Ah, self tanner. There are countless kinds from countless brands and finding the absolute best one can be the kind of trial and error you don’t have time for. I used to be a heavy sunbather. Growing up in California and living in mostly warm states, the sun and I became best friends and I lived for long days of just laying out by the pool or at the beach. Last year, though, things got so busy and the idea of heading to the beach for a lazy day in the sun seemed like more of a chore than a pleasure! So, I decided to start experimenting with self tanners so I could keep some color year-round.
For a long time, I was using St. Tropez’s Self Tan Bronzing Mousse and while I loved it, I’m always open to trying new things which is what led me to try Loving Tan. I had been seeing it everywhere, all with rave reviews so I figured it was worth testing out. I’m happy to report that the reviews are right—Loving Tan is by far the best self tanner I’ve used! It has the same sort of mousse consistency of St. Tropez without that overwhelming smell you get with most self tanners. Instead, Loving Tan’s scent is sweeter and way more palatable (Will doesn’t even notice it, and he smells everything!). I picked up the medium express color and dark regular, but there isn’t much difference between the two so I’ve found myself sticking with the dark regular!
As for the actual application of this self tanner, I can’t stress enough how game-changing this tanning mitt (similar here) from Amazon has been! I used to apply self tanner with my bare hands (rookie mistake, I know), making cleanup a nightmare—this mitt has changed that! It rinses off immediately with just water.
Tips for applying Loving Tan
- You’ll want to be in your birthday suit to apply the self tanner, and that includes removing any daily jewelry you wear and may forget about!
- Put a few pumps of Loving Tan into the application mitt and start to apply by rubbing in circles.
- When applying it to your elbows, knees, and hands, make sure to bend the skin so it’s nice and tight to avoid applying it to the natural folds of your skin, which will leave white streak marks!
A quick note: I do not use Loving Tan on my face. I don’t like the look of self tanner on my face, so I stick to using bronzer to get a sunkissed glow that matches my skin!
How To Apply Loving Tan:
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Exfoliate all over with Necessaire
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Shave your legs with the best razor ever
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Use your normal bath towel to dry off
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Apply Loving Tan with an application mitt all over
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Allow the tanner to set for a good 5 minutes
Thrown on something loose that you don't mind getting a bit dirty, like this jumpsuit! Make sure after you rinse off later, you follow up with body lotion to keep your skin hydrated.
Before & After
*No filter has been applied to these images
Before Applying Self-Tanner
Immediately After Applying Self-Tanner
8+ Hours After Applying Self-Tanner
What’s amazing about Loving Tan self tanner is it dries almost instantly. However, I still prefer to wear loose-fitting clothes right after application to be extra careful. I did once test out if and how badly it stains if it comes into contact with white clothes, and it washed right out with no issues!
I prefer to apply this self tanner mid-afternoon or right before bed, then shower in the morning. As for how often I apply, I would say once or twice a week as needed. The initial color stays vibrant for a good two days and starts to fade after three. It could potentially last a week if you didn’t shower, but with how often I workout and work up a sweat, that’s out of the question for me! Usually around day four of wearing Loving Tan self tanner is when I need to start the full application process from the top.
Lastly, for what it’s worth, I have used self tanning wipes before when I’m in a pinch and L’Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Towelettes are definitely my favorite. I like to carry a pack of these with me when I’m traveling in case I need a quick touch up, and it’s a huge bonus that they’re super inexpensive and available at most drug stores!
I’m Loving Tan’s newest, biggest fan and I think you will be, too. Let me know if you try it and what kind of results you get!
Self Tan Products
Self Tanner (Dark) | Tanning Mitt (similar) | Razor | Exfoliator | Jumpsuit | Towels | Body Lotion
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What’s the best way to wash the tanning mitt? I have isle of paradise now but will come back to this and purchase loving tan:)
Hey! I just rinse with cold water until the water is clean in the sink, then air dry.
Ooo I need to try out Loving Tan!
Demi | https://demibang.com/