The Art of the Self Tan.

To contact us Click HERE
I have a confession. I myself, was once "tanorexic." You know that oompa loompa look where you are too tan you look orange? Luckily, those days are gone. Not to mention, my skin has been left with blotchiness, sun spots, and new freckles (ew) from tanning. I then found a new love, spray tanning. WARNING: if not applied properly, you WILL could look just as bad, if not worse, than before. Here are some tanorexics in Hollywood, and the proper way to apply self tanner without looking scary! 

With pageants and fitness competitions, I am the queen of self tanning. I don't do it as much now, but these are the products I used to keep me a natural looking brown, while staying on a budget. 


1. Toma's Self-Tan Lotion: $13.95Found at Sally Beauty Supply or tomastanning.com. It's super inexpensive, comes with application gloves, and doesn't smell bad. It also leaves a really nice color and lasts a lot longer than normal tanners. 
2. Bare Escentuals Faux Tan: $22This is great for sensitive skin. Gives a great natural glow, but if you use too much, you can turn orange. I recommend one or two applications (allow each application to dry before reapplying.) Blend this one with moisturizer. Found at in store at Bare Escentuals or bareescentuals.com
3. Xen-Tan: $18-$45Great for those "Snow White" girls. It goes on more of an olive color, not orangey bronze, and smells pretty good too. I love the facial tanner myself. Shop around for the best deals online. Never pay full price!
4. Victoria's Secret Beach Sexy Gradual Tanner SPF15: $12This is the replacement for VS Bare Bronze Daily Glow. I love how this smells, there is a bit of shimmer, plus I dig the SPF factor. The color develops over a few hours, but leaves a nice sunkissed look. Again, don't slather this on. Go gradual! Find it at victoriassecret.com
5. L'Oreal Sublime Bronze: $8.49So, some people don't like this gel formula, but I like it. If you aren't a seasoned tanner, you may want to opt for a lotion as opposed to a gel self tanner, but it's easy and very cheap. Use this one more for summer because of the sparkles in it. Found at major stores like Target and Wal Mart.
6. Tan Towel: $15 for 5 towelsOk, so it sounds crazy, but these towels actually work without leaving your hands gross. It dries really fast and doesn't transfer color onto your clothes (major plus!) Don't go buy these from Sephora or Ulta, shop online for the best deals.
It's so funny, because you can read reviews on all of these tanners, even the one's I didn't mention, and so many people complain about splotchiness and streaks. Well, let's go over the basics to ensure we don't turn out looking like Snooki or those aforementioned above. 

Once you have properly prepped your skin for a flawless glow, protect your bathroom fixtures with towels (if you opt to go with a spray tan application) and allow for proper ventilation. Divide the body into sections to make sure you aren't putting too much tanner on in one area at a time. This avoids the dreaded orange look. 

Now that you are lathered up and your color is developing, take time to wait for the tan to dry. I have used a hair dryer on the cool setting to help my tan dry faster. Typically, wait about 10 minutes at the minimum before dressing to avoid the smudges and potential smears. 

MORE TIPS:**If you find yourself too over processed and orange (let's face it, it happens.) scrub scrub and soak. Create your own scrub with sugar and lemon and soak in the tub. The color should come off easy. **Acne scars and other darker hyperpigmentation on the skin get darker with self tanning, so use a Q-tip to buff off the excess product.**Self tanner tends to gravitate to dryer areas, like our kneed, heels, and elbows. Take a towel and gently buff off some of the product to avoid the scary FAIL. 
Well, now that my secrets are out, I guess my tanning business will go under! ha, I hope that with the spring and summer months approaching, we all take care of our skin. Make sure to apply SPF to your face every day and avoid tanning beds. I am guilty, again, and every once and a while, I need a dosage of Vitamin D, aka the sun coffin. Enjoy the sunny months ahead, and take care of your skin!