The Best Self Tanners You Need To Use ASAP

Being pale can really be a struggle. It is said that if you’re tan, you feel better about yourself (this goes back to something in the old days, where being tan meant that you were wealthy because you could afford to go on vacation somewhere warm). While that isn’t so much its connotation anymore, everyone likes to be tan–and if you say you don’t at least like a little tan, you’re lying to yourself.

Unless you were born with a naturally darker skin tone or live somewhere warm year-round, most options to get a tan are limited (that are safe at least). I’ve used tanning beds for years, and they are so expensive and just not good for your skin. Even the sun itself can be harmful with too much of it. That leaves one solution–self tanner.

Self-tanners are tricky because they all vary with the quality, texture, and application. Some are thicker like lotion, and others are more of a liquid. Some you can spray on, others are lotions that you rub on. They also can be expensive, and you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into until you buy it yourself. I’ve been around the block with self-tanners, and here the best ones you will get some bang for your buck.

1. St. Tropez Mousse

St. Tropez tanning products are just great in general, but the bronzing mousse (either the express or the gradual), are so nice and work really well. I love the express treatment because it works great when you’re in a last-minute bind and want to be tan. It’s not streaky and doesn’t get too orange, which can be a huge issue also.

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2. L.A Tan VersaSpa

If you have ever gotten a spray tan from LA tan, you haven’t lived. While they are super nice, they can also be expensive to get all the time. Luckily for you, they sell their spray tan (whatever mist comes out of the machine), in a can. While it is on the pricier side, it’s totally worth it. This product is sold in L.A tan stores, but you can also get it online. You will never want to buy another spray tan mist again after using this one.

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3. St. Moriz Spray

This is another great “mist” spray tan that’s a little less expensive than the VersaSpa spray, but does just as good of a job. When I was a cheerleader I used to use this one all the time–it’s nice because you can layer it without it looking too orange. They also have different levels of darkness, which is nice if you’re super fair-skinned.

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4. Tan Towels

I will admit, I was super skeptical to use these when I first heard of them. Again, a girl on my cheer team used to use them and her color always looked so nice. These are great because they sell a version for your body and then a version for your face. It’s really hard to get self-tanner products that won’t turn out badly on your face or will make you break out. You essentially just rub the towels on your body, and they show up in no time.

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5. Tarte Self-Tanner

If you’ve ever used Tarte shape tape, then you know this is about to good, Tarte self-tanner is another one of my favorites that you can buy at Ulta or online. It’s super lightweight and won’t make you super dark. If you are looking for a deeper color, go with one of the ones above.

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6. Applicator Mitt

While it’s not a self-tanner, you will need this mitt for all of the products above (except the tan towels). You can get any brand, but I prefer the St. Tropez one. Happy tanning!

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