St. Tropez Sunless Tanning

 Sunless Tanner: St. Tropez

Recently, Ali decided to say good-bye to real sun, and become a sunscreen fanatic.  Premature wrinkles and skin cancer just didn't sound too appealing.  But since a sun kissed glow is nice, what's a girl to do?  With all of the fabulous self tanners available now, there was bound to be a winner that gives that coveted bronzed effect at home.  Low and behold, Ali discovered St. Tropez!  Not orange, not fake looking, this stuff is the real deal.  Plus, the smell isn't terrible either!  It may be a little pricier than some of the other options out there, but one bottle of the Bronzing Mousse (8 oz size) will last you quite a while.  As a bonus, it won't clog your pores, so no need to purchase multiple products for your face as well!

Here's how to use this glorious self tanner...

Step One:  The first step in any sunless tanning process is simple... exfoliate!  Scrub off all of those dead skin cells in the shower, and give yourself a deep clean.  This provides the base for a even looking tan.  Apply a light moisturizer to your knees and elbows, as they tend to absorb more tanner than other parts of your body.

Step Two: Apply gloves.  This stuff dries fast, and we don't want the self tanning evidence on our palms, now do we?  St. Tropez sells a Tan Applicator Mitt, but disposable gloves are also a good choice.  Powder-Free Vinyl Gloves work great for this, and won't "stick" to your skin while applying (latex gloves are much harder to use).  If you have long hair, put it in a pony tail.

Step Three: Tan!  Pump the mousse into your gloved hands, and be prepared to work fast.  Rub in a circular motion, starting at your face and working your way down.  Avoid eyebrows, and try to not get too close to your hairline.  Blend in any areas that appear darker, so that it doesn't dry darker than the rest of your skin.  Don't forget the tops of your feet, and reach inside the top of the glove to get a little color on the tops of your hands.

Step Four: Let it soak in.  Wait a few minutes before getting dressed.  Do not sweat, get wet, or shower for at least four hours (as recommended on the bottle).  Try applying it before bedtime, to give the color a chance to really set in.  By the morning, you can shower as usual (don't exfoliate!) and reveal your beautiful new tan!  Pat dry with your towel, as to not exfoliate when drying off.  Moisturize with your favorite lotion afterwards.

What are your favorite self-tanning products?  We would love to try out new things!