My current self-tanning routine

It’s been about 3 years since I finally kicked the tanning beds. Finding a self-tanner can be a job in itself, let’s take a moment of silence for the early 2K’s of looking like we just rolled in our Cheeto bag……. alright, let’s carry on. After a few years, I have finally found that perfect dewy va-cay glow that actually works! Let's scroll.

Exfoliation

ionEvery couple of weeks I give myself a good scrub down in the shower. After so many tans/applications you start to get some build up and your neck, chest + legs can start to get real splotchy. Beautycounter’s Body Polish is to.die.for. The lemongrass scent itself is the reason to make sure to have it on hand 24/7 but, it also is designed to hydrate and soften your skin while using it. There are a couple different tools I use for exfoliating. For the larger parts of my body, I use a brush. Smaller/delicate area like hands, feet and chest I use an exfoliator glove.

SPRAY TAN

If you live in the Billings area, I get my spray tans at Versa Tan. I like having their tan as a base for my color, I grab one about every 2 weeks. The spray at Versa is in a booth and the color is perfection. I always get the dark shade - if it’s your first spray, go in during business hours so they can show you the positions and go over the colors with you. What I like about Versa is that it’s a 24-hour salon, so you can get a spray at any time of the day. After I get my initial spray, I let it soak in for about 8 hours. So, make sure you took your shower and got your workout in beforehand!

Upkeep

After having the spray as my base, I use St.Topaz to keep up the color. The color on my legs fades quickly from shaving, so I always have a bottle and mit on hand for when I need to add more color, especially in the summer when I’m wearing skirts and shorts more. I also used Isle of Paradise tanning lotion and LOVED that for on the go. The color was natural and had gradually showed.

Finding a face tanner that doesn’t break me out was quite the hunt. Tanolgoist is my go-to face tanner that doesn’t cause me to break out. It is customizable and buildable and super easy to apply. Add a couple drops to your PM moisturizer (more drops = deeper glow) and apply to your glow-infused moisturizer. Pieces of advice, exfoliate your skin before and don’t forget your ears and WASH YOUR HANDS!

If you want to keep up your tan - moisturize, moisturize + moisturize! When your skin is hydrated, your tan will last longer.

FAQ

How often do you tan? I tan about every 2-3 weeks. When I start to get splotchy, I’ll exfoliate and start my process over again.

Does your tan come off on your bed sheets? Yes and no. If I apply the tan before I go to bed, then there will be a little hint to the sheets. I wash my sheets weekly, so it never gets bad.