Summer is HERE...and that means it's time to get TAN!
For those of you who are like me, you want that sun kissed glow this summer but you also care about saving your skin and don't want to end up a wrinkle face when you're older!
Take it from an Ex-Tanorexic! I used to spend hours baking in the sun to achieve that sun kissed look but there's such an easier, quicker, and healthier alternative....and these days there are some great budget friendly alternatives that don't leave you looking orange (I've been orange...not a great look!) I honestly wish I could take back those damaging years I spent in the sun, but we live and we learn.
The hardest part of not sun baking without SPF is the fact that I'm no longer "naturally" tan like I always was back in high school/ early college. But over the years I've found some pretty awesome alternatives and I'm going to share with you my top 3 sunless tanners that will give you a great glow and won't leave you a streaky orange mess!
These are in order from most expensive to least expensive. All are pretty great, I'll give you my Pros & Cons for each :)
My Top 3 Favorite Sunless Tanners:
#1: SunLabs Ultra Dark (or Dark) Giesee lotion:
*Around $20 on Amazon
*$36 on SunLabs site
This guy was my go-to tanner for years!!
I discovered it years ago and used to for pretty much every music festival I attended and vacation I went on!
Pros:
This does NOT streak!!! I swear you can slap it on all over and look like a dirty streaky mess and wake up in the morning with a even glow! Pretty awesome :)
This does give a very DARK color but it has a greenish undertone which cancels out orange so while it gives you a very deep dark tan, you don't look super orange in normal lighting.
Smell- OK...if you've used sunless tanners, you know they can smell horrid...this guy smells like vanilla cherry lotion!
Cons:
This does not come with an application mitt (at least on Amazon). So my only issue is that it does stain the palms of my hands while applying. It does wash off but it will take multiple washes and some scrubbing to get the tint off.
It also can be difficult to blend at the wrists without a mitt as well. I often have a line where it ends...A great bracelet can fix this look, as pictured above :)
It is very dark and can be a little dark on the face. It's also a little drying on the face. I used to pat on lotion over it at night so that it wouldn't dry out my face the next day.
It does take some time to soak in and you feel a little slimy when you sleep in it.
The bottle is a little tough for traveling due to the pump dispenser! It does come with a regular top, but in order to switch it, you'll waste a lot of product that's in the pump!
Overall it's a great tanner for one that lasts, doesn't smell bad, and gives a non-streaky color!
#2: Fake Bake Flawless Sunless Tanner:
*Amazon $12
*Retail $26 (ultra.com)
I discovered this one thanks to various YouTube beauty gurus and it became a new favorite for an easy sunless tanner because it dries so quick!
Pros:
This stuff is so easy to apply! It comes with a easy application mitt which makes it very easy to keep your palms free of tanner!
It also allows you to blend the product easier at the wrists, ankles, and on the face for a seamless transition between tan and non-tanned areas!
It is also streak-proof!
This stuff again does not smell like self tanner (at least until it gets a little old, and then it starts to slightly).
It dries almost instantly so you can put clothes on right away and sleep in it without feeling slimy or worrying about it rubbing off all over the place.
I love the bottle for traveling! This one doesn't have the pump like SunLabs so you can easily travel with it to reapply.
Cons:
It is more drying than the others. This makes it easy to apply and dress quickly, but I find that using it on my face can cause my skin to appear more dry (aka aged!).
The color seems to fade quicker than the other, perhaps due to the drying effect (dry skin doesn't keep tanner as long as moisturized).
That's probably the only con, however. It's a very great tanner for applying quickly and obtaining a great dark color that's streak free and bendable.
#3 Banana Boat Sunless Tanning Lotion - Deep Dark Color:
*$5.99-8 Target/Walmart
This was one I was very skeptical of due to my past experience with drug-store self tanners...But I heard many great reviews and to my surprise, it's pretty great!
Pros:
This stuff is pretty streak-free! Now you can get some streaks if you don't rub it in well but overall compared to many other drug store brands, even when slapping in on in a hurry, I got a very even coverage!
The price! - for the look, you can't beat the price
This stuff is moisturizing. It does not dry out my skin, which makes it a great one to use on the face! It did not break me out and the color is not too dark to use on the face!
The color is not as dark as the others so it's a great one to try if you don't want to go too dark! It also comes in lighter shades
The bottle is great for traveling and touching up while on the road!
Color produces pretty quickly! I once left it on for only 2 hours prior to going out and I still got some of the color benefit.
Cons:
This stuff does have more of that self tanner smell unfortunately.
It does have more of an orange tint, although it's not quite orange...many just not as dark brown as the other 2.
It is more slimy when sleeping in it.
Overall, it's pretty good for a drug store product!
So there ya have it! My top 3 secrets to achieving that summer glow without the harmful effects of the UV rays and that won't break the bank!
For very special occasions I do highly recommend finding a great salon that does spray tanning. I've done this for my wedding and other important trips or events. I do recommend going somewhere that has a real artist spraying you vs. the booths!
Hope you get bronzed this summer and let me know your favorites!
