Y'all know that I'm a die-hard fan of sunless tanning. The boring back-story goes as follows:
A good friend of mine had several cancerous spots removed from her chest after years of being a slave to the tanning bed. After seeing that, I decided I should forego fake baking as well. So two years ago I made a pact with myself that I would never set foot in a tanning bed for the rest of my life...and I've kept that promise. Tanning beds are one of the quickest ways to wind up in the dermatologist's office, which makes them far less appealing than being pale.
But giving up those UV rays doesn't mean you have to give up on a beautiful tan. In fact, sunless tanning products on the market today are better than ever. Gone are the days of applying self-tanner, only to end up with orange hands and an Oompa Loompa-like glow.
I love (and own) all of the products below, which are great for giving that sun-kissed glow year-round.
1) Too Faced Peach Leopard Brightening and Perfecting Bronzer
2) LancomeFlash Bronzer Anti-Age Face Lotion SPF 153) ClassicBronzer Brush #44
4) BenefitSun Beam
5) JosieMaran Bronzing Argan Oil
6) SmashboxHalo Hydrating Perfecting Bronzer
Like I've said in many posts before, I love the Mystic Spray Tanning system. For around $30, you can get a tan that will last for 2 weeks AND will give you that color you so desire.
Mystic Tan is now available in a self-tanning lotion package, which you can purchase here and apply at home! I bought this too and love it almost as much as the spray version.
To ensure that your Mystic Tan looks as natural as possible, remember to:
-Shave your legs and exfoliate your entire body before getting bronzed. It will create a smooth, even tan!
-Apply the barrier cream between your fingers/toes to prevent stains in places that sun doesn't naturally touch.
-Wait at least 6-8 hours after your Mystic Tan to shower or get in water.
-Moisturize daily to maintain your color long after the session!
Look, I'm as guilty as anyone of craving a deep, pretty tan in winter. But don't sacrifice your health and your youthful skin to be bronze. Try self-tanning once - I promise you won't be disappointed!
Be blessed, lovelies-
I recently started using Tan Towels and swear by them! I am definitely going to need to try Mystic Tan now too!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely LOVE this post. Working with cancer patients directly, I see too many extremely young patients come in to my office with little bald heads because their tanning bed experiences led them to a diagnosis and chemotherapy.
ReplyDeleteWhat an important awareness message about avoiding a PREVENTABLE cancer and still maintaining your glow. From the bottom of my heart, and the rest of our staff here, thank you for all that you do to help promote health and save lives!
I've been thinking I need to purchase some type of tanning lotion or get a spray tan soon. Miranda Lambert concert is only a month away, and I don't want white legs showing with my boots and dress. Thanks for your great recommendations!
ReplyDeletethanks for the tips! hubs & i are going on a little mexican vacay in two weeks and i need to prep before baring all in a bikini. normally, i would base-tan in a tanning bed, but i'm pregnant this year and that's just not happening!
ReplyDeleteI am also a big fan of faux tans!!! I had two cancerous spots removed as well that were (ahem located in places that the sun never touched) and I knew it was from the years of laying in the tanning bed! I'm going to have to try the Mystic Tan system, I currently get sprayed at a salon but at home would be even better!!!! I also learned that products that are alcohol based break down your tan faster. So items like hand sanitizer and certain body washes that have alcohol and even lotions too!!! Dove soap is best to use in shower!
ReplyDeletewhere would i be without you..i think the better question is where was i before? i swear you always give the best tips.
ReplyDeleteI'm in and out of the dermatologist office every six months and always have spots removed to be biopsied each time I go in. I quit going to the tanning bed about three years ago after my first visit and first scare with skin cancer. Now I rely heavily on spray tans and bronzer :)
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking yesterday how I could bring down some entension cords and put a heater next to me, and I would be able to lay out and get a tan! This pale thing is not fun anymore! Thanks for the beauty tips on how to get tan! I'll definitely be trying them !
ReplyDeletexo.Britt
The Magnolia Pair
:)
Thanks for sharing this! Considering I was always use to being tan year round thanks to living in Florida ... Washington has made me one pale lady, ha. I'm not a fan of tanning beds either, so I've just dealt with the paleness, but will definitely be checking out some of these products :b
ReplyDeleteGreat tips!
ReplyDelete- Sara @ Gameday Stylist
This is the most awesome post ever. Thank you for this girl. I too am fearful of fake baking. I will admit that I went three times before my wedding. I really wish I had not. It had been over 8 years since my last "bake" session. I was fearful of the Mystic... and waited until the last minute to tan so it was my fault. Thankfully it will be the last time... next time I will mist. My sister-in-law came to the wedding she has the most beautiful white skin ever, she had misted and looked fab! I will never doubt it for a special event ever again!
ReplyDeleteI think it's great you are promoting beauty in the most healthy way possible. Thank you for that girl! ox
Wow, this is awesome! I was extremely active as a teen, so I never had to worry about it. Now I'm noticing how pale I am having an office job, and I didn't know how to approach fixing the problem (if you want to call paleness a problem?!?). Once it is sunny again (being from Arkansas as well, you know the weather is horribly fickle). This post was great! I'll be sure to reference this when I'm ready to buy something. Thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love, love, love Mystic Tan. I love this post. I can't even tell you the last time I used a bed.
ReplyDeleteI worked in tanning salon all through High School and I hope I was able to stop my tanning addiction in time.
The town I just moved to only has two places that do the Mystic Tan.(coming from a larger Metro area that had dozens) I hope more places start to realize that Mystic is the way to go.
I used Mystic too but I def prefer the spray booth, it goes on more evenly I think. I just recently tried the St Tropez line from Sephora and LOVED it! Smells good too
ReplyDeleteAmen. My best friend had to have melanoma removed at 24. We are major sunless advocates.
ReplyDeleteJust getting into the sunless tanning & away from the tanning bed! Thanks for the great tips, cute blog by the way... just came across it today! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all the bronzing/tanning products. My question would be if you had to choose one bronzer for your face, what would you choose??
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this post! In March 2009, I went to my dermatologist to have a mole removed from my stomach that I was insecure about when I wore a swimsuit. My dermatologist removed the mole and then also removed another mole from my left calf. I didn't think anything of it. I received a call a couple weeks later while at work. The nurse told me that it was melanoma. Many tears, a consultation with a surgeon that specializes in removing cancers, a quick same day surgery to cut out the melanoma, and a horizontal, 2-inch scar across the back of my calf later, I am free of melanoma. Thankfully, it was an early stage (zero) melanoma and the surgeon got a clear margin. I was 24 when all of this happened. It was so scary. I feel so silly now that I spent time in the tanning bed (only a few sessions each summer) and burned my skin during summer trips to the water. It's ironic that I tanned for superficial reasons and I went to the dermatologist at first for a superficial reason. Now I have a not-so-attractive scar on the back of my leg for the rest of my life. So silly.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely going to check out some of the products you posted. I discovered airbrush tans this past summer when I was in two weddings. They are amazing!