I am not kidding when I tell y’all that I have tried A LOT of self tanners. Some are wonderful, some are terrible, and many are a little bit of both. I began self tanning about 6 years ago. Let me tell ya, I did NOT know how to put on self tanner, not to mention I had no idea what a good self tanner was. In the six years of trying and failing on numerous occasions to have that perfect summer glow without the sun, I have finally found the perfect self tanner and routine for me. The best self tanner for YOU may differ depending on your needs, but my routine should be perfect for you! Here are the best self tanners: ranked + my tanning routine.
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MY FAVORITE SELF TANNERS
This BaliBody self tanner is my absolute number 1 favorite self tanner of all time. The guide color of this self tanner is dark enough to see where you have applied it, but it gives your skin this beautiful glow. I love that I can put this on and go to the store and look glowing and be tanning all at the same time. I ALWAYS get an even, beautiful tan. This does come off on your sheets if you sleep in it, so I suggest applying it in the morning, going through your day, and washing it off before you go to bed. Click HERE to shop BaliBody Dark Self Tanning Mousse
This is my number one preference for drugstore self tanners. My favorite part about this tanner is that it does not come off on your sheets, so you can sleep with your tanner on. Also, it smells so good! There is not any nasty self tanner smell with this one! Click HERE to shop the L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Self Tanning Water.
This one is so great for the color it gives off. It is a beautiful, natural, golden color. My main problem with this one is that the guide color is a dark grey/green color. This means that you look crazy wearing it and I cannot leave the house in it. Plus, it transfers onto sheets. The formula is very drying. So, after about a day after application, if you do not apply lotion every day, it will crack on your skin and looks crazy. Click HERE to shop the B.Tan Tanned AF Self Tanning Mousse.
You can click HERE to shop the L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Deep Self Tanning Mist.
Click HERE to shop the L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Self Tanning Gel in medium.
MY TANNING ROUTINE
- The first thing I do when I am getting ready to self tan is I take a shower. I use a wash rag and body wash to exfoliate my entire body. Also, I make sure to pay special attention to the places that usually have more dry skin. Places like elbows, knees, ankles, hands, feet, and wrists need to be exfoliated thoroughly. Self tanner usually is much darker on dry skin than on hydrated skin, giving an uneven coloring.
- Next, after I get out of the shower, I immediately dry off and stay in the warm bathroom to apply my self tanner. I just get so cold when applying tanner. Also, since there are mirrors, you can make sure you did not miss any spots while tanning.
- Before I begin tanning, I whiten my teeth. My teeth whitening kit takes 10 minutes. It is a perfect time to be whitening my teeth, since I won’t be talking to anyone anyway! Click HERE to shop my teeth whitening kit.
- I use the B.Tan tanning mitt to apply my tanner. It spreads evenly and has a plastic lining on the inside. This is great because the tanner does not soak through and get on your hands. Click HERE to shop the B.Tan Self Tanning Mitt.
- Once I begin, I start applying the tanner on my calves using 2-3 pumps. I use the remainder of what is on my mitt to add tanner to my feet/toes/ankles so the tanner is not too dark. Then I do the same thing with the other parts of my body that are typically dry.
- I work my way from my feet to my face so I am not bending over and creasing my self tanner before it dries. Make sure to apply tanner to areas that may be forgotten like behind the ears, back of neck, on ears.
- I apply the same tanner to my face as I do my body because my face skin is not sensitive. However, there are many great face tanners out there for sensitive skin. After applying the first layer of tanner to my entire body, I wait 10 minutes and then apply a second layer in the same way.
- I usually apply my tanner in the morning and wear it all day. I do this because I do not want it to come off onto my sheets when I sleep. Also, because it gives my skin a beautiful glow while it is developing the color. You get the darkest color from any tan if you wear it for 8+ hours.
