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Hello friends! Wow, it’s hard to believe we are already in JULY!!! Time has just seemed to pass so quickly this summer. Between school, work, and trying to have somewhat of a social life, June completely flew by in a flash.
Now if you’re like me in the summer, you LOVE to be outside, laying next to a body of water in your cutest new swimsuit find, trying to soak up every last ray the sun has to offer before the summer months end and it’s time to trade in your swimmy and flip flops for booties and jeans (which I do love too, don’t even get me started on my “ber” months!) However, when you work a full-time job, you might not have the time to lay out and get the perfect tan you want.
Trust me, I get it. I totally get it.
So here are some of my favorite tanning products (both for sunless and outdoor tanning, in the case you have time to sneak a few rays!) I use to help me achieve that perfect summer tan!
St. Tropez Tanning Essentials
This stuff is INCREDIBLE. I have been using this all summer long so far, and I could not be happier with the results! I know it’s kind of pricey, but the bottle lasts a LONG time (I’m not even half way through it and I’ve been using it since May) and it is the best color I’ve found. I have and use all 3 of the items below and would definitely recommend if you’re planning on trying the Bronzing Lotion, to get the Applicator Mitt as well. It saves my hands so I never have that tacky fake-tan look where it dyes your knuckles and in between your fingers and it really helps to blend the lotion everywhere on your body so you don’t end up looking streaky. I’ll use this in the morning, wait a few minutes to get dressed so it can soak into my skin, and then I’m good to go! When I shower at night, some of it comes off, but for the most part, the color stays and it doesn’t look streaky or splotchy anywhere! I usually use it 3 days at a time in order to achieve the color I want. The color generally lasts about 1-2 weeks for me, so it gives me a nice window of being golden-bronze tan! 🙂
Dry Tanning Oil
So for when I DO actually get to tan outside, I usually use dry tanning oil because it gets me tan super fast and is usually super long-lasting! This Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Oil is one that I like to use when I go out because it’s super affordable compared to a lot of other brands on the market, it doesn’t leave you smelling weird like some tanning oils do, and it works really well for achieving that golden-bronze look for your summer tan! Now be careful because like I said, it really works and gets me tan super fast, so while I usually like to use it by itself if I’m going to be out for an hour or so, I would definitely recommend adding some extra SPF as a base if you’re going to be out all day.
Sunscreen for Face (& Tattoos)
After Sun Gel/Moisturizer
One thing I ALWAYS make sure I do after I get out of the sun from tanning is moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!! I think one of the biggest mistakes you can make after tanning is just showering and letting your skin sit without any moisturizer at all. The sun takes a lot out of you and your skin, so making sure you replenish and use a good lotion or aloe vera gel (if you happen to stay out a little longer than expected) to add that moisture back into your skin. Not only will it help your tan last longer, but it will help keep your skin from peeling and looking dried out from the sun!
I love Sun Bum products and these are super affordable (each about $10 a piece!) One of these is an aloe vera gel in case you get burned (ESPECIALLY MOISTURIZE IF YOU GET BURNED) to help cool your skin and helps prevent peeling and blistering. Take it from a strawberry blonde who is an avid tanner… Aloe Vera is a godsend if you get burned. It also has tea tree leaf oil to help with relieving dryness. The other one I listed is an after sun lotion that has cocoa butter and jojoba oil to help keep your skin super soft after a day of tanning. I LOVE the way cocoa butter lotion leaves my skin so soft and feeling great, so this is definitely a favorite of mine! I actually use it after I shave my legs too since it’s such a good moisturizing lotion, in case you guys want to try that too!
So those are the products I use regularly in the summer (and really anytime I need a little color!) to help me achieve a nice golden-bronze tan! These products are my personal favorites and I find that they really work for me, so I hope you guys will like them too!
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