Summer Skin: My favorite products for a sunless tan

The older I get the more conscious I am of the sun and it’s unfortunate effects on my skin.  I live in beautiful Colorado where we get over 300 sunny days every year.  With all that sun it is so important to protect my skin which means wearing sunscreen everyday.  We are officially in  summer and with that comes more sun, days by the pool and runs outside.  I wear sunscreen on my face everyday.  My favorite product for that is IT Cosmetics CC cream which has an SPF of 50.  This is a beautful, dewy foundation that offers amazing sun protection at the same time as flawless coverage.  Protecting my skin is so important but I still love a healthy, sun-kissed glow.  Enter sunless tanners…

I am naturally quite pale and there are times of the year that I rock my pale skin.  But in the summertime I love a little color in my skin. I have a few favorite tanning prodcuts that I have reached for over the years as well as some new faves that I can’t wait to share.

 

First up: FACE

When it comes to sunless tanner on the face, I have to be especially careful. I have extremely sensitive skin and many products will cause me to break out or cause my dermatitis to flare up.  There are two products that hit the high mark in this department:  Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning Liquid and Coola Organic Sunless Tan Anti-Aging Face Serum.  The Clarins product has been a long time fave.  I have probably gone through 2 or 3 bottles in the last 5 years.  This offers a very natural glow to the skin and is gentle enough for me to use daily.  I use this as the very last step in my skincare at night.  After I’ve applied my serums, eye cream and face cream, I will apply this with my fingertips in circular motions.  It sinks in very fast, doesn’t feel sticky and does not transfer to my pillow.  I wake up the next day looking like I spent the afternoon outdoors!

New to my routine is the Coola face serum.  This is amazing stuff! It has skin care benefits along with a sunless tan built in.  I love the smell and the fact that it is 70%+organic.  This has been added to my skin care routine to keep my glow going all week.  I apply a couple of drops in the evening followed by my regular nighttime routine.  This serum sinks in quickly, does not transfer and give me the most beautiful warm, sun-kissed glow the next day.  If I use a couple of days in a row the color intensifies.  On average this color lasts 2-3 days for me.

Both are amazing products and I continue to use both.  These are great if you want a healthy glow on your face without the breakouts or damage from the sun!

Second: BODY

My long time favorite for sunless tanning my body has been St. Tropez Self Tan Dark Bronzing Mousse.  I do feel applying a mousse is a bit cumbersome, but this offers a beautiful tan that lasts a good 5-6 days.  After exfoliating in the shower, I apply a bit of lotion to my ankles, knees, wrists and elbows to prevent streaking or orange buildup. I start from my legs and work my way up.  After the application I usually wait to dress for about 10 minutes to allow to dry.  Then throw on some loose clothing and hit the hay.  Note of caution: this will transfer to light sheets or material.  I recommend wearing pants and a long-sleeve shirt to bed to prevent that.  However, I love the color this gives me! I try to do this at the beginning of the week and then maybe before the weekend if I want a bit more color.  For a longer lasting, dark color I would definitely recommend this!

Another new prodcut to my collection is becoming one of my favorites for a quick bronze.  The Perfekt Matte Body Perfection Gel.  This is a wonderful product to apply before an event to even out your ams, legs, and any other part of you that is showing!  It is quite thick going on, but a little goes a long way.  After exfoliating in the shower, when I am completely dried off, I will rub this in on any skin that will be exposed. This offers a beautiful bronzed color that is completely matte.  I love the matte finish, I find it looks much more natural.  This product does not have a smell and does not transfer at all.  If you are looking for a tan to last a few days, this is not it. This washes off after a shower but does offer a beautiful color for an event.

My last product is another that is relatively new to me. The Coola Organic Sunless Tan Dry Oil Mist is absolutely gorgeous and has replaced my St. Tropez the last few times.  This is a dry oil mist that you spray directly on to the body then rub in to the skin.  It offers a beautiful bronze glow to my fair skin.  I use this similarly to the St. Tropez after I’ve showered and dried off.  I actually find that spraying this in the shower is the easiest as it prevents the tanner from getting all over my bathroom floor.  This lasts about 3-4 days, does not transfer and I really love the light islandy, coconut smell. I love this product and will be repurchasing after my first bottle is gone.

What are some of your favorite self-tanners?  Happy bronzing!