Hello, this is Melanie and it's pretty obvious, but if you couldn't tell, I'm a ginger. So, it goes without saying that the only color I get from the sun is red. I've accepted the fact that I will never be a bronze goddess--it only took a few years. But, sometimes you just want a little color, so you don't scare children or blind fellow beach goers.
I've had my share of sunless tanning mishaps. I've been orange, green, shimmery, speckled, and every other hue in between.
So, I have a learned a thing or two about self tanning. Here are a few tips:
1. Exfoliate. For real guys. Don't skip it. You will regret it. I like a good grainy scrub. For self tanning purposes you need an oil free one, or at least one that won't leave you slipping in the tub.
My favorite
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2. Shave. I've tried skipping this part too--mistake. Do it.
3. Moisturize. Not all over. Just the places where your skin is a little drier. You don't want the tanner to soak up in those spots and be too dark. I usually put just a light lotion on my feet, knees and elbows.
Another product to try for this is the Xentan Blending Balm. Just swipe it on the dry skin areas and blend before tanning.
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4. Tan. Work on one limb at a time, and use circular motions to blend the areas.
My favorites:
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My all time favorite. Smells like cocoa, but not in an overly-sweet way, has more of a bronze/green base so it never looks orange. One application is just enough to de-Casper. Also, the smell doesn't develop weird.
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Now, let's be real. I used to despise the old formula of this tanner. It stunk--to high heaven. But, Jergens reformulated it this year with odor-masking properties. And, now it has an SPF 20. I actually bought the Medium to Tan skin tone one because I don't want to have to put it on 4 times before I see a little color. I used it once for a natural glow and twice for a little more color. Cheap. At your local drugstore. Well done Jergens.
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These are great for a quick, easy application. I also like these for when I travel because they take up less space, and weigh less then a bottle of lotion. My tip with these is to cut the towel in half after you open it, so you can use one for your arms, and one for your legs. It helps distribute the product more evenly.
5. Wash your hands a of couple times to remove it from your palms. Be really careful not to splash water all over your just tanned arms. Then, take a towel while drying your hands, and wipe around your wrists to catch any water drips.
Pro tip: Use a foundation brush and squeeze a dab of tanner onto it, use this product to brush the tanner on the tops and sides of your hands. A makeup sponge can also work if you don't have a foundation brush. I'll use a little to blend around my wrists, around my neck/jawline, even around your feet if needs be.
Happy Sunning!
This is such a great idea! simple and beautiful, very inspiring!
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