Do you use self-tanner?
I haven’t in many years but think I might try it out this summer for fun!
— Christine
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No. I rather like my ‘gardener’s tan’.. Ankles, feet, lower arms, neck, face a bit of colour.. everything else ghostly
I’ve never tried it, and I don’t have any plans to..
I tried it about 15 years ago and it made my tattoos look less bright and colorful, so it’s not something I’d ever do again. Also, I thought tan skin looked odd and unnatural on me.
I hadn’t in years but recently decided to use it on my very pale legs. I highly recommend ColourPop’s Sol Body Gradual Sunless Tanning Lotion. It gave me some nice color without any streaks or orange-tint.
It smells wonderful, too, and that’s coming from someone who is very sensitive to fragrance. I will definitely repurchase.
Which color did you get?
Hi Maggie,
I got the “Fair to Light” one. It’s just enough to give my a healthy glow, and not look like a fake tan.
I am allergic to every single one I have tried over the years. They make me itch like mad and end up looking like I have been attacked by the cat. I was once told I must be allergic to the actual ingredient that develops the fake tan? So don’t bother.
I used to fake tan a lot when I was younger as people used to say it made you ‘look slimmer’.
Naturally I’m very pale (think Liv Tyler but with a more neutral/yellow undertone) and I’ve grown to love my pale skin however I’ve noticed that some of my ‘pale sister’ influencers on social media have started fake tanning and it’s left me disappointed.
Don’t get me wrong, I would love to be able to Tan in the summer or be naturally a few shades darker as being a ghost really does show up your imperfections more and I wouldn’t stick out so much when I go on holiday but I don’t want to view my pale skin as a hinderance.
So to answer your question, I don’t but I’m finding that as more pale girls succumb to the golden skin dream, it’s making me question whether I should too or not.
I compete horses, and while I love the look of an all over tan vs the weird farmer tan I get there is just no formulation of a self tanner that works for what I do. Every professional spray tan or self tan that I’ve tried will wear off on the inside of my legs in patches and streaks. It isn’t surprising since that is where my legs are in contact with the saddle, but sadly makes any fake tan not possible for me. Any athletes out there know of a sweat proof rub proof self tan? I’d be interested in trying one just to make my legs match my arms 🙂
I believe Minetan makes a sweat proof, work out proof self-tanner. 🙂
Somewhere around here, I have a tube of Jergen’s gradual self tanner… and with the “no swimming” restrictions, I may just go hunting for it! I have used them in the past for my legs in order for them to match my upper body as I tend to wear lightweight jeans and capris when out to protect myself from the intense heat.
I almost got the L’oreal Infallible Fresh Wear Bronzers shown in the pic but unfortunately they are perfumed and have corn starch (have a corn allergy).
Yes, I found one that works for me, and my dermatologist said there is no evidence of long-term harm. I like the look, and I don’t want to sit outside, working on my melanoma
Yep. I’m really pale and am consistent about daily sunscreen, so I do play around with self tanner to take the edge off, especially when I know I’ll be photographed. For occasions like birthdays or graduations, where I know I’ll take pictures, I usually make a point to self tan a little bit to compensate for looking washed out on camera. I use a couple tanning drops in my moisturizer the night before and a little bronzer in addition to my contour for the event. I don’t really look tan, I just keep more of the definition in my features under bright light.
I’m the sort of fair in which there was no Mac foundation that could be matched with me. I rock MUFE’s Ultra HD in Alabaster. My poor Russian mother, if you were to place us together, has been a long time user of self tanners and tanning beds. Fitting into the ‘American beauty’ ideal was really important to her, and her relationship to tanning is very unhealthy, mental health wise. She shamed me a lot for being quite pale, despite her being just as pale as me in her younger pictures. It’s because of this, despite the ridicule I’ve gotten, that I abstain from any tanning products. I believe that tans can look gorgeous on many women, and I’ve even commented some on the way that self tanners mesh well with their skintones. It’s quite beautiful in so many. But I will personally never, ever use them. I feel like I would be erasing something that made my body mine.
Heavens, yes. I am Italian and blessed with wonderful olive skin. I could go outside and get a tan, but, I am not willing to open myself up to skin cancer and gave up tanning beds/outdoor tanning years ago. When I want to even things out or deepen my tone, I use “fake” tanning. I used to go to the salon to get it done (which they do a great job in the machines – I don’t do it where you are naked with someone else doing it – that always seemed weird to me).
They have some nifty new ways to make sure your application is flawless if you do it yourself. Isle of Paradise has a continuous misting bottle and the coverage and color is better than any professional tan I have ever gotten. I also am a big fan of the minetan foaming self-tanner and the st. tropez facial mist. I use the Isle of Paradise night spray on my face nearly every night just to make sure the coloring on my face is even, as well.
I have used Clarins Tanning Milk with great success, just a natural color and Lancôme also has a self tanner that just gives the right color.
No, I have never used one and don’t plan on doing so. It would look way too strange on my porcelain skin. My daughter in law has used some on her legs in summer (not sure which brand) and has liked the result.
Yes, I’m super into the self-tan drops at the moment. The drops are great because you add them to your moisturizer and you don’t have to rinse it off in 1-4 hours. I also like Coola self tanning lotion or serum for my face. And, of course I like a few brands of tanning mousse and spray as well. I just don’t like having to be all sticky and transferring guide color onto things while I wait for it to develop. I like the quicker, darker results, though. I prefer no color guard because I have drier skin and the sometimes guide color stains the dry patches.
Nope. I’ve always embraced my porcelain paleness (and I’m glad – I grew up in the days when people tanned to the max with the “real deal” and I see what it’s done to their skin). I did try self tanner on my legs a number of times and never liked the result – it never looked natural. The one product I did like was from Clarins – it is some drops you add to your moisturizer for your face. That did give me a bit of a nice, healthy summer glow but I don’t have the patience to faff around with stuff like that so I stopped using it.
I grew up with Bain de Soleil (wow, that fragrance) and loved a good tan. Yes, even a record jacket covered in aluminum foil to increase the tan (I know, horrifying). Somehow I ldiscovered the benefits/importance of sunscreen in my 30s, but I see the sun damage around my eyes today. Have used self tanner for years; St. Tropez first, then Clarins (beautiful glow and smells like dessert) and want to try the drops. Just remember, apply using circular motions, top/bottom increases streaking.
I’ve tried and almost always have an allergic reaction to it! I only try on legs, usually. I’ve yet to find one that doesn’t cause allergies. Does anyone have recs? TIA!