Help! faux tan vs. fake bake vs. tan towels

LushBoutique

LushBoutique

Live Glamourously
Jan 15, 2009
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#1
Hi everyone! I need some help. I have not self tanned in a while just because I had some bad experiences before where it turned orange, streaky, stained or just plain un-natural looking.

I have tried tanning booths twice, it was alright but I don't want to make it a habit (scared of getting skin cancer). I have also tried the mystic tan, spray tan, the color turned really orange and I was flaky it was bad. Right now I am using Hawaiian tropic island glow firming lotion (its a gradual tanner) for 3 days now, I still look the same color which is really fair and pink-ish.

I have been reading tons of reviews on Bare Escentuals faux tan and fake bake, both has great color. Then I read on here about tan towels. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should use that is goof proof? I want a deep natural streak free tan. ...please help...
 
#2
I have never tried the Bare Escentualsa, but I have friends who have used it and had amzing results, like streak free, not orange, golden glow thing going on, seriously looks like they got back from the beach. I am super pale and like Tan Towels, but I think if you are looking for darker color your best bet would be the Bare Escentuals.
 
#3
I love tan towels, its more of a gradual thing from my experience but its great... make sure to exfoliate like nuts before doing any fake spray/cream/towel tanning that might have had something to do with your flaking. I found having a base tan helps you not turn orange but that totally defeats sunless tanning so it all depends on how pale you are, some people just get that orangey tone but can make it work for them but having a more dulled down tan that still looks great. I hope this helps! I need to start tanning myself as well lol
 
#4
I think there is some trial and error in finding the right self tanner. Body chemistry and skin tone give very individual results. I am naturally pretty fair but not as fair as some people. Here's what works for me; Once a week, Bare Escentuals Faux Tan on legs and Tan Towels everywhere else. Two to three times a week, Dove gradual tanner. I get very natural color with all three. The BE has a very slight DHA smell and I get no odor at all from TT and Dove. That DHA smell really seems to vary between people though. I've gotten tanners in the past after reading tons of reviews saying no odor and when I used it- ick, stinky! I just read on the tt thread someone got the DHA smell with them and I literally get zero smell from them. I think BE and TT are a great starting point but you might have to play a little to find what is perfect for you.

ETA- Oops, just realized I didn't address streaking. BE is tinted so you can see if you are leaving streaks. For some reason I can't master it on my feet though so I use TT there. I have no trouble at all with streaking with TTs. I apply the BE with gloves because it stains the heck out of my hands. Even after only applying it to my legs I have to wash my hands forever to get the color off if I don't wear gloves.
 
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#5
for something goof proof, go with gradual tanning lotions. tanning towels can work really well but it can still come out uneven if you apply uneven pressure. for me, it's hard to maintain the same amount of pressure on my knees, feet, and back. especially as the towel gets drier, you feel like you NEED to apply harder and that's when you start to get uneven.
 
#6
Thank you so much for your help ladies!

talexs- I think the bare escentuals, as you have commented on will probaly be what I am looking for since you said that it does not streak and gives that instant beach glow :smile:

FijiBuni - I'd say I'm like a pinkish pale if that makes sense. My legs are very white, but the rest of my body isn't too white it has a little color. I'm part asian, but I don't have the usual dark olive to olive colored skin. I use to get soo tan when I would be in the sun, now...I just burn unfortunately. I will use your suggestion though and make sure I exfoliate like crazy!

nseastar - wow, you have a whole regimen going on! But thats great that you learned what worked best for you and created your own system. I think that I will continue using the Hawaiian tropic island glow and see if any color develops after a full week. Then I will try Bare escentuals, while using the Hawaiian tropic gradual tanner still. I'll test out the BE and see how that goes, if it doesn't work for me then TT it will be!
I have a question though, when you use BE for your legs, then you use TT for your feet, since they are different formulas..does your leg comes out a different shade of tan from your feet? hehe

stephc005- That was my problem when I was using sunless tanners, I would not be able to put consistent pressure for it not to streak. I don't know how other people get it so perfectly.
 
#7
I can't be of much help because I haven't actually tried the BE faux tan yet, but they just recently had a TSV on QVC that was a faux tan set that had this new brush to apply it which really appealed to me so I ordered it. It seems really easily to apply, not messy, and hard to mess up (especially thinks to that new brush). I'm looking forward to getting it. I usually never keep up with any fake tan products because they're such a chore. Hopefully this one will be as easy to use and keep up with as it seems. I especially liked how it seemed to apply really easily to harder to apply areas like the tops of hands, feet, knees, ect thanks to that new brush.
 
#8
LushBoutique said:
nseastar - wow, you have a whole regimen going on! But thats great that you learned what worked best for you and created your own system. I think that I will continue using the Hawaiian tropic island glow and see if any color develops after a full week. Then I will try Bare escentuals, while using the Hawaiian tropic gradual tanner still. I'll test out the BE and see how that goes, if it doesn't work for me then TT it will be!
I have a question though, when you use BE for your legs, then you use TT for your feet, since they are different formulas..does your leg comes out a different shade of tan from your feet? hehe
Click to expand...
Haha, I know I take self tanning very seriously.:lol: I'm a born and raised Florida girl and I'm used to tan skin and just hate being pale. My daughter is really pale and loves it and I think it's so pretty on her but I can't get used to it for myself.

The Tan Towels and Faux Tan blend really well. Right after application my legs will be darker since the Faux Tan has a tint but in the morning everything is the same color. If you get the Faux Tan and find a technique for using it on your feet please pass it on. I don't know why but I just can't get it down.
 
#9
rubyjuls - that does sound appealing! I like the brush idea...I can't wait until you get it in the mail!! Please let me know how it goes. good luck!

nseastar - so lucky you get to be tan and warm all year round! but I know what you mean cause I was born in PA, but raised in Florida. I was dark when I lived down there, and was easier for me to tan, now that I'm up here...I'm just pale :P Aww...I'm glad your daughter likes her skin shade. I know a lot of girls are starting to sun bathe or to tanning beds early (badddd for the skin, especially so young!)

Thats good that the TT and BE ends up blending well for you. When I get the faux tan, I will let you know if I end up mastering a technique for blending the feet. But it might take me a while ...heheh. Because the Hawaiian tropic I've been using, does not really show any color, but I was outside today looking at my arm and realized there were a couple random small streaks here and there on both arms!! I don't get it! It doesn't give me any color, but the color that actually does show up was streaks!..the good thing though, that it is not extreme, I don't look like a zebra thank goodness!!
 
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