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In case you missed our last episode of An Extra Dose, you can listen to that here!
A little about this episode:
On this episode of An Extra Dose Podcast, we are talking about long distance relationships: tips for navigating them, and our experience in them. We are also sharing how sunless tanners work, and what our go-to products to use at home are.
We are finally answering one of our top questions: what self tanners we love and how to use them! We swear by self tanners to get the best natural glow, but of course, there can be so many questions about which ones to use, which don’t smell, if they are healthy for you to use, when you should apply it, and the list goes on and on!
Are self tanners healthy for you to use?
There are mixed opinions on this, but from what we have read, a lot of them have an ingredient called DHA. Some say they can make you age more rapidly and also damage your DNA. If you do have sensitive skin, it can also irritate you.
For us personally, we have become very careful about what we put on our skin!
What Ingredients should you look out for?
Some ingredients we look out for are DHA, especially DHA that isn’t natural.
How can you make self tanning less damaging?
We would suggest always applying sunscreen, even though you have good color because of the self tanner.
We also recommend using one with better ingredients, and that are more natural!
Which self tanners are the best?
As we mentioned above, we recommend really looking at the ingredients that are in your sunless tanner, just like what you would put on your face or in your body! Some things we look for are natural and organic ingredients and dyes.
For your face
Get Into The Limelight: We use this one THE most! This one is so amazing and really gets you dark. We actually shared this one on Instagram, and got so many questions about it! This one is sulfate-Free, Paraben-Free, Vegan (No nuts or oils), Ecocert Approved DHA, Cruelty-Free, and Dermatologist Tested. We use this one on face and body! use code DOUBLEDOSE
St. Tropez Bronzing Water Face Mist: this is a great option if you want something easy because all you have to do is gently mist on your face! This one is infused with mandarin water and 100% naturally derived DHA, and has a yummy tropical smell! It is also not drying.
Tan-Luxe The Face Self-Tan Drops: these are super easy to use because all you have to do is add them to your favorite moisturizers and apply on your face for a good glow! We love that you can combine these with any of your favorite products you use regularly! They also come in a body version!
Eco Tan Organic Face Tan Water: This one is made with all natural and organic ingredients, and has anti-aging and anti-acne properties! Also has vitamin C in it. It also does not stain your sheets!
For your body
Get Into The Limelight: We use this one THE most! This one is so amazing and really gets you dark. We actually shared this one on Instagram, and got so many questions about it! This one is sulfate-Free, Paraben-Free, Vegan (No nuts or oils), Ecocert Approved DHA, Cruelty-Free, and Dermatologist Tested. We use this one on face and body!
Alba Botanica Sunless Tanner Lotion: this one is also free of parabens, and is crueltly free. It is also great for sensitive skin, and can be used on the face.
Eco Tan Invisible Tan Organic Face Body Tanning Lotion: we have tried this one and like it a lot! It doesn’t contain synthetic dyes or bronzers, and is made with only organic and natural ingredients. However, this one does contain DHA.
Josie Maran Argan Liquid Gold Self- Tanning Oil: this one has great reviews and is vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free, GMO-free, synthetic-fragrance-free, and formaldehyde-free. It also has the “clean” seal from Sephora!
Applying self tanner
Applying it can be so tricky! Nobody wants a streaky mess. Here are our tips for applying self tanner:
Exfoliate first: Use either an exfoliating towel or anything you prefer to use to exfoliate remove excess dead skin cells. Be sure to focus on your keens, elbows, and ankles.
Apply to areas of your body: We like to use a mitten to apply the self tanner to our body to prevent staining your palms. Follow the directions on the bottle, and apply the liquid or mousse on your skin in a circular motion. Start with your feet and work your way up all the way your legs. Repeat with your torso, arms, etc. When doing your back, have someone help you or attach the mitten to long stick like a back scratcher to reach your back! Do not forget to tan your hands and feet!
Wash your hands thoroughly: Be sure to wash your hands with soap very well!
Allow it time to dry. Wait at least 10 minutes before getting dressed. We don’t sweat easily, but if you do, we suggest wearing loose clothing. Also, we don’t recommend working out at least until you have rinsed off.
How long before an event should you self tan?
We suggest doing it at least a few days ahead. You want to be able to test the product out, and also be able to get a few applications in to get a good color!
How should you apply it on your hands and feet?
When applying to your hands, make a claw with your hands so you can get it in all your knuckle crevices! When doing your feet, be sure to get all into your ankle bones and all those areas that you may miss with the mitten.
How do you apply it to your face?
We use these little mittens to apply the tanners onto your face! Makes it so much easier.
How often should you apply it?
We suggest applying it a few days in a row until you achieve the color you want. Then, maintain every week or two times a week!
How long should you wait before rinsing off?
We usually apply it after showering and then don’t rinse off until the next day, BUT, we don’t sweat a lot so we don’t have issues with it rubbing off. If you do, we suggest wearing looser clothes and rinsing off before you go to bed.
Self Tanning VS. Spray Tanning
We love a good spray tan. You can get super dark in just minutes, but it can be a lot of work on your end. If you have a big event, or are heading on a trip, we suggest going for a spray tan so you don’t have to worry about it. Of course, those can be pricey!
Should I get A Spray Tan Before Heading On A Beach Trip?
We have definitely gotten them before a trip. Just know that if you’re getting in the ocean or wearing sunscreen, it will come off more. Of course, you will start building a natural tan and then can exfoliate the spray tan off as it rubs off, which is what we did!
For those of you all wanting the details on this summer look, we paired this leopard kimono (see similar here since this one sold out!) with our favorite white jeans (wearing size 25 short). These peep toe booties from Sole Society are SO good. We got them in a size 6.5 and they also come in a few other colors.
We love that you can start wearing them now and into fall, plus they show off that summer pedicure;) This white bag is SO fun, and we have gotten so many compliments on them. It also comes in black!
We love that Sole Society has such great affordable shoes, bags, and accessories. We wear everything they have from their great booties and sandals to the great bags (some vegan!) and sunglasses.
Let’s be honest, ANYONE looks better with a good tan, but not all of us can make it to a beach or pool to get that bronzed look, or better yet, keep that tan going for months! We are fortunate to have olive skin (thanks, Dad!), but we always like to maintain a good glow all year. We just feel so much better with a good bronze tint. We have been using this St. Tropez Sunless Tanner for years, and absolutely love it (more in this post!) This one is the starter kit, so it has everything you need to get that bronzed look: Tan Enhancing Body Polish, Tan Enhancing Body Moisturizer, Self Tan Bronzing Mousse, and the Tan Applicator Mitt.
St. Tropez also has a ton of other items, especially some express tanners that will get you darker, quicker! We have tried a lot of their line and have loved every single item, you can’t go wrong! They also have this set that is an exclusive that comes with the Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse, Two Tan Applicator Mitts, and a Tote Bag! What we love about this tanner is that it dries super quickly, it is not stick, and it doesn’t have a weird smell. It also doesn’t transfer to all of your clothes, which is a major plus! Some of our other favorites are this Lancome Flash Bronzer and this Clinique Self Sun Body Tinted Lotion. The Lancome one has Vitamin E, is easy to apply, and develops color over 30 minutes that lasts for up to five days. The Clinique one is a little different because it gives you instant color and a golden tan that continues to develops in just a few hours. What we love about it is that you can see where you apply it, so you don’t miss a spot!If you’re wanting more of a lighter glow with a little bit of shimmer, this Charlotte Tilbury Body Shimmer Shape is a great option! This one is great because it isomer subtle, moisturizing, and it doesn’t transfer onto your white clothes! If you’re looking to give your face a glow, we love this Clinique Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion. It is a sheer, oil-free gel that creates a healthy glow. You can mix it with your foundation, so you get the perfect amount of color!
Don’t know about y’all but we have been obsessed with self tanner recently! We used to use the gradual lotions in college and even after, but more recently, we have been trying all different self tanners. We do have olive skin tone, so we do always have a good base color year round, but we do look wayyy more pale in the winter and spring months. We look at photos from the summer and even into the fall and we look like we are different people! We love using sunless tanners to give some color on our bodies and faces when the sun isn’t strong enough to get a tan. We have never used a tanning bed (a big no no!), and have gotten a spray tan, but who has time for that every week! We recently tried the Tanceuticals line, and really like the products!
Not going to lie, we were a little skeptical about the products. One, would it be super streaky everywhere? Two, would it make us look super orange and therefore basically make a giant announcement that we put self tanner on. Three, how easy would it be to apply? Finally, four, would it smell super yucky? We have found some other self tanners that we did not like at all and a few that we have really liked, so we wanted to put it to the test.
To sum up, it checked all of our boxes! The product had a yummy coconut smell. Like other tanners we have tried, we used a mitten to apply the tanner. It does not provide color as it goes on. We were a little worried about that since you can’t really see what you’re doing as you apple, but we are happy to report that there were no streaks the next day!Also, it gave a really good bronze color, so no orange oompa loompa look. It was super easy to apply. We just applied the lotion to our skin and then rubbed it in with mitten, which helps to make it even on you skin. Tanceuticals also makes a separate face product, so applied that to our face with the mitten as well.You need to wait for it to dry on your skin a bit before putting on clothes, and we would advise to not wear anything tight or light color in case it rubs off a little. They recommend to put in at night, which we agree with so it can set it overnight and you won’t be sweating or getting it wet, which could remove some of the color.We applied it at the beggining of the week, and we still had a good amount of color though the week after showing and working out. You could apply it made two or three times during the week at the begging to get some color started. We love that the product line is really reasonable so you won’t be pouring your bank account into self tanners! If you’re looking to get some color or want to get bronze for a date, event, or upcoming vacation, we recommend it!
Let’s be honest, ANYONE looks better with a good tan, but not all of us can make it to a beach or pool to get that bronzed look, or better yet, keep that tan going for months! We are fortunate to have olive skin (thanks, Dad!), but we always like to maintain a good glow all year. We just feel so much better with a good bronze tint. We have been using 
Some of our other favorites are 
If you’re wanting more of a lighter glow with a little bit of shimmer,
If you’re looking to give your face a glow, we love 
All of these great sunless tanners, as well as this easy, summer look, are from 
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