Beauty

Sunless Tanner Review

Sunless Tanner Review

Hi Friends!!   If you remember I asked on Instagram and Facebook for self tanner recommendations.   I was specifically looking for something for my face so I wouldn’t look quite so ghostly all Winter.   In this post I rounded up the top responses you all were kind enough to give me.  Today I am going to review the top 3 sunless tanners recommended by all of you!!

Sunless Tanner Review

Sunless Tanner Review

My face gets super pale in the Winter months.   I live in New England and we don’t get enough direct sunlight to meet our vitamin D needs, let alone get any kind of glow.    My pale Winter skin really accentuates my lovely dark undereye circles.   So anyway – I reached out to all of you for help.   I’m super appreciative of those who replied.   There were so many good options but wanted to try each sunless tanner several times to form a solid opinion and get this up before Spring.

Clarins Glow Booster Review

The Clarins Glow Booter are drops of tanner you add into your own face lotion.  I’m slightly particular about the ingredients of my lotion so I liked this idea.  The tan is gradual and looks more like slight sun rather than a tan.    At first I really loved the product but I didn’t find the tan really progressed at all.   The “glow” was faint and I probably wouldn’t purchase this again based on the results and price.

St. Tropez Self Tan Express Foam Review

This was the most dramatic tan.   I applied the St. Tropez Express foam the morning I was heading out to shoot pictures for this post with Nike.    The tan starts to develop very quickly and was more of a tan than a glow.   It went on smoothly with a mitt and wasn’t streaky considering how dark the tan was.

While I would use this product again, I forewarn you it wore off a lot on my clothing.   While it seemed to wash out I know from other self tanners my white clothes and sheets eventually look dingy from dark sunless tanners.  The St. Tropez Tan Express actually wore off worse the day after I application shortly after I showered.   So while the tan was really deep it also tanned one of my favorite white shirts and my white bed sheets.   This is something I’m used to from spray tans but something to keep in mind when deciding which product is right for you.

Rodan and Fields Foaming Sunless Tan Review

This product was a lot more subtle than the St. Tropez foam.   The R&F sunless tan foam builds a tan with a couple  applications (which you can apply a few hours apart).   My concern with both foams this time of year was that they might streak if I applied them over lotion.   My face is SO DRY after I wash it.   So while it’s not advised to apply this over lotion, I did, and I didn’t notice streaking. I also used this on my arms and chest and it went on evenly.

If you have very fair skin this is likely a better option than the St. Tropez Express.  I didn’t apply enough rounds to make this tan as dark at the St. Tropez tan but I definitely made my face look healthier while still being Winter appropriate.   No one wants to be the girl with the bright orange “tan” in the middle of February and this Rodan and Fields sunless tanner wouldn’t make you “that girl”.

What’s your favorite sunless tanner?    Drop a comment below!   I really want to try this face oil many of you recommended but I’m trying to use up some of these other sunless tanners before I purchase more.

Addendum: I forgot to mention in the warmer months I have a home spray tan set-up.   This is the exact set up I have.   It paid for itself in 3 tans (factoring in that I would have to pay a sitter to get to a tanning salon).    If you can stomach having someone (a friend or spouse) spray you (it’s a very up close and personal view) I LOVE my home spray tans.   The video in this post will give you an idea of what it looks like when I spray tan at home.  It’s too cold for me to do them in the Winter – I’m majorly averse to the cold.

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  • Stephanie Keenan
    February 5, 2018 at 7:15 pm

    Million Dollar Tan :o)

    • Rachel
      February 6, 2018 at 3:02 pm

      I’ll have to add that to my list. Thanks Stephanie 🙂

  • Kasey
    February 5, 2018 at 8:19 pm

    I love the St.Tropez gradual Tan tinted body lotion. I am very fair and it’s gorgeous and looks natural. You have to rub in well so you are even but it’s worth it! I always moisturize my hands, knees and feet first to avoid over tanning. Wash your hands immediately after and no orange hands! Love it!

    • Rachel
      February 6, 2018 at 3:01 pm

      thanks Kasey! I’ll have to try the gradual one! my legs would do better with that since their baseline is sooooo white.

  • Janetslusser@verizon.net Slusser
    February 5, 2018 at 8:24 pm

    St . Moritz at Ulta…you apply with a mit…together it’s $20. If you don’t like it, you can take it back for a refund. I don’t apply to my face, but I guess you could…I do apply all over my body and there’s minimal smell which bothera me with self tankers.

    • Rachel
      February 6, 2018 at 3:01 pm

      I only just discovered you can return products you don’t like. that’s so good to know! thanks Janet!!

  • Jennie
    February 5, 2018 at 9:04 pm

    Hi Rachel. I was wondering if you took pictures of your tanned face after you used each product? I am interested in seeing the actual coloring that your face took on.

    • Rachel
      February 6, 2018 at 3:00 pm

      hi Jennie!
      I use them on my face and I don’t like to take close up face pictures. so no :). I did not take before and after.
      thanks!
      Rachel

  • Jennifer
    February 5, 2018 at 9:09 pm

    My favorite is super affordable! I like sally hansen airbrush sun. I use medium and it’s not too dark on my super pale skin but I think it also comes in dark. It dries really quickly, gives a little color right away and doesn’t stink!!! Oh use a mit with it or your hands will stain horribly..I learned this the hard way!

    • Rachel
      February 6, 2018 at 3:00 pm

      I used to use the neutrogenia spray one and It worked great. I stopped cause of some of the ingredients which may have changed in the last few years. Thanks Jennifer!

  • Jessica
    February 6, 2018 at 12:36 am

    I should probably look into this! haha

    http://www.jessicabroyles.com

    • Rachel
      February 6, 2018 at 2:59 pm

      🙂 I take it you’re winter white like me !

  • Whitney
    February 6, 2018 at 2:27 am

    My favorite self tanner is fake bake! When applied with a mit, it doesn’t streak at all. It doesn’t rub off onto clothes/sheets either, which is my fav part about it! I also don’t think it smells as bad/strong as most self tanners either!

    • Rachel
      February 6, 2018 at 2:59 pm

      I only started using a mitt about a year ago. makes such a big difference!!!

  • Chris
    February 6, 2018 at 1:43 pm

    I really enjoy the Clarins too, this is a super useful post thanks!

    • Rachel
      February 6, 2018 at 2:59 pm

      :). I’m happy to share. xx

  • Hebah
    February 6, 2018 at 2:18 pm

    Hi Rachel.. never used sunless tanners before but I heard so many great thing about the tarte one I’ve seen it in ulta

    • Rachel
      February 6, 2018 at 2:58 pm

      I love tarte! I can’t believe I haven’t tried it. thanks hebah!

  • Kacie
    February 6, 2018 at 2:43 pm

    I love the SeneGence Self Tanning Bronzing Coconut Milk, my favorite part is the lack of smell afterwards and even application.

    • Rachel
      February 6, 2018 at 2:58 pm

      someone else just mentioned that one! I’ll have to put it on my list. thanks Kacie!!

  • Linda Garza
    February 6, 2018 at 3:04 pm

    I dind’t have that problem with the St. Tropez, but I usually wear a long loose caftan to bed after I tan. DIdn’t have any transferring to white clothes either. The one I really want to try is the just nutritive sunless tanner. It has a lot of good reviews but IDK. You can find it here.
    https://justnutritive.com/sunless-tanning-light-to-medium-tones/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgPf5jseR2QIVEpd-Ch3Hugv-EAQYAiABEgK6rvD_BwE

    • Rachel
      February 7, 2018 at 7:02 pm

      I know!!! I like first hand reviews from someone I know. That isn’t one I’ve tried but it does look good!
      Thanks Linda!!!

  • Morgan
    February 7, 2018 at 6:41 pm

    Ten Minute Tan by Vita Liberata- I have tried tons of self tanners and this one has a good color even on fair skin. The instructions say to wash it off after a certain period of time but when I did that, I didn’t really get any color. To be honest, I apply with a mitt and then just leave it on. Love the color!

    • Rachel
      February 7, 2018 at 7:03 pm

      ha! I wouldn’t wash it over either. I’ll have to try that one when I run out of these. thanks Morgan!!!

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    February 13, 2018 at 3:14 am

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  • Stephanie
    February 14, 2018 at 6:30 pm

    https://global.ulta.com/gradual-tan-face-serum?productId=xlsImpprod15721151

    This one is organic, anti-aging and is cruelty free. I would love to see a review on it 🙂

    • Rachel
      February 20, 2018 at 1:17 pm

      I’ll add it to my list. Thanks Stephanie 🙂