Are self-tanners the way to go for a natural,
sun-kissed glow?

If you wanted a sun kissed tan a couple of years ago, you would most likely have to go and tan in the outdoors. That sexy, healthy glow that came with summers spent on the beach often meant exposing yourself to harmful UVA and UVB rays. Luckily, self tanning lotion is growing in popularity and it’s now possible to get glowing skin without having to expose yourself to sun damage.

At the end of the day, we don’t all live in hot, humid climates that are perfect for that year-round sun kissed look. That’s why summer is a time for boating, flocking to the beach, barbecuing and tanning. Everyone is after that elusive ‘perfect’ tan that is the right amount of tan to make you look sexy and healthy, but not like you’ve spent too many hours on a tanning bed.

While we acknowledge that a natural tan is gorgeous, the problem with our never-ending quest to achieve a sun kissed tan is that we are putting our bodies and skin through a whole heap of damage to get there. Even if you are a regular sun-goer －who listens to the warnings and reapplies your sunscreen when it’s needed－chances are that you’ve made a mistake and experienced the agony of sunburn at some stage of your life.

Luckily, there is a cost-effective, convenient way to achieve a ‘movie-style’ tan without putting your body through the risk of overexposure to the sun. Sunless tanning lotion or self tanner has exploded in popularity over the last couple of years. Good self tanners have eliminated that yellow color, streaky look, and the need to bake your skin.

1. The advantages of self tanning lotion

There are many benefits of using bronzing lotion or a self tanner for face and body tanning.

They are safer: Obviously, the biggest advantage and reason to use sunless tanning lotion is because it eliminates the need to expose your skin to UVA and UVB rays. These ultraviolet light wavelengths penetrate your skin, and while sunburn is sore, it’s not the worst aspect of it. The rays enter your cells and can even impact your DNA. Sun damage is one of the main causes of premature skin aging.
They nurture your skin: The best tanning lotion doesn’t just protect your skin, but it’s good for it too. Modern indoor tanning lotion is packed with vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients that nurture your skin and keep it hydrated. Moisturizing formulas are a big part of the best self tanning lotions and they help to keep your skin healthy, fresh, and radiant.
It’s quick: If you are wondering how to get a tan fast then self tanner should be your go-to secret weapon. There’s no need to spend hours upon hours trying to perfect your tan in the sun; it’s quick, it’s simple, and it’s effective.
Low maintenance: With self tanner you don’t have to worry about heading back out into the sun every time that your tan begins to fade. You simply just have to spend a few minutes doing a top-up.
Choose your color: When it comes to natural tanning, you don’t really have a say in what color you go, as that’s up to the sun. Self tanner comes in a variety of different shades to suit your skin. There’s a best self tanner for fair skin, olive skin and everything else in between.
All year round tan: It’s safe to say that if you live in a region with cold winters, dreary autumns, and barely warm springs, that tanning is going to be confined to summer. The wonderful thing about self tanning lotion is that it gives you the option to be sun kissed year-round. You can even adjust the shade that you use for different seasons so that you look like you are naturally tanned throughout the year.

2. Types of sunless tanning lotion

So you’ve seen the amazing benefits of self tanners but that doesn’t mean you’re going to walk into a cosmetic aisle and immediately find the best self tanner for face or body use particular to your needs. There’s also a number of different self tanning lotion formulas to choose from, as follows:

Self tanning moisturizer: These self tanning lotions aren’t full-blown self tanners as such. Instead, they contain just a little bit of dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is the ingredient that leaves your skin tanned. If you’re wondering how to get glowing skin, then this is the product for you. Simply use this as you would a normal daily moisturizer and your tan will build up gradually with every use. This is perfect for just a little bit of color and especially great for those just starting to use self tanner. These are the best gradual self tanners.
Towelettes: These self tanning products are small towelettes that have already been soaked in self tanner. These handy little towels help you to get tanned with a simple swipe across the skin. These products are best used for topping up a tan while on vacation, or when you’re traveling for business, etc.
Self tanning lotion and cream: Lotions and creams are the most common form of self tanning products. They allow you to see where you’ve missed a spot and you can choose from a variety of colors. They also take a few seconds to dry, which is perfect for beginners who need to clean up any little mistakes.
Mousses and gels: Mousses and gels are incredibly fast drying, which makes them easy to build layers upon. These are great for more experienced self tanners that know how to blend the product as fast as possible and create customized contouring.
Self tanning spray: Spray tans are the easiest and most convenient way to cover large areas. However, apply these with caution, as they need an experienced hand for a flawless finish from 6 inches away from the skin.

3. Clarins Self Tanner

If you’re wondering how to make your skin glow, then look no further than Clarins’ self tanning products. All of our self tanners are perfectly formulated to hydrate and nurture your skin for a natural glow, using a combination of DHA and erythrulose. Our self tanning lotion will give you a gorgeous, golden glow throughout the year.

We offer a range of different self tanning lotions for all skin types. For a light, natural glow on your body that can be built gradually, try out our Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for Body. Add a few drops of this self tanner to your daily body moisturizer and you’ll be amazed with the results. The formula is customizable, so you can choose the tint of your skin, and it’s a 99.8% natural product. It’s gentle on the body and skin.

There’s also our Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for Face, that will give you a gorgeous sun kissed look. Add it to your daily or nightly Clarins face cream for a smooth, even glow all year-round.

For a quick fix or special occasion, try out our Liquid Bronze Self Tanning. It’s super simple to apply and it has a tinted formula that stops it from producing patches and streaks. Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel is also a great solution for those events where you may not have the time to go through your regular self tanning routine.

Ready for a year-round sun kissed tan?