At Home Quick & Easy Tanning Routine [in less than 3 hours]

Hello loves!

For those of you who know me personally, you'll know that it terms of my complexion I am as fair as they come. I don't tan, I burn. So in order to protect my skin from sun damage yet still have a sun kissed glow I have turned to sun-less tanning methods! I don't know about you, but ever since the closure of all non-essential business' I've been missing out on my monthly spray tans. 

Thats why I was so happy when I came across St. Tropez Self Tanning Express Mousse, which is an equally expensive alternative to my usual spray tans and product-wise will last me 5x longer. Let's jump into how I use this product and how amazing it is! 

How to Achieve a Flawless Tan

Exfoliate

step o n e 

The first step to achieving a flawless tan is making sure that you exfoliate your entire body and face. This step makes sure that you're removing any dead skin that the tanning solution could soak into and then evidently gets shed, leaving you patchy. 

It also removes any tanner that you previously had on, creating the perfect blank canvas if you will. I suggest doing this step in the shower the night before you plan on self-tanner, because after you apply the tanner you shouldn't wash your body with soap for at least 24 hours for the best results.

Make Sure You Have What you Need

step t w o

The best way to apply self-tanner [and especially the mousse] is with the tanning mitt that St. Tropez provides. It makes sure that you get the best application for a streak-free tan and doesn't soak up too much of the product which is great.

I suggest having someone available at home when you chose to self-tan to assist you when it comes to applying tanner to your back, I'm always able to get a majority of my back but of course my arms can't reach those impossible spots.

Apply Product

step t h r e e

I like to start at the bottom [legs] and work my way up. The first time that I used this tanner I aired on the side of caution and didn't use enough product or leave the product on long enough to get my desired result. Although it did work and I had a pretty sunkissed glow, I wanted to be darker.

So when you're applying I suggest that you break up your body into sections if you will and apply one full pump of product for each section. For example when thinking of your legs break them up into shin/thigh/back of thigh and apply one full pump to each area, repeat this process when it comes to your arms. For your torso break it up into two sections: chest and stomach, and then have someone assist you when it comes to your back!

Here's some tips and tricks that I learned along the way when it comes to application:

• use a beauty blender/sponge when applying the product to your face OR buy a St. Tropez tanning product specifically made for the face [I used the Self Tan Water Face Mist]
• make sure when doing your hands that you get in between the fingers and webs, otherwise it will be very obvious that it's a fake tan [also try to avoid knuckles]
• be sure to avoid getting the self-tanner on palms and bottom of feet
• use a make-up blending brush to blend out hands and feet for most natural look
• wear a thong or pasties or apply a sticker to tan over in order to be able to visually see a tan line this will allow you to truly see how long your tan lasts and when you need to reapply 

Help the product dry

step f o u r 

If you're impatient like me and don't want to wait for your self-tanner to completely dry down so you can get dressed while you chill before you have to rinse it off, here's a little trick.

Use a blowdryer! I turn my blowdryer on medium heat and full blast to help my tanner dry down, it also feels really nice because who doesn't like being warm??

chill until your desired level of tan

step f i v e

The beauty of this specific product is that it's so quick and easy! Even achieving the darkest depth tan only takes three hours! The product has three different levels:

• level one: light glow [one hour]
• level two: medium tan [two hours]
• level three: deep tan [three hours]

take a shower and MOISTURIZE

step six

After you chill until your desired level of tan, take a shower to wash off the bronzer that helped you with application. Do not use body soap, just rinse!

After you've gotten out of the shower make sure that you moisturize your entire body. Moisturizing will help to lock in the tan, make it last longer, and make sure that it fades evenly. Some great moisturizers to use after self-tanning are:

• St. Tropez Prep & Maintain Tan Enhancing Moisturizer
• Hempz Lotion
• CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

thoughts

scent

This product smells amazing. I'm so happy with the scent that I honestly wish it stayed on my skin longer. It's not too overpowering but definitely 1000x better that that yucky traditional spray tan smell, you know the one I'm talking about. 

application time

This product is so simple and easy to apply that it only takes about 10 minutes to cover my entire body. The tanning mitt really helps in the speed of things so I highly highly suggest picking one up!

results

Who needs a spray tan when you can have the same results and do it at home? That's how I feel when it comes to St. Tropez self-tanner because it is just that good. My tan is streak-free and flawless, lasting about a week to two weeks depending on how often I moisturize! I get compliments on how glow-y my skin is and will definitely be working this into my beauty routine!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and it inspired you to get your tan on! After all, summer is only around the corner.

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As always,