Self Tanning: How To Use Tanning Drops + Water
WHAT I USE TO SELF TAN AT HOME
Lately I have been getting so many questions on my tan! I talk about it all the time on Instagram and on my Instagram “Tanning” highlight, but have never addressed it on here, so I am excited to share it in more depth! For probably the last 9 months I have been using only these tanning water and drops & have seriously become obsessed with how easy they are to use and how amazing of at at-home tan they give. You can think of these tanning products just like any others, except they don’t have any bronzers in them! Which I personally love because you don’t have to worry about color transfer. They are also free of any parabens, GMO and gluten, so you can feel good about what you are putting on your skin. Although they seem totally crazy (the name WATER alone makes people question everything they know about tanning haha) they are really simple products to use, and I have grown to love them as part of my beauty routine!
For whatever reason, I like to use the drops just for my face, and the water just for my body, and I find that it works really well that way for me. You can use the drops all over your body, just make sure you always mix with lotion. I think the bottle would last much longer if you just used it for your face though. If you want to use the tanning water on your face, I would definitely use a fresh mitt or have one you only use for your face. You do not want the same mitt rubbing your body to be rubbing your face, I imagine!
This is not sponsored in any way, I just get so many questions on the products I knew this would be helpful.
Details:
What I like about this product:
The products do not have any added bronzer or coloring to them, which I love because it feels really clean to use them! I never have to worry about using the face drops and not being able to put on makeup after. Or even worse, worrying about getting in to bed after I use the tanning water, because there isn’t any immediate color transfer. Both products have a very subtle smell; not like your typical tanning lotion smell. It is very subtle and smells sort of tropical. You can even apply the start of the day, wear clothes, and end the day with a tan - WINNING!!
What might take time to master:
Since the drops and water are both clear, and not colored with bronzer, it does take a few uses to figure out how your skin takes the color and how to best apply the product. It can have a tendency to look streaky if you don’t take the time to really apply it properly or prep your skin beforehand.
PRO TIP FOR HANDS & FEET
to get an even, streak-free tan
Tanning your hands and feet can be the WORST and literally make you want to give up all together on tanning from home haha! Nothing is worst than streaky orange hands. Although it does take some time to master, (I sometimes still wake up with dark hands lol it just is the nature of doing something yourself, sometimes you will mess up) this tip helps so much!
Before applying the tanning water to your body (about 10 minutes before), apply a little bit of lotion to the dry areas of your body. This might include your elbows, knees, ankles, wrists and hands. Make sure you are paying attention to rub the lotion completely into your skin and target the dry areas where tanning products tend to settle and turn orange - yikes! About 10 minutes after applying the tanning water to your body (see below for further instructions), re-apply lotion to those same places.
I like to focus on my hands and my feet since those areas seem to get the most dry. I have found that this helps the tanning water blend into your skin more and doesn’t create such a deep dark color in those areas. I love having tan hands, but when the color settles too deep and dark into the skin it can look really bad. Hydrating these areas with lotion keeps them smooth and natural.
TANNING WATER FAQ
HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR TAN UP?
To keep your tan, you can continue to apply the water to your body every few days. Or you can also let the color completely fade, exfoliate and completely reapply. I like to use lotion every day on my whole body and face to keep it hydrated, since hydrated skin holds a tan longer.
DOES THE COLOR TRANSFER ONTO CLOTHES?
The color does not transfer onto clothes or sheets if you are using the tanning water or clear tanning water mouse, because there is no dye or bronzer in the products. They go on clear, and develop with time, so you don’t have to worry about any color getting on what you’re wearing. The color will develop over time to reveal a really natural glow that doesn’t wash off, like some products seem to. You can hop in the shower and it feels like all your color washed off haha, but that is not the case with these products.
can you use the drops for your body?
Yes you absolutely can! In my opinion, I prefer to use the water for my body since it covers more surface area and has more product in the bottle. I use the drops for my face (mixed with lotion - see below for further instruction) to achieve a really natural glowing tan, and love the way it looks. I have used the drops for my body before, just make sure you are still mixing with lotion & still using a mitt whenever you put tanning products on your body! I always like to wash my hands afterwards too.
get the glow
PURPLE: DARK / PINK: MEDIUm
TANNING DROPS
MIX WITH YOUR FACE LOTION
Tanning Drops:
For whatever reason, I like to use the drops just for my face, and the water just for my body, and I find that it works really well that way for me. As you will read below, the tanning drops are to be added to lotion or moisturizer and mixed before putting on the skin. They are very strong and need to be diluted by the lotion before being put on the skin. I like keeping the drops for my face, and adding them to my face lotion whenever I need a little color; usually before I go to bed or on a day when I am not putting on makeup, although you can put makeup over the top of it too! I think the drops are pretty easy and fool proof, as long as you mix them with the lotion before applying to your face.
• start with a clean / washed face
• put some face lotion or cream into your palm
• drop 1-10 drops (depends on how dark of color you want) into
your palm with the lotion, i usually do about 6 drops
• mix together in your hand
• spread all over your face like you would if it was just the lotion;
just make sure it's even and all over!
• sleep with the lotion/drop mix on
• i wash my face every morning, so when i wake up i wash my face
and put more lotion on like normal
• face will get darker overnight
• DO NOT USE DROPS on their own!
• you can do it as many times as week as you want or use as
many drops as you want - find what works best for you!
TANNING WATER
USE ALL OVER YOUR BODY
Tanning Water:
The tanning water can be a bit more tricky, but if you follow the steps (and make sure to use a mitt!) you will learn what works best for you, and after a few tries you will probably find your rhythm pretty quickly with how to apply it. For the instructions below I suggest sleeping overnight for 6 to 8 hours for the tan to fully develop, however you could wear them during the day after applying in the morning as well. If you apply to wear for the duration of the day, I would suggest wearing something flowy and not snug (like a dress, shorts or a t-shirt) just so the tan doesn’t rub off with tight clothing as it is developing.
• clean / exfoliated body & pat dry
• put some lotion on the dry areas of your body 10 min before applying water
(hands, elbows, ankles)
• i usually spray in the shower so the spray doesn't get on the floor or walls
• spray water all over body (it's clear); starting with one
area to make sure everything gets covered
• use a mitt and rub the tanning water up and down, then in circles;
spray again if you need more
• repeat on arms, legs, back, stomach, neck
• go gentle on ankles, knees, elbows, hands because they tend
to take color more (esp. if they are dry)
• take the mitt up to your neck where it meets with your
face (drops will tan your face) but you want it to look even and have no lines
• wash hands after
• sleep for 6-8 hours and rinse off in the shower the next morning
• use tanning water weekly or bi-weekly or whenever you need more color!
