With formal season and summer right around the corner, I thought now would be a good time to share with y'all how I self tan! I'm someone who gets ghostly white by the dead of winter, but by the time spring rolls around, the paleness starts to really cramp my style.
I used to be fairly skeptical about using self tanner prior to last year because I had heard horror story after horror story about streaky and orange skin, but I finally built up the courage to give it a go with Jergens Natural Glow moisturizer last spring. While it was a great introductory self tanner, I saw very little difference and couldn't handle the smell.
When this spring rolled around I was ready to try out a stronger lotion, and after years of hearing about this brand, I bit the bullet and bought a St. Tropez self tanner! My oh my was I impressed! It left a very bronze tan that is easily buildable and lasts for several days. Scroll down to see how I achieve flawless results with this self tanner in five easy steps!
How I Self Tan:
1. SHAVE Before I self tan I jump in the shower to shave my legs so the self tanner applies evenly all over. I also use this shaving cream to help moisturize my legs at the same time.
P.S. self tanner fades quicker the more you shave after applying it, so shaving prior to applying allows the tan to last longer.
2. EXFOLIATE After I shave my legs I exfoliate my entire body, my arms and legs especially. This removes the dry skin allowing the tanner to sink into your skin evenly. I use this sugar scrub because you get a ton of product, and it smells soooo good!
3. MOISTURIZE After getting out of the shower and drying off I apply a little bit of my everyday lotion to especially dry spots such as my heels, knees and elbows. This ensures that the tanner won't look especially dark and splotchy in these areas. I know it is recommended apply lotion to your entire body prior to applying some self tanners, but I have found that doing so blocks this specific one from fully soaking into your skin.
4. APPLY Once I am completely dry I start to apply the self tanning lotion. I start off by putting on a pair of latex gloves to prevent my hands from turning orange. I typically use two pumps for each of my legs, one pump for each of my arms, stomach, chest/neck and back, and then a half a pump for my face. I then take off my gloves and apply a tiny bit to my hands, and then right before I go to bed I make sure to wash them. I skipped the washing my hands part one night, and boy did my hands look crazy the next day! After applying the lotion, I typically go straight to bed because it takes about six hours to sink in.
By the way, this lotion in particular comes out of the bottle looking a little green, but I promise it won't look that way in the end. It's just a color guard so you can see where you're applying.
5. SHOWER When I wake up I usually looking a little dirty from the color guard, so I jump into the shower really quick to wash that off and get rid of the smell. I don't even scrub it with a wash cloth; I just let the water rinse it off a little. Once I get out of the shower, I'll apply my normal lotion, and that's it! I then get to enjoy my fresh, even tan for the next few days!
Other Tips
I have the 8 fl oz bottle, and it has lasted me so long! I'm still on my first bottle, and I have applied the lotion to my entire body at least seven times now. The bottle seems to still be a little under halfway full too! While St. Tropez products appear to be a little on the pricey side, you definitely get a lot of product for your money.
If I haven't self tanned in a long time or have a big event coming up I'll apply two coats on my entire body, or I'll apply two days in a row. This leads to darker results, and it seems to last a little longer.
I think that wraps up everything I have to say about my self tanning routine! I am in love with my St. Tropez bronzing lotion, and I look forward to trying out more of their products in the future. I've heard great things about their express bronzing mousse so maybe I'll try that next! Are there any self tanning products that y'all love and think I should try out? If so, leave your suggestions in the comments below!
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