect DIY Sunless Tan Technique
Watch the video for more detail! However, writing out here as well:
1. Moisturize
The single most important factor in prepping and longevity for your perfect diy sunless tan is moisturizing! Start by applying a thin layer of any body moisturizer to your elbows, wrists, knees and ankles, let dry. You’ll also repeat this step after you’re done applying the color. When you’re finished, you can also take a lightly moisturized tissue to remove any excess from cuticles. Additionally, you’ll want to moisturize every morning and evening to help your sunless tan last.
2. The Mitten!
The Mitten is so key in having you be successful in the perfect diy sunless tan! I have tried with my bare hands, and DO NOT recommend. However, if you get your hands dirty, you can remove the tanner with this. I used to think the tanning mitten was a marketing ploy, but indeed it is not. Haha. Put product directly on the mitten and slather on. I prefere the mousse but this works with oil and gel as well!
3. The Perfect DIY Technique
When you have the product directly on your mitten start on your legs first; start with the thigh and jump to calves. With the residue you have skim the bony part of the knee and your feet. Don’t apply fresh product to the mitten to cover those. You want to go super light on those. And once again, moisturize! Repeat same thing with your arms, grazing the elbows and clawing your hands as you rub the residue to color your hands. Moisturize! Move on to your torso, tummy, chest and back. I repeat the same grazing motion on my neck to not oversaturate.
4. Post Application
A few things to keep in mind post tan application. Firstly, I like to wear a loose black or dark colored dress to allow to dry. You can also apply a bit of loose powder to your wrists, knees and also inner thighs in case you cross your legs! As a precaution you could also do a short blow-dry (cool air) of your body, especially with gels. Don’t forget to keep applying sunscreen and be mindful of the formula you applied. If you did an express you can shower in a couple of hours and then do anything you’d like! If you did a longer form tan, you best not do much for 8 hours then shower. Or what I usually do is just apply one day, let air dry, not workout and shower the next day.
Hope this was helpful lovelies! I know some products can appear pricey but keep in mind that they last a couple of months vs buying a salon tan for $80 for a few days only. Check out the most flattering swimsuits in 2021, the best bronzers for fair skin and more from YOUTUBE channel here. LOVE, Z
