How to Look Like a Beach Babe: Part I – The Tan
Let me start out by saying I am naturally PALE: like Revlon 001-Ivory foundation pale. But I’m also one of those people who tans naturally and looks good with a tan- years and years of swim team have taught me that much. However, ever since my dad was diagnosed with skin cancer for the first time (out of five or six) when I was in high school, I became wary of the sun.
Right now, I’m sitting in my bedroom sporting a lovely shade of bronze- not because I’ve been laying out, but because I’ve been using what I’ve thought of as the best self-tanner for years…
St. Tropez Bronzing Lotion. ($40 for 8 oz. at Sephora)
Yes, I’m talking about St. Tropez – the BEST sunless tanner out there as far as I’m concerned. Celebs and beauty editors alike agree with me: the line is a favorite of everyone from Sienna Miller to Victoria Beckham, and appears at the top of almost every magazine’s yearly “top beauty product” list.
Before I show you guys how to use St. Tropez to get a gorgeous tan like the stars, let me get a few things out of the way:
Yes, it’s a mess to put on.
Yes, you will look like a mud wrestler while you let it dry.
Yes, it is pricey.
After all that trouble, why would anyone use it?
This tanner will give you a PERFECT color that most self-tanners out there can’t beat- it’s dark and makes you look like you’ve spent the weekend in Ibiza. No orange- ever. Seriously, its color is unparalleled and that’s what makes it (in my opinion) the best on the market.
Zephyr posted a great self-tanning tutorial a while back, so check that out if you just want to learn how to use self tanner the right way. This how-to focuses solely on St. Tropez (yes, this tanner requires its own tutorial. So worth it, I promise!).
To get the best results, do this right before going to bed at night- don’t bother with actually showering as you’ll shower again when you get up.
Step 1: Exfoliate
Every self-tanner tutorial starts with this step, for good reason: dry skin= streaky tan. Focus on your knees (especially right under your kneecap), ankles, elbows, and wrists. I just use a loofah without body wash- I think the St. Tropez brand exfoliator is a waste of money. Some say to avoid using a body wash that has oil in it, I’ve found that it doesn’t make a difference. Make sure to shave, too!
Step 2: Moisturize
Olay Quench Body Lotion- $4.71 at Amazon
Again, make sure to get the dry areas (knees, wrists, elbows), as well as your face and neck. St. Tropez makes its own moisturizer, but any one you have lying around will work.
Step 3: Apply
Still from application video (don’t worry – it’s supposed to look streaky until you wash it off!)
This video from St. Tropez does a great job of explaining how to apply their self-tanner. Here are my tips:
- Don’t worry about the number of pumps they tell you to use- use however many you need to coat the area you want to cover.
- Definitely use gloves! I used to apply it without using gloves and had to wash my hands every five minutes. You can buy a huge pack of vinyl or latex gloves at any drugstore and they’ll last forever- plus you’ll avoid orange palms!
- As the video says, don’t rub it in too much and, above all, don’t worry about making it even. It will look streaky before you wash it off!
- Don’t worry about buffing- If you follow Step 4, you won’t have to use it!
Step 4: Sleep
This tanner takes a while to set in- at least 6 hours. We’re busy college girls; we don’t have 4-6 hours to wait around for this tan to dry. Instead, just sleep while it dries. As long as your sheets aren’t too light-colored, you won’t make a mess.
Step 5: Wake up and Shower
As soon as you wake up, jump in the shower. Don’t look at yourself in the mirror unless you want to be freaked out- your tan will look streaky. Don’t worry- it’s supposed to! Make sure to get every part of your body wet- the water washes away any streakiness.
Step 6: Dry ‘n go
Once you’re out of the shower, pat yourself dry and marvel at your bronze skin- I swear it will look great. Moisturize your entire body and face- again, whatever lotion/cream you use normally will work now.
To prolong the life of your tan (it’ll last about 5-7 days) moisturize as often as you need- I usually lotion up twice as often as usual. That’s all you need to know!
What do you guys think?
Guys, I promise that using this is not as annoying as it seems- once you get the hang of it, probably after a few uses, you can apply it in under 15 minutes. Plus, you’ll look just as great as your beach-going friends- except without the risk of melanoma!
Now I want to know what you think. Have you used St. Tropez products? Will you? What’s your favorite self-tanner? Tell me everything in the comments!
Posted on on June 8, 2010 / Filed Under: Beauty & Hair / Tags: Brozing Lotion, How To, self tanner, St Tropez, Sun Protection, Tanning
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Holly
I love love this video tutorial, I’ve used st. tropez products before and watched it on youtube and it is incredibly helpful. I wash and exfoliate with oatmeal soap beforehand and my tan always looks like a dream :) great article
Elle Sees
I’m doing beach week on my blog and completely forgot to include a sunless tanner. Thanks for the tips!!
Sunshine
It looks great, but be aware of self tannars with Oxybenzone and Methylparaben as they increase the risk of cancer and much more.
Cathy
Sunless tanners make me nervous. I have very fair skin and I’d like to look tan, but I have never tried a self-tanner. I’m considering trying one of the gradual tanners, like the one from Jergen, because they are less intimidating. I don’t feel like I need to be as nervous about messing it up.
Brittany
I’m African American, and I think it’s just the strangest thing that people will will go out and buy tanning lotion or risk sun cancer to become a different color. To be honest, I think most (if not all) fair skinned girls look best their natural color–I’m not kidding. You don’t look sick, you don’t look gross. I have so many friends that tan in the summer and when they come back from vacation I secretly wish they wouldn’t have laid out because not only are they at risk for a disease, but they don’t look as pretty as they did before. I mean if you are naturally tan, that’s gorgeous too, because your features compliment the tan, just like pale girls.
Maybe I’m missing something here…? I don’t want to offend anyone–I’m just curious.
Kathi
I LOVE St. Tropez Bronzing Lotion ! This article is really great, especially using gloves and sleeping are the important steps. I am very fair and I used to be scared of self tanners, but since I started using St. Tropez I look healthy and glowing :) I’m excited to read the other summer articles :)
Greetings from Germany !
Morgan
Will definitely try it tonight! Do you have any experience with any other St Tropez products? Like the gradual tan, the mist, or the mousse?
Julie
For those of you that have used it, does it smell like other self tanners? that smell just makes me sick
Kelly
I’ve heard amazing things about St. Tropez! When my Dove Energy Glow runs out, I’m definitely going to try this!
Paula
I agree with you Brittany. I think naturally pale girls are pretty and I think naturally tan girls are pretty. Maybe I don’t understand because I’ve been the same shade my whole life lol.
Cara
Dying your skin a different color just seems totally wrong to me. When Michael Jackson bleaches his skin, it’s a worldwide scandal, but when half the white girls in the universe dye their skin darker once weekly it’s a normal, accepted beauty procedure?
I agree with Brittany. Your natural skin color, or natural with some acceptable, normal sun exposure, will always look better than any purposefully acquired color, no matter whether you’re milk pale or ebony dark. And, I, for the record, and a milk-pale, near-translucent white girl, with mild freckling and auburn-red hair (My mom’s Scottish, my dad’s of Irish ancestry). And yes, people are crude enough to comment on it and say things like my legs blind them. Nevertheless, I am proud of the personal, natural beauty of MY skin. I have never used a self-tanner of any sort in my life, and forget laying out, I’d scorch.
In the fashion and beauty world, we tell curvy girls to accept their bodies, mixed-race girls to embrace their unique heritage, quirky and artistic girls to take risks in their personal style. When will we stop telling “ghostly pale” girls that they’re not sick, and fat-looking, and unattractive, and wrong? When will girls in pageants, catalog models, and everyday girls appear in bikinis and miniskirts and prom dresses without shame, no matter how much melanin is in their skin?
I realize not everyone will accept this, and I do not mean it to offend. I also realize that the point of this particular CF article is to achieve a certain look, rather than a variety of standards. I would merely hope that any of you who are currently on the fence will decide with me to dare to sport your natural color, and call it beautiful even if it isn’t “beach-goddess bronze,” this summer and every summer. Wear those short shorts with pride, ladies!!
Sabrina
I have the mousse and I love it. Sounds like its easier to use than the lotion too. With the mousse you just rub it in — don’t have to wash off. It doesn’t leave your face feeling icky either. I rub it in, and then put my makeup over it. Instant tan! And in the morning, you’ll wake up with an even greater tan.
Kenna
Thank you so much for this article! I used to be addicted to laying in the sun but I have grown more and more worried about skin cancer and wrinkles as I get older (I’m 22)! I have tried everything from drugstore lotions to professional airbrush tan and none really work! I can’t wait to try St. Tropez I have heard so many great things about it!
Brittany, personally I feel more confident and thinner when I am tan! I like to be tan in the summer and pale in the winter. I don’t like it when my legs are so pale they blind people! And it is too hot in the summer to cover them up so I gotta do something.
charlotte
I have really light skin and red hair. I was wondering how the bronzing lotion would look on me. I’m really considering getting it.
Elizabeth - University of Missouri
@ Morgan: I haven’t tried the mousse, mostly because I like the lotion so much! What I have heard is that the mousse is easier to put on and less messy, but the tan it delivers is a few shades lighter than the original lotion- it’s definitely an option for those than don’t “tan” naturally (@Charlotte @Cathy)
@Julie- They recently changed their formula which cut down on the DHA smell by like 70%- I couldn’t smell anything, but my mom thought she could. It’s much, much lighter than any other self-tanner smell!
@Brittany- I guess it’s just personal preference. Personally, I don’t like looking like a Twilight vampire extra- and I’ve heard that a 20% increase in skin “darkness” makes your muscles look 40% more toned. There are definitely some girls that, I think, look better pale. To each her own I guess :)
Sherry
I agree with Brittany and Paula. The only reason I would justify a tanning lotion is if your coloring was uneven, like if your legs were paler than the rest of your body.
Breanna
I’m naturally very pale and I’ve never used a self tanner. I tan pretty easly, but I don’t like my face with the tan – I look kind of like I’m dirty. I wouldnt mind to get a little tan on my legs though, it would make the veins less visible and I would look better in shorts – but I’m using sunscreens all year round and I guess I would look very stupid with legs of a different color then the rest of my body!
Milana
Good advice – St Tropez is a good brand.
But tan is overrated! ;)
Anna
I’m extremely pale – as in PALER than Revlon 001 – and an I just don’t tan; I can’t. As much as I like the idea of self tanners, I always run into the same problem: I don’t want to turn out looking like a beach goddess, I just want my skin to look a few shades darker. Unfortunately, even products which advertise as producing gradual or light tans seems to have been designed for someone who is already tan, and I end up looking unnaturally dark or orange. Has anyone know of any produce a light, natural looking tan?
Kaitlin
Hi, I used to go to the tanning bed but I’ve stopped, just recently. I love being tan and I think it compliments my features better. I can put on SPF 80 and my skin still gets tan, it was the same with my mom and her parents. I just bought Aerie’s Cocoa Bronze and it smells like tanning lotion. It’s been giving me a decent tan but I wanted to try something darker. I loved your article, Elizabeth. I was just wondering about tips for shaving? I have to shave my legs practically everyday. And I work out almost everyday, so do you have any tips for sweating and what not? Thanks! (Sorry for the long post!!)
Alexandra
I’m very pale… I used to try and tan, but nothing ever worked out so well. Since then, I’ve learned to embrace my color (or lack there of) and strut my blindingly pale little body to the beach regardless and to not be bashful when I slather on the ‘screen. When people say ‘white’, I respond with ‘porcelein.’ This is a good article for girls who would otherwise be tanning in the sun or with a tanning bed who might be afraid of tanning lotions for being notoriously streaky. It IS okay to not be tan though, and I personally can’t justify spending that kind of money on something so temporary and superfluous as a fake glow. If someone wants to increase muscle definition or look skinnier I don’t get why they just don’t work out some more. It costs less and lasts longer. But I guess, to each their own.
Julie
Cara – i love your point of view and I think you make some excellent points.
Now that I tihnk about it, it is pretty disturbing that we are rubbing chemicals on our body that alter our skin color. Maybe we don’t even know all the harmful side effects that self tanners can have. pretty scary
i think ill stick with natural sunshine and a good dosage of spf
elle
My favorite self tanner is definitely ModelCo’s Sunless Tan in a Can. I used to buy it at Sephora but I’m not sure if it’s sold there anymore… then I stocked up on a few cans at TJMaxx :D :D :D
The color looks natural and not too dark… (I’m NC20) and it makes me smell like cookies!!! My roommates in college always asked me if I was baking something after I finished applying. Can’t beat that.
Erin
I am completely un-tannable. I don’t tan at all. I burn and then it fades back into white. So I have since accepted it and embraced it. I’ve had people tell me I look like Snow White because I have pale skin and dark, dark hair.
And $40 on a bottle of tanner that only lasts 5-7 days sounds ridiculous!
Heather
Cara- very inspiring words. I also have very pale skin with super super light (almost platinum) naturally blond hair and green eyes. I agree with you in many ways and would probably write the same thing. The only thing is that I agree with some of the other girls too, in that I guess it is just a personal look preference. Like you said it is about 50%, not every girl is a walking hollister fake n bake wannabe (although depending on where you go you might think otherwise lol). I personally just let my natural skin work throughout the main part of school because I don’t have time and a tan looks SUPER weird in Buffalo, NY during the cold school months. You should see some girls who tan when there’s a blizzard outside, it looks weird and they aren’t showing off any “toned muscle” then anyways so I don’t see a point.
On the other hand, during the late spring until early fall I think that getting a fake tan and laying out by my pool can be fun and put me in that tropics mood. Also to be honest I do have to say (whether at the fault of the fashion industry, w/e) that summer colors are MUCH paler or overly bright and I find that it complements at least a little more color in the skin. I’m sure the fashion industry does it on purpose obviously because our skin changes with the seasons for most of us. I don’t tan naturally so thanks so much for the article, I find it very helpful. I use the victorias secret line of bronzers in the summer and for some reason I actually like the smell it leaves combined with the other summer perfumes I use. I like to use the lotion bronzer as a moisturizer after using other fake-bake methods.
I guess in conclusion: tanning makes me feel complemented to summer colors better and smell vaction-like BUT I am certainly not ashamed of my pale skin.
Megan
Is this a good self tanner to use on fair skinned girls?!?
I’ve come across too many self tanners that make me too tan too fast.
So for all the really pale people will it still look good?
Emily L
Does a bottle last a long time? I don’t know if I can justify the splurge unless the bottle lasts me at least the whole summer or longer.
alison
Yes, most self tanners I’ve tried = instant orange skin, even the gradual ones, due to my “porcelain” skin so I’m just wondering if there’s a brand I can use that is SUPER gradual. I don’t want to look dark–just a little less freakishly veiny/blue/ill
Stel
Most of the time I’m too slack to fake tan and I don’t go very dark naturally. I’ve always used sunscreen rather than tan – I don’t want to be old and wrinkly!! My little sister uses sugarbaby which seems good. But I might give this a shot.
One question: does it go on bronze ie you can see where you have already done?
Vivian
Anna? If you’re looking for something subtle, I’d definitely recommend Jergens’ natural glow moisturizer. They have separate bottles for light, medium, and dark skin tones, so it isn’t meant only for people who are “already tan.” And because it’s a moisturizer and not a bronzer, the result is gradual and not permanent at all. Just grab a “Light” bottle, try it for a few day and if you don’t like the way it looks, you can just stop using it. The color will quickly go away and your skin color will be back to normal. =] hope this helps.
Jen
I am with Erin on this one, I would LOVE to tan as I live in a country where it is beach season 8 months of the year and I love to lie in the sun, however I burn like bacon and all fake tans come out looking orange when applied to my blue/white skin so I have learnt to accept my snow white looks.
Sam
Cara – Michael Jackson had vitiligo, a disorder where the cells responsible for producing pigment die off/malfunction etc. My dad suffers from the same condition and has to wear high SPF sunscreen every day just to keep from getting burned from moderate sun exposure. In the summer, he can’t wear shorts or t-shirts or forget about a hat with a brim if he wants to stay in the sun for any length of time. The extent to which he has to protect himself goes beyond what even naturally pale individuals have to do. The skin-bleaching is a rumor. I know this isn’t entirely relevant to the rest of your post, but I just thought people should be aware that it is a condition that can cause real suffering.
Cara
Thanks, Sam! I actually didn’t know that, and I hope people read down to your comment to correct that. It doesn’t change my views on faux tanning, but it does tell me that I picked a poor example, for which I am sorry.
Ariel
Help! I followed the tutorial video for the st tropez lotion exactly and my legs came out horribly streaky! Any ideas?
Kaitlin
Hey Ariel!
Okay, before you do anything: did you buff? And did you take a shower after the 6 hour wait? If you didn’t take a shower, take one.
If you didn’t buff/If you did shower and it’s streaky:
use lemon juice, not a lot. Get a wash cloth and roll it (as if there was silverware in it) then run it under warm water. Squirt lemon juice on it (bottle or fresh, the fresh is best) and run it over where the streaks are. They should lighten. You can also use st tropez’s ran detox the same way with lemon juice, but it’s expensive.
Courtney
I think that a lot of people have good points, and agree with the people who love their skin at it’s natural color.
Until two months ago, I never could understand why people bothered with fake tans. I dont’ have any problem with being white, except, on my legs, I have these, purple dots, that really bother me… and for a few weeks I used a tanning bed, not only was tanning just plain relaxing, and a great destressor for me, but I felt better and more comfortable about my body when I was even just a few shades darker than normal. I loved it! I loved showing off my legs.
Even though this lotion sounds amazing, I can’t on any level, think that spending that much money on lotion could be alright. Especially when it doesn’t sound like it will last very long. I haven’t even continued tanning in a tanning bed because of the expense of it. ;)
Tierney
Hellooo! Long time reader, first time commenter!
Long story short, I’m half Italian, and I spent many summers bronzing to perfection. (The aforementioned moral issues aside, there’s something to be said about how amazing the sun feels on your skin! I always felt happier, healthier, and prettier with a tan!) I missed the glow during the winter so much, I started tanning once a week in the winter, and whether anyone believes me or not, I stopped getting sick so much, and I was so much energetic and less lethargic. Then, of course, the half-Irish side kicked in, and I got whalloped with a skin cancer scare. So, no more sun obsession for me!
I’m still getting used to not being perfectly dark all the time, and I’ve been sifting through self-tanners for the past year. Every single one, cheap to pricey, made me streaky or orange. I finally had to begrudgingly content myself with Jergens’ Natural Glow, which I applied every day, but nothing could combat the growing paleness.
I really trust both this blog, and the advice of the writers, and when I read about St. Tropez, I immediately clicked over to Sephora to read the reviews there as well. It seemed too good to be true! I followed all the directions, went to sleep feeling like a mud monster, and woke up with MY TAN SKIN BACK!
Seriously. This stuff is amazing! No streaks! No orange! The smell is faint faint, and I just covered it up with scented lotion. When I came into work today, I got so many compliments on my skin that I think by myself, I sold three bottles!
Go buy it . Now! Even if you stink at applying self tanners (like me!), you still should be good at this!
kelly
Okay, so I saw some of you girls’ comments about how ‘unnatural’ fake tanning is. And I know this is late, but I just gotta say, where do you cross the line? I mean, is getting weaves/extensions/dying/straightening/curling/etc your hair natural? Is painting your nails natural? Doing your makeup? What about wearing deoderant, or even shaving your legs.
Girls, none of that stuff really is natural, (even if you do use natural products hahah) and MOST females do at least one of the things I’ve listed above. So what if I want to use something to make myself tanner? I believe that’s better than laying out and possibly getting skin cancer as I get older.
I don’t understand why some black girls feel the need to straighten and or get weaves or extensions. One of my best friends is from the Carribean, and she chemically straightens her hair, which I’ve never understood because she looks beautiful with her fro. But each girl has her own definition of beauty, and I don’t think it’s right that you girls are saying others shouldn’t fake tan while doing these other unnatural things to your own skin and hair.
just my views………..
Emmy
I am so far down the totem poll on comments that I don’t think anyone will even read this, BUT! I felt like I should share my favorite self tanner anyway!
I use Jergen’s fair foaming tanner. I have used regular, rub-in lotions and found that I am always super paranoid as to whether I rubbed it in all the way. I also feel like they can be super smelly and thick/oily on my skin. The foaming tanner soaks in right away, doesn’t make your skin greasy if you start to sweat, and looks soooooo natural and pretty on your skin. You will get continually darker the more you use it and it doesn’t go on super heavy the first time you use it too. It also has a next to no smell. You can find this tanner at any Walgreens or Target around and it is not pricey at all. If you don’t have a ton of time to fuss with a tanner and have fair skin that you want to have a pretty glow I would highly suggest Jergen’s foaming self tanner.