Newbie self tanning questions, would love some advice pls!

[mmmiu]

Hi BIC!

newbie self tanner here! I have the Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Natural Glow Face Drops Mediumin the Light/Peach shade in my cart ready for the impending Rouge sale. I want a hint of color so I still have that post vacation glow and this seemed to be the best foolproof product to try. I have a bunch of questions.....

1. How do you get your back evenly tanned if you don’t have a set of helping hands?

2. Do you normally tan your entire body or parts that show when you’re wearing a dress, tank, shorts, etc...?

3. For anyone that’s already using the drops, how often do you feel you need to reapply? A few days? A week?

4. Do you always exfoliate the day before you reapply?

Also...

Which option seems to make sense? Considering I use a silicone face scrubby pad with my cleanser, the FARMACY - HONEYMOON GLOW AHA Resurfacing Night Serum with Hydrating Honey + Gentle Flower Acidsand GLOW RECIPE - Watermelon Glow Sleeping Maskon a regular basis:

A) use the drops on my body only and get a slightly darker foundation 

B) use the drops on my body and NOT get another foundation and just rely on my bronzers for my face

C) use the drops all over including my face and just get a new concealer

hope someone can help! Thanks so much!

[txcatx]

@mmmiu  I am definitely not a self tan expert, and I'm always very cautious because I'm worried about streaks. So, I've always stuck with gradual tan products like ST. TROPEZ TANNING ESSENTIALS - Gradual Tan Everyday Tinted Body Lotion. I use it with the St. Tropez Tan Applicator Mitt. And I tend to tan easily--just from jogging outside, so I use self tanner to even out tan lines on my shoulders, chest, and legs. I don't always exfoliate before applying the lotion. And I just apply whenever I see the tan fading, so maybe for a few days a week, every other week. 

As for my face, I stick to bronzer. 

[gonerogue]

@mmmiu 

Seconding all of the wonderful @missjeanie‘s

advice and adding that I use St. Tropez Self Tan Express Bronzing Mousse 6.7 oz/ 200 mLwith the St. Tropez Tan Applicator Mitt

I don’t have anyone to do my back for me so I only go as far as I can reach and I only tan the part of my body that are exposed when I wear dresses partly because I’m lazy and partly because I have no help. I’ve been using the St. Tropez tanner for years now and don’t find it streaky at all and the tan lasts a good week. I do exfoliate the day before I tan but it’s only something I recently started doing and don’t see much of a difference from before when I didn’t exfoliate.

[missjeanie]

St. Tropez makes some of my favourite tanning products @gonerogue !  I've used the mousse a few times and like it.  I've also used the 'in shower lotion'.  It was weird at first, but it's nice too because I feel like it keeps any potential mess contained.  I'm always bound to touch stuff when I'm drying lol.  I usually alternate between different St. Tropez products all summer depending on what I feel like/what's in store when I run out. I like the gradual tan products for the first few tans so that I remember what I'm doing. 

Oh and I forgot about sprays.  Some of the can products that you can spray 360 degrees might be good to get hard to reach areas, though I haven't used them in years. @mmmiu 

[mmmiu]

 Have you tried their gradual tan body moisturizer?

[gonerogue]

@missjeanie 

So funny that you mention the in shower lotion. I actually have it and used it like 3 times but never liked how I didn’t see any results from it. I’m sure it’s somewhere in my house but I’m thinking of getting it out and giving it another try. I always get paranoid with sprays because I think that they will stain my clothes but I don’t have any experience with them so I can’t say I know if that really is true or not. Maybe someone else can provide some feedback on spray on tans? Feel free to chime in if you do! (Addressed to anyone in BIC) 🤓

[missjeanie]

I find the in shower one I need to leave on for a bit longer than they suggest.  I wouldn't know it worked other than I remember leaving the shower head on one time... I ended up with a run down the back of one leg.... It's a gradual tan for sure, I'm extremely pale and I use the medium to deep one.  I just leave it on longer if I want more tan out of it. @gonerogue 

[missjeanie]

I love that you're going for a fake tan @mmmiu ! So much healthier!  

I've used a few different tanners/styles over the years.  

1 - I don't always do my back, some times I can reach with my hands if I have mirrors in the right spots, and sometimes I'll use some lotion on a loofa that I have that's attached to a stick when I do do it.

2-Lately I only do my arms/legs/chest, most of my torso doesn't get seen in public, so I don't bother.  I'm quite fair and even my 'tan' is light, so it's not like I've got massive tan lines either.

3/4 - I only really tan during the summer months, sometimes I'll exfoliate, sometimes I don't.  I don't use the drops so I can't comment on those, but I usually do a few times a week to build up then once a week to maintain.

Considering you use a scrubby that gives some physical exfoliation and you use chemical exfoliants on your face, I'd say youre best off using options A or B.  Using the drops on your face only to exfoliate the tanned skin away seems a bit pointless to me.  Usually with self tanner on I try not to exfoliate and moisturize more to keep the tanned skin on my body.  I only exfoliate right before I'm reapplying.

Good Luck!

[mmmiu]

@missjeanie thank you so much for your input. lol i'm hoping I don't mess it up the first time!

When Fall has started, do you just use less tanner or just stop doing the touch-up altogether so it's a smooth color transition?

[missjeanie]

For fall I usually just stop using the tanner.  Then there will be one random nice weekend where I want to wear a dress so I just do my legs quickly then I'm done.  @mmmiu I usually use a light tan so it's hard to mess it up.  The gradual tan lotions like Jergens are good too if you want to use a lighter tan the first few uses and then 'bump it up' a bit daily with their lotions.

[mmmiu]

Ooooo that's a good idea haha, i didn't even think of the gradual lotions. Thanks!!!