Stroller // Grey Tee // Black Workout Shorts // Pearl Sneakers // Monogram Necklace XL 16″ Yellow Gold // Pink Monogrammed Pullover (use code ‘MORGAN10‘ for 10% off) // self tanner worn in both photos – Dark Chocolate Sun Tanning Mousse – use code ‘MORGAN5’ for $5 off! 🙂
Hey y’all! Today I’m sharing something that I use and talk about all the time, but I’ve never shared on my blog! I’m a huge fan and advocate of self tanner, because I always feel better when I have a (faux) sun-kissed glow! 🙂 Growing up, I LOVED to tan – in the sun, tanning beds, you name it. But now that I’m older, I know how damaging the sun is to your skin. I LOVE being tan though, so I’ve tried SO many tanners and have found my favorites.
For me, I like my tan to be dark (I want to look like I’ve been to the beach for a few days!), needs to fade evenly (looking like a cheetah isn’t my thing haha), and needs to last at least 5-7 days. I’ve tried SO many and am sharing my 2 favorites below.
my favorite self tanners
My favorite self tanners are the Dark Chocolate Sun Tanning Mousse from Get Into the Limelight and The Isle of Paradise Tanning Mousse in Dark.
I LOVE the Dark Chocolate Sun Tanning Mousse because it is DARK! It also has a really nice guide color, and I wake up even darker than I went to bed. The color is so natural and honestly looks like when I’m at the beach for a week. Because it is so dark, you have to be really careful about blending it into your fingers/hands/feet as it’s such good color. But, with an old makeup kabuki brush, it’s super easy to do!
I’ve been using the Dark Chocolate Sun Tanning Mousse from Get Into the Limelight for 1-2 months now exclusively, and it’s definitely my favorite. Y’all can get $5 off (plus it’s free shipping!) with code ‘MORGAN5’ at checkout! Making it only $34 for 8oz of product – which is amazing. I don’t have any other self tanners that come in this big of size.
It’s a great value, has amazing color, and I really like the smell too. It’s not stick and dries really quickly, which is also another reason why I love it. I typically apply before I go to bed, so I don’t have a while to wait for it to dry. It’s completely dry and not sticky in 5-10 minutes & so many other tanners I’ve tried always feel stick and never feel truly ‘dry’ to me.
The Isle of Paradise Tanning Mousse in Dark another favorite of mine. It’s a gorgeous color, dries quickly, and fades evenly too. I get this gift set from QVC, where it comes with the prep spray (which I really like!), a mitt, and the self tanning mousse. I’ve tried the medium and dark – and only like and use the dark! It has a nice guide color, and it usually ends up being close to what it looks like when you apply it after you rinse it off. Unlike the Chocolate mousse, which gets even darker! I’d say the Chocolate Mousse is definitely darker than the Isle of Paradise Mousse in Dark.
I use both of these self tanners on my face no problem. I have pretty sensitive skin, but neither break me out (brands like St. Tropez and others do breakout my face). Every night or a few nights a week I mix a small amount of my self tanner with my moisturizer before I go to bed, and it keeps my face glowing. 🙂
Self tanning tips
1. Exfoliate your skin well before tanning! Brown sugar (yes the kind for baking) works the best & is super cheap! I put some in a cup, take it into my shower and exfoliate my entire body, face, and neck with it. I feel like it helps my tan last longer, apply more evenly, and it smells SO yummy! I also scrub with brown sugar after my tan is a few days/week old, to get old tan off before I apply again!
2. Use a tanning mitt to apply to your body. Any mitt will do – I really like the Isle of Paradise Mitt that comes with the kit & the St Tropez Tanning Mitt from Nordstrom (free shipping too!)!
3. For your face, hands, and feet I use an old foundation kabuki brush! It allows you to control the product (I use the tiniest amount on my hands and feet) and lets you blend it well into your hairline, neck, & ears on your face!
4. I like to apply mine at night before bed as you can’t get wet at all for 8 hours. I wear a loose long sleeve tee & loose sweats to bed as tight clothing can cause your tan to rub off while it’s developing. I usually wait 15 minutes before dressing to make sure my tan is completely dry.
5. Moisturize at least once a day – this will help your tan lady longer + fade more evenly! Also make sure you’re using a sulfate free body wash! Sulfates are very harsh on your skin (just like your hair!) and cause your tan to fade more uneven and faster. My favorite body wash is from Native Cos. and I love the Lavender Rose Scent.
6. To keep your face + neck tan, (mine fades faster than my body) I mix my face self tanner with my moisturizer and apply it a few nights a week before bed! When I do my whole body, I apply the body self tanner to my face.
Self tanning Q&A
Can you tan while pregnant/breastfeeding?
I tanned throughout my entire pregnancy and have while I’ve been nursing too (haven’t had any problems at all!). This is also why I tan at night, so I don’t have to worry about Olivia licking my arm, spilling things on me, wanting to nurse, etc. lol.
What are your favorite self tanners?
I’ve tried so many and for me my requirements are: it needs to be dark color (I want to look like I went to the beach!), for it to fade evenly, and for it to last at least 5 days!
My 2 favorites are linked above! 🙂
How often do you self tan?
Usually once a week, sometimes twice if I have photos or an event to go to!
