We all love a good [healthy] glow from the sun but, let’s be honest, this means you have to start somewhere…and that somewhere is likely white as a Beluga if you are wearing your sunscreen or staying out of the sun. For most of us, who has time to just sit around and work on your tan. Most of us have jobs and can’t dedicate an hour or two every day to building a gradual tan for beach season. This is particularly annoying f you are going away on for a tropical vacay and you feel pasty and uncomfortable in a bathing suit. Not to worry because the evolution of sunless tanning has made it so easy to achieve a sun kissed glow in hours and, often times, in the comfort of your own home?
Below are the best sunless tanning products, in our opinion, and you can achieve a luscious tan without having to leave your home or go through a ton of extra effort…
Sally Hansen Leg Make Up
The Sally Hansen Leg Makeup range is a fantastic option for those who are preparing for a night on the town and want to show their legs off in the light they truly deserve. Coming in either spray on or lotion format, this product dries to a matte finish and doesn’t leave any sticky residue. Perfect if you don’t want to waste any time clearing away unwanted excess. This product will make your legs look like you have nude nylons on… The product is so basic but totally essential! You can get your hands on the Leg Make Up range at CVS or amazon.com.
Tan Towels
Tan Towels are the perfect product for applying an even, deep base tan layer on which you can further develop to achieve the most vibrant and eye-popping sun kissed glow possible.This product is at it's best when used as a base layer and combined with the likes of Leg Make Up or other spray tan products to “deepen” the impact of the tan. It is so quick and the towel is clear so the product doesn't get everywhere or stain. It drys in about an hour so you can do your make up while you dry off. You may want to bay powder before you dress, it can be a little sticky. You can find this product for sale at tantowel.com or amazon.com.
Lancome Flash Bronzer
The Lancome Flash Bronzer range is perfect for those who want to stand out from the crowd due to it's slightly sparkly finish – this might not be the most obvious option for a day at the beach, but for a night out; you really couldn’t do better! It dries to an amazing powdered finish meaning no stickiness – it’ll look natural with just enough “sheen” to make a bold impact. The only downside we can think of is that it takes about an hour to dry…but that’s a small price to pay for an amazing finish. You can find it at lancome.com or shop.nordstrom.com.
St Tropez – Gradual Glow
One of the most “risk free” options on the list, Gradual Glow contains an array of vitamins and minerals to help soothe and revitalize the skin whilst simultaneously delivering a steady, smooth tan. Whilst you’re perhaps not going to get the eye-popping impact that other options offer, what you are going to get is a “safe”, staged tan that you can gradually build upon. This is perhaps best used as a base layer on which you can build for special occasions, but it is best used if you are looking for a little day to day glow (not like you just came back from the Caribbean) and will certainly meet the needs of first time tanners AKA those who don’t want an “over the top” look. You can find it at sephora.com and sttropeztan.com.
Professional Air Brush Salons
Ultimately, though it’s going to cost a little more – going to a local airbrush salon and getting tanned by a skilled professional is always going to help you achieve the most impactful, deep and natural looking tan possible. It will be the most even and look the most natural. This usually takes 15 minutes and you can shower in a few hours depending on how dark you want to get. It’s possible to do a great job at home with any of the other suggestions above, but the extra attention to detail at a salon can really make all the difference when it comes to even coverage and giving you suggestions for the right shade/ how to extend your bronze as long as possible. What’s more, if you choose a mobile beautician then they can visit you at home, meaning you get an amazing tan without having to leave your front door. These can more on the pricier side.
No matter which option you go with – rest assured that any of the above tanning options will leave you looking sun kissed and vibrant.You can go down the more natural / subtle route with Gradual Glow, or deliver the wow factor with an item like Flash Bronzer or Leg Make Up – the choice is yours!
