Self-tanning

Hi Ladies,

I was watching a recent "Kim & Kourtney Take Miami" episode in which Kim get spray-tanned and ultimately convinces Kourtney to get one too, saying that it will make her look skinny. As much as I hate to say it, I do agree with Kim. When you have a golden glow, your body seems to look firmer and more lean.

Now I definitely don't do tanning beds, but I have done machine spray-tans such as the Mystic, or Versa and although they are convenient , they are an expensive habit to maintain and I feel that it comes out too orange looking.

Self-tanning lotions are usually what I end up using, but I ALWAYS and I mean, ALWAYS, end up with streaks no matter how hard I try to be careful. It's embarrassing when you think you did a good job with the fake bake, and leave the house and realize you look like an orange zebra.

So, I thought I would share some suggestions on what YOU should do to have a great glow so that you don't have to deal with any disasters.

Here are some of my favorite self-tanners from left to right:

Banana Boat "Summer Color" self-tanning lotion in Deep Dark Color: provides an instant bronze color
Bath & Body Works: True Blue Spa Bronzing Self-Tanning Lotion: provides an instant bronze color and smells nice.
L'Oreal "Sublime Bronze" Luminous Bronzer Self-Tanning Lotion: instant color with shimmer. I usually put this on my legs before a night out.
Nivea "Sun-Kissed Radiant Skin" Gradual Tanner & Daily Lotion: a gradual tanning lotion. Provides a very natural looking color.

image from societystylist.com

1.) Hop in the shower and exfoliate your skin using a scrub, a loofah or a washcloth. By doing this, you are removing dead skin that will cause patches during self-tanning. When you get out the shower, dry yourself THOROUGHLY and clip your hair up.

image from Ulta.com

2.) Grab one of these suckers. This is a Self-Tanning mitt which is CRUCIAL to delivering a smooth tan. Seriously, I don't know how I ever used tanning lotion without this. The one above is from Ulta, and is only $4.99.
    You are going to start legs up;  Put a quarter sized amount of lotion on the mitt (spongy side) and apply in circular motions, kind of like you are waxing a car. You will need to keep re-applying lotion depending on how big of an area you are covering. Any extra on the mitt can be used sparingly on dry areas such as your feet, knees, elbows and hands.

3.) Stay naked until you are dry. This can be difficult if you live in a busy household, like mine. Lock yourself in your room, or better yet, do it when no else is home. When you're dry you can put on loose clothing. Allow to dry for about 3-4 hrs before you do any kind of exercising or further showering.

I usually do this about once a week because I prefer to have a more natural looking tan. However, if you want to look darker or your skin sloughs off quickly, you may want to bump up that number. Experiment and figure out what works best for you!