Summer Self-Tanning and Bronzing How-to and Fav Products

Yep...it's that time of year again!

I absolutely LOVE this time of year because of the warmer weather. With warmer weather comes smaller outfits which equal more skin... Which usually leads to a self-tanning routine that is an absolute hassle.

I don't like to have more of a tan in the summer because it's "trendy" or because I feel I have to. I personally like a bit of a glow because it's what I personally prefer and feel more comfortable with. Some people prefer just the opposite, and that's perfectly fine!

But if you are like me and love a bit of a natural glow, but don't have a the time or patience to mess with complicated and messy self-tanning products, check out my video below for the awesome new products I've discovered that do the trick!

Happy Summer!
xoxo
Tiffany

How I get my Spring/Summer Glow with Sunless Products

Spring is here... Summer is just around the corner, and if any of you are like me, it's hard to find the perfect balance between the glow of a light tan and feeling like you're taking care of your skin. What I mean is that UV tanning isn't a lot of our first options when it comes to getting the perfect Summer glow. I love being out in the sun, but I prefer to get my actual "tan" with sunless products. I get asked a lot about what types of tanning products I use and honestly, I do a lot of spray tanning. I've always gone to a local tanning salon to use the VersaSpa spray booth system. It's a lot like Mystic if you're familiar with that, but the color is better in my opinion and the VersaSpa booth actually dries you! So I'm all over that. However, that's not available or convenient to a lot of people and over time, it can get pricey. So I've been going maybe once a month to get a spray tan and using some great sunless tanning products in between that have been working great! These are the ones I've been using and loving this season.



I've always been a fan of the Jergens Natural Glow line. This season, I purchased the daily body lotion in the "firming" formula. Figure a little firming can't hurt, right? I get the formula designed for medium skin tones. I find that it actually looks more natural on my skin than the one for fair skin. I find that the fair formulas in the Jergens line always look a little yellow/orange on me. But the medium formulas are usually great. The only bad thing is the inevitable DHA smell after the formula reacts with your skin after a few hours. It's not too strong and definitely not unbearable. I'm willing to sacrifice that for the great results!
I apply it after showering, and always wash my hands and in between my fingers really well.








Another great product I tried for the first time last year is the Jergens Natural Glow foaming daily moisturizer. It's definitely not as moisturizing as the regular lotion version, but it dries incredibly fast. I use this the mornings that I'm in a hurry and don't have time to worry about the lotion drying a bit before getting dressed. The results are great with this one as well. I use the formula designed for medium to tan skin tones.








Where my face is concerned, I like to use a product designed just for the face. This Natural Glow Face daily moisturizer with spf20 is really what got me back into using the Jergens line of gradual sunless tanners. It's a great facial moisturizer. I've used it for years. Mostly during the Spring and Summer months though. Again, I use the formula designed for medium/tan skin tones.








This is truly one of my must-have products I cannot ever be without. It's the Too Faced Tanning Bed in a Tube Face. It's an instant bronzer for your face that also contains a sunless tanner. I apply it before applying makeup and it evens out my skin tone really nicely and gives me a natural summer glow. Literally a perfect tan glow on your face without any work- No tanning, no waiting for sunless products to work. It's instant gratification. And it smells like pineapple, which is a plus in my book! I definitely don't use it everyday, but it's great when I'm feeling a little pale and the color is totally adjustable and buildable.




Happy tanning everyone! Hope this helped you out where sunless tanners are concerned. I know it can be frustrating to find the product that works just right for you, but the drugstore really has so many great options where gradual sunless tanners are concerned (which I think are the most natural looking over time). Good luck finding the right products for you!

Tiffany


*If you're wanting more info on the VersaSpa spray booth I mentioned, I probably can't help you much. I found it by chance at a local tanning salon a few years ago. Call some tanning salons in your area and inquire about their spray tanning systems. Most will have some type of spray tan system to offer.


*This post was not sponsored in any way by any brands mentioned.

Get Glowing for Summer! My Favorite Self-Tanning Products

Summer is right around the corner! Which means that for most of us, the self-tanning process begins. I've been going to the Versa Spa spray booth at a local tanning salon (which is like Mystic, but better in my opinion!), but that gets expensive and most of the time, I prefer a natural glow rather than the more noticeable results of a spray tan. So for years I've been obsessed with self-tanning products. You name it, I've tried it. So last year, I finally found some amazing products that I used religiously that delivered excellent, natural results. This year, I've re-purchased a few that I needed and have also re-discovered a few new products I'm going to throw into the rotation. Here are some of my must-haves.

The Absolute MUST HAVE: daily self-tanning moisturizer

My #1 Favorite
Victoria's Secret Bare Bronze Daily Moisturizer, $16

Quality self-tanning products from VS? Yup. I purchased my first bottle of this about a year ago and have been hooked ever since. I start out using the "light to medium" shade, but then work up to using the "medium to deep" shade. The best part of this? (besides the natural results of course...) The amazing scent. It's a light, beachy scent that reminds me of a mixed drink. It's a fresh, but sweet coconutty fragrance that isn't overpowering. It also has minimal DHA scent, which is that starchy gross scent that all sunless tanners develop upon reaction with your skin. It's not tinted, but it does impart a pretty glowy sheen to the skin thanks to the fine pearl particles in the lotion itself. I also LOVE the dispenser and pretty bottle so much that I'm not ashamed to leave it sitting on my bathroom counter. It also is available in a skin firming version as well that I've also used and works beautifully. The firming version is $18.

Other alternatives I love:

• Loreal Sublime Glow Daily Moisturizer ($8-$10 at drugstores)
  Went through COUNTLESS bottles of this... but be warned: Over time, it thins and is IMPOSSIBLE to use. So before you buy, give it a shake. If it sounds watery, skip it and find a thicker one. Some stores with slow turnover keep them on the shelves too long.
  
• Jergens Natural Glow Foam ($8.99 at drugstores) click here for my review of this new product

Don't forget your face!
I have two favorites that are impossible to choose between!

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Sunless Facial Moisturizer SPF20 ($8 at drugstores)
This is an awesome facial moisturizer. Because it's oil-free and non-greasy, it's perfect for people with more combination/oily skin. It's moisturization is very light and clean feeling, which is amazing for a product containing an SPF of 20. I've tried the version without SPF and for some reason, find that one a little more oily. This one sinks right into the skin and delivers very natural results. It comes in three shade variations. I find that the Medium skin tone version works best for me. The only downfall? the scent. It smells like the Jergens Natural Glow body moisturizer which I hate. But the good news is that it fades quickly after putting it on your skin.


Victoria's Secret Bare Bronze Daily glow Facial Moisturizer ($17.50)

I will seriously cry if VS ever discontinues their Bare Bronze line of products. This one delivers the perfect amount of moisturization while delivering really natural results. The scent is very much like the Bare Bronze Daily Moisturizer. Beachy, sweet, and kind of coconutty. But not overpowering. I also LOVE the packaging. it's in a tube, but has a pump on the end which makes it super easy to use. It comes in two shade variations, Light to Medium and Medium to Deep. I use the Light to Medium.


If you're feelin' brave: The ACTUAL self-tanner
If you're wanting an even deeper result, try an actual sunless tanner occasionally. I'm not crazy about them and don't use them much (because I'd rather go get a spray tan with better results), but I do have one I like. If I'm planning on using one (or getting a spray tan), I'll always make sure I've used one of the daily self-tanning moisturizers for at least a week prior and I always make sure to prep my skin accordingly. You can easily maintain your color by using a daily self-tanning moisturizer.
Also, take your skin tone into account. Be honest with yourself. If you're fair, don't buy the "DEEP" formula because that describes the results you want, buy the formula that matches your skintone..."LIGHT" or "FAIR" (and medium or deep accordingly).

Jergens Natural Glow Express (around $8 at drugstores)

This stuff is really great. Again, I hate the original Jergens Natural Glow, but this one is much different. I consider this one more of a regular self tanner. It says that with 3 days of continued use, you get the full results, but I always notice big results after one use. Results I would hope for from a self tanner. The consistency is kind of thick like a rich cream and the scent is honestly pretty nauseating. Like strong baby-wipes (that's all I can think to compare it to!). But the results are amazingly natural and honestly pretty dramatic (in a good way). Also, the bottle is rather small, but it's not something you'd use everyday, so it should last you a while. This is something I would use maybe once a week or every other week. For even deeper results, you could use it the recommended 2 or 3 consecutive days.


The little extras....
When starting a self-tanning regimen, remember that moisturized skin is essential. Not only for good results, but to help prolong the life of your faux tan. I like to use my daily self-tanning moisturizer after showering in the morning, then at night, I'll sometimes apply another lotion if my skin feels dry. Just because dry skin is a recipe for disaster where self-tanner is involved. I'll also make sure to use a gentle exfoliating product before getting a spray tan or applying an actual self-tanner to get rid of any dry skin and to make for a more even development of color. There are also a few products you can use to emphasize your glow even more. Good products really make all the difference!

Exfoliate! A few of my favorites...

• Lush Porridge Soap
• Victoria's Secret Bare Bronze Sand+Surf Body Polish ($18) AMAZING STUFF
• Softsoap Body Butter Coconut Scrub ($3 at drugstores)

Enhance the look of your tan...

• True Blue Spa So Aglow Tan-Enhancing Shimmer oil (Monoi Oil) ($17 at Bath&Body Works)
  
• Jergens Soft Shimmer Skin Radiance Moisturizer (around $5 at drugstores)

Happy tanning! :)

Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer REVIEW

I've honestly never been a huge fan of the regular Jergens Natural Glow line (well except for the Natural Glow SPF20 Facial Moisturizer), but this product was surprising.
It comes in two shades: Light to Medium and Medium to Tan skin tones. I bought the Medium to Tan because that's all that was available at my Kroger (this stuff has been HARD TO FIND since it's so new). Anyway, I've used it twice so far and it's very much un-like any other self tanning product I've ever tried (and trust me, I've tried them all).
First of all, there is no typical self tanner smell. I actually thought it had no strong smell whatsoever (Jergens is known for it's obnoxiously scented self tanning products). It's the lightest, cleanest smell. However, when you smooth it onto your skin, the scent actually disappears which is cool. First, you shake it up really well and dispense a small amount into your palm. It's best to start out with less than you think you need because since it's a foam, it expands in your hands. It's very similar in texture to that of a thick hair mousse. It really absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves no stickiness, which is what makes it unique. However, I feel that as a "daily moisturizer", it's a little light. My skin feels soft after applying it, but I still feel like I need something more moisturizing. Since it does sink into the skin so quickly though, you can definitely apply a light moisturizer to areas that still feel dry.
About the results, I've noticed absolutely no streaks whatsoever. However, I'm used to using self tanning products and am careful about applying it. I've used it twice and can already see a difference. Not a HUGE difference or anything, but very subtle and natural. I feel like if I used it everyday, it could get to be a bit much, so I might switch to the Light to Medium formula. Or, keep the Medium to Tan formula and just use it every few days.
Also, the can is a bit small. I feel like if I truly used this product everyday, it would be gone in no time. For $8.99, I feel like the can should be a little larger. But that's really my only complaint!