Hello, and welcome (back) to KristenShane.com!!
I’m just going to pretend like summer isn’t over for as long as possible… which means I’m still holding on to my summer tan! I’m very naturally pale and extremely freckly, which means I just don’t tan easily. Even in the summer time, when I’m a few shades darker than usual, I’m still embarrassingly paler than my beautifully-bronzed-friends.
I used to (and sometimes still do) really hate how freckly I am… but I’ve learned that’s just how my body works, and that’s okay.
I’m all for protecting my very-sensitive skin, which means I’m constantly lathering up with sunblock when I am in the sun, which makes that “tan” even more of a far off daydream.
I don’t think you have to be tan, or be any one way in particular, to be beautiful, but I am all about being confident and feeling good in your own skin, whatever that means for you.
For me, that means I’d like to be able to be a summer tan without harming my skin from dangerous UV rays or tanning beds.
Because of all this, I’ve recently starting looking into self-tanners, to find an easier, much healthier alternative to trying to get that summer glow I want, without harming my skin.
Today I’m going to be sharing my review of a self-tanner that I just tried out! Tanceuticals was nice enough to reach out to me and send me some of their products to try in exchange for my honest review! I wouldn’t be talking about any product I don’t stand behind.
I’ve only used one other self-tanning product in the past, so I was a little worried about trying another one, especially after reading reviews from my fellow #PaleSquad and #FreckleFam about lots of self-tanners leaving them more carrot-y than glow-y.
However, after reading about Tanceuticals’s products, and reading a bunch of their reviews, I felt totally comfortable, and excited to try it for myself!
The Tanceuticals website clearly explains how their product works, and what ingredients they’ve added to make this product better than competitors. With ingredients like argan oil and shea butter, their tanners help to smooth and nourish your skin, in addition to getting you that natural summery glow!
- Prep: shower, shave, and exfoliate!
I hopped in the shower to prep my skin for application. I like to use this St. Ive’s Renew & Purify exfoliating wash. It smells so good and leaves my skin feeling soft and fresh.
- Apply
I picked out the CC+ Color Correct Self-Tanning Body Lotion in the shade ‘light’. I used the Tanceuticals mitt for application, which made it so so easy to apply, and helped avoid the mess on my hands!
I followed the directions on the bottle and while the ‘light’ shade is too light for me, I didn’t notice any streaks, orange-ness, or uneven color.
My face, chest, and arms and somehow always tanner than my legs, so I’ll probably reapply the lotion to my legs tomorrow to deepen the color.
*Edit: after re-applying an hour later, the color has darkened nicely and is totally even and natural, no streaks, no orange!*
- Tan!
Unfortunately, I think I would’ve been better off with the ‘medium’ lotion, as the light color didn’t make too much of a difference on my skin. I was skeptical to order a darker shade since I am so pale, but the lotion itself was about the same as my current color, which is a little tanner than usual from the summer!
They also recommend daily moisturizing to elongate your tan, which I’ll do this week to see how it lasts. I’ll probably re-apply to my legs tomorrow and see if the color deepens at all.
Even if this color wasn’t quite right for me right now, I think it’ll be perfect for a super natural tan in the winter, once my summer tan has totally worn off. While the color isn’t super noticeable on me, I did immediately notice the other benefits of the CC lotion: my skin was smoother, super soft, and definitely “color corrected” as advertised!
The only downside of this product was that I chose the wrong shade. It’s no fault at all to the product, I just should’ve ordered a darker shade! I’d recommend their “medium” if you’re complexion is pale/freckly like mine, and definitely don’t be afraid to go darker from there.
Even without the darker tan I was hoping for, this product is still awesome in terms of the other benefits, smell, application, etc.
I’d definitely recommend checking out Tanceuitcals if you’re interested in getting a great, natural, summery glow that’s actually good for your skin!
I just posted the before & after pictures on my Instagram, so be sure to go check that out, too! 🙂
