Recommend Good Sunless Tanning Lotion?

[tezb]

Although I tan reasonably well, as I get older, I am more concerned about skin cancer and would like to try using a sunless tanner this cruise. Not real dark, just light tan. Can anyone recommend a good one that you've tried before..and one that looks more natural not orange in color...

thanks in advance

 

[mmouse37]

Good question!!! I have been thinking along those same lines. I read something online that compared a whole bunch of brands but I cannot remember the site it was on. Any other Disers have some opinions, suggestions???

MJ

 

[Michelle]

I have used Neutrogena sunless tanning spray (light/medium) for YEARS. I highly recommend it. It leaves a VERY natural color (I am very fair and anything dark would look fake). The key is to EXFOLIATE the skin you want to spray before doing so, to avoid streaks. The Neutrogena dries in 5 minutes.

 

[rae519]

Oh, I hadn't thought about this in years....but I must share it (I must! I must! I must!)

When my DD Kayla was about 5, she asked me why I wasn't as dark as she was. She was biracial (adopted by us when she was 5 weeks old). I did my best to explain genetics to her and she said, "Well, why don't you try some of that lotion that will make you dark?"

Reasonable request since I am as pale as they come - so I did.
When she saw the results, she said, "Mommy, I'm sorry I asked you to do it. You look like the Great Pumpkin now."

YUP, I turned ORANGE.

Quote the Raven, "NEVERMORE"


Rae

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

I agree with Michelle that Neutragena has a great product just be sure to wash your hands right afterward and also mix a little tanning lotion with regular lotion for your toes and ankle areas. Last year I could not find Neutragena in stock where I live so I tried Banana Boat and I love it more! It costs half as much and works great. It comes in a tube and is available in dark and light/medium. I use dark and it looks very, very natural. My DH calls it my "tan in a can".

I was diagnosed with melanoma when my eldest son was 5 weeks old which will be 5 years ago next week. Luckily I caught it very early but boy it woke me up to the dangers of cancer and how deadly melanoma is. People hear melanoma or sun cancer and think no risk or no big deal. It is the fastest growing cancer in the world. I was in Florida last week and I saw at least 100 people in Sarasota and Tampa I wanted to warn about the dangers of burning and tanning.

Anyway try both and see which works with your skin type

 

[Minnee]

I was thinking about this very same thing this morning.

I don't know what kind I used( when I was pregnant) but I did turn orange!!!

Where have you found these sunless tanning lotions? Target?

Thanks so much !

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

Wal-Mart, Target and Eckerds all carry them

 

[Cara]

I used to love the Clarins tanning lotions, but they are too pricey for my budget now. I have used the Neutrogena foam with great results.

Cara

 

[mobetsy]

Rae, what a hysterical story about your daughter; Great Pumpkin indeed! Thanks for sharing

 

[cathyrob]

I have used Clinique's lotion for several years. I am a pale blond who does not tan very well. I have had nothing but good outcomes with their lotion. I buy the medium body and face lotion, it also comes in spray. I like it because it doesn't have the oder that most others have and you get the tan color not the great pumpkin! Most major department stores carry Clinique. Yes, you should shower/exfoliate before applying lotion. It works wonders!!

 

[tezb]

Wow! More replies than I expected...thanks for all your responses.

It's nice to first see what everyone recommends because you could spend a fortune trying various brands...they're all so expensive to begin with. I've heard of all those brands so will check it out and try one or two here at home first. I just hope I apply it well so it goes on even...any tips on the technique? Also how often do you reapply?

 

[Jenn31]

I have used self tan spf 15 from Bath and Body Works for the last few years and it works really well. I like it because it gives you a really soft tan that looks really natural.

 

[Cindyluwho]

Here in the Seattle area we have one of those neat spray tan booths. It's amazing! My husband had a run in with Melanoma this past fall and I'm a pale redhead so we tried the booth. We exfoliated at home before we went. It only takes 30 seconds, 15 minutes on the front, turn yourself around and 15 minutes on the back. You put lotion on your feet and hands before you get in, put a shower cap over your hair and you're ready. When you come out you towel off, put on your clothes, wash your hands and go home. Within 4 hours I had the most natural looking tan! No orange!!! It was kind of spendy, about $20 for a visit, but it lasted for weeks!

 

[off2disney]

I have never heard of spray tan booths! I burn very easily and am white as a fish belly. I wonder if there are any of these spary tan booths around here (Gulfport, Mississippi)? I'll have to check it out. It would be well worth $20 bucks

 

[rae519]

The things I do for my kids........


Rae (alias Great Pumpkin of LONG, LONG ago)

 

[happy mom of 6]

I have used Bain de Soleil with Streakguard in the past with good results. One thing that I recommend is when you are applying it wear medical latex gloves or the palms of your hands will be orange, VERY ORANGE!! No problem with orange on my body though. Natural looking. Be very careful with applying around your ankles, if you don't you could get streaks. Also, like mentioned above, I mix the tanner with equal parts lotion.

 

[Linda1]

Here is a link to an iVillage page that gives the "Top Ten Self Tanners" http://www.substance.com/shop/whatshot/article/0,,268759,00.html or you can go to www.iVillage.com and do a search. I put in the word 'sunless'.

Linda

 

[gassmandy]

My sister has been using Clinique for her body and Estee Lauder for her face and looks gorgeous--I thought she'd just been at the beach or the pool. When she told me just yesterday what she'd been using-- I gave her money to go get it for me from the mall (I'm 8 1/2 months pregnant and don't feel like seeing anyone!!). Anyway--I timed it perfect because it was "gift" time at Clinique so I got a bunch of free products w/ my purchase. If you're on a budget and don't usually want to spend the kind of money like you do on Clinique and Estee--then always try and time your purchases during their "gift" times. They both do them and every department store that carries them rotates "gift" time so you can actually almost always buy the product you want at whichever store is currently doin gift time. Like I said--my sister looks gorgeous--and she bought me 2 bottles --$15 each but I got about 7 or 8 other products w/ it.

 

[tecdavidt]

FYI to all, Clinique, Estee Lauder and Mac are all owned by Estee Lauder! Great Prouducts. I have been using Estee Lauder for years. My line is I am well preserved! Kathy

 

[Garretts92]

The spray on booth tan available in our area is called Mystic Tan. Info about how it works can be found here http://www.mystictan.com . One of the tanning salons in our area carries it along with the regular tanning bed stuff. I'm red headed and fair skinned and it works great. It's so hard to get bottled sunless tanners distributed evenly and if you're wearing something sleeveless, that can be important.

The only problem I have with any sunless tanners is that after swimming, it seems to get bleached out. My tan looked great until a day at BB last year. My tan wasn't totally gone, but I definately lost a good bit of it. That's when it's good to bring your bottled tanner and reinforce what you have left.