The Trials and Tribulations of a Self Tanorexic

 My whole life, no matter how much fun in the sun i had, I have been very fair skinned thanks in large part to my half Irish heritage.  Some call it porcelain, I call it a genetic melanin deficiancy.  Due to this, anyone who knows me, friends, family, clients...can attest that I have a serious love affair for all things tan.   I'm pretty sure it started around 9th grade when i discovered MAC bronzer and thought it to be a good idea to cover my face in it.  While at the time, (13 years ago! GASP) I thought it was amazing, (as did i concealer as lipstick?) I can finally admit that it's quite a look, and not one I'd recommend...to ANYONE....EVER.

From that time on I was determined to find a way to be tan.  I tried it all...foundation about 4 shades too dark, pretty much anything claiming to be "bronze", and alas, tanning beds.  My best friend was and to this day still is, the most tan person not of color I know.  I could have layed in a high power tanning bed coated in Designer Skin until i cooked like an easy bake oven and I'd never be that tan...but you can be sure I was going to try my darnedest! And try I did...several times a week for about 5 years.  My complexion went from translucent white to mere mother of pearl, as opposed to my desired shade of "bronzed goddess ", but it never stopped me from going.  It became nothing short of addictive.  I didn't need drugs as long as I had the smell of coconuts, burning skin, and a level 5 with brand new bulbs! 

Then one magical day at Sephora it was as if the clouds opened and the bright lights shown all in the direction of one special barbie doll pink can of heaven...Model Co. Airbrush Tan in a Can.  That's it...put a fork in it because I was done!  A airbrush spray can that gave me an instant tan with lasting effects?!? This of course istantly appealed to my All-American "I want it and I want it yesterday" mantality.  Since that fateful day, Tan in a Can and I have had quite a journey of both terracotta mishaps and glowing successes, and without it I may very well have never become the self proclaimed Fake Bake expert I consider myself today.  And so, here I am today to share my faux glow tips and tricks with all the other pigmentally challenged girls out there who just want to be TAN!

Its's All About the Prep
Ahhh the old "Do I realllly need to exfoliate?"  Not if you want to look like a patchy cheesedoodle with a skin condition (I've been there...it's not pretty.)   A pre-tan exfoliation rids you of any dry skin sittng on the surface as well as smoothing out areas such as the knees, elbows, an heels.  This will enable your tanner to go on smoothly, evenly, and last longer.  When choosing your body scrub, our going to want to go with one with minimals oils.  While I know we all love, love, love Fresh Brown Sugar Body polish, oil soaked scrubs leave a residue on the skin which will provent most formulas from being able to absorb.  Here are a few of my tried and true faves:
Bliss Vanilla Bergamot Body Buff- My old stand by!  With shea butter and a hint of sweet almond oil, this creamy buff promises to leave the skin silky smooth without leaving a film.  With a scent reminiscent of vanilla bean ice cream its a guiltless pleasure your sure to enjoy!

Laura Mercier Fresh Fig Scrub- My new found love!  Laura has done it again with her latest additon to her famed body and bath line.  Fig seeds and jojoba beads polish your skin to glowing perfection, while shea butter and honey moisturize and protect.  Plus, with its rich texture and indulgent scent its impossible not to find it simply delish!

So Much Tan, So Little Time

When it comes to choosing a self tanner thats right for you, it really is all about personal preference.  I will say, though, that I find traditional lotions take longer to dry, and seem harder to blend in evenly without getting streaks.  I really like sprays and the new mousse options, as they often go on so quick and easy.  And since most have built in bronzers you can see exactly where the product is going to avoid missing any areas, in addition to getting an instant glam glow!  Once you decide on the type of tan tickles your fancy, your going to want to think about coloring.  Many products have a traditional "golden" (albeit orange) shading to them.  While this hue may look like a dazzling terracotta dream on someone looking to enhance a natural tan , on the fairer bunch you'll look like less you just came back from St Barts and more Seaside with Snookie.  Now THAT is a situation! (bad pun intended.)   In the recent evolution of tanners, many now have a green or even purplish undertone them. Mixed with the bronzers, this transfers to a more natural brown/olive complexion on all skin shades.  I've put many a self tanner to the test in my day, and these make my list:

Model Co. Airbrush Tan in a Can- Ahhh my old throw back.  The pink can that started it all. I still get frantic calls from my afor mentioned bronzed bestie requesting this instant glam in a can! Created by a renowned Austrailian model agent, it's no wonder this at home personal airbrush tan will have you runway ready in no time! With its blink of an eye dry time and fresh coconut scent, it's the best kept secret to stars like Blake Lively, Miranda Kerr, and Sienna Miller.

St Tropez Bronzing Mousse- a quick application of this cinnamon toned mousse and you'll look like you just came back from its nameksake!  St Tropez is known worldwide as the leader in all things tan and with its clean scent, natural tone, and long lasting results its by far earned my top accolades!  They also offer several other formulas inlcuding gradual lotions, wash off bronzers, tan romover(a quick buh-bye for tanning boo boos) and even a mitt for mess free blending.  While I really enjoy the spray version for hands, legs and feet(that hardest place to tan!) I still find the super light-weight, velvety mousse to be the brands true superstar!

"If Ya Can't Tone it, Tan it!"

When applying self tanners, technique is just as important as the product your using.  You always want to star off on clean, dry, freshly polished skin.  I also like to apply body cream or lotion to areas such as knees, elbows, and even around your nail bed to prevent overabsorbtion in areas with thicker skin. Regardless of what type of tanner your using, be it spray, lotion, mousse, or even tanning towlettes, it's best to work in a circular motion to avoid streaking and lines, and to insure proper blending.  Keep in mind before you go in to a tan frenzy, that while products with bronzers give you a hint as to the color of your final result, the active ingredient actually takes a few hours to show up so you will get darker over time.  Always let yourself dry fully before dressing or applying makeup, as you dont want to undo all your hard work.  If once your tan is fully dry you feel like you could have blended a bit better, fear not.  Just take a quality body lotion and apply evenly all over.  This will even out the bronzer, tanner, and rehydrate the skin.  I have found that Bliss Body Butter and also Fresh Body Lotions both have great formulas that work well with the bronzers without turning them ashen or grey. They also pair up nicely mixed in with most tanners as a daily gradual to maintain and hydrate your tan, or give more of a subtle result on fresh skin.  Follow your steps, take your time and you'll be beach babe ready year round!

Well I hope my years of tanning trial and error has now been to your benefit.  Whether your going for the look of subtly sunkissed or beach baked, there really is a product and technique for everyone and i'm happy to have been somewhat of a test dummy.  Let us know about all your tanning experiences, favorite products, and advice! I can never get enough!!!

Happy Tanning!!!

<3 Amy