Do you use sunless tanners? When shorts weather arrives, I want to add some color to my winter white legs, so I have used sunless tanners for years!
Sunless Tanners have certainly changed since they first came out. The days of an off-putting odor and orange streaks are over.
You can get tanners that slowly build up color over a week, a few days or even a couple of hours. Some even give you color immediately.
Many proclaim skin benefits, like moisturizing, vitamins and anti-oxidants.
What they DON’T promise is sun protection. Sunless Tanners can give you a little color and a sun-kissed glow, but they do not have any of the ingredients that protect you from the sun. So even if you wear sunless tanner, you need to wear sunscreen every day.
Here is my review of 3 sunless tanners that I have tried this season. This is not a sponsored post. But the links are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no expense to you.
Jergen’s Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer
Price $7.99-$10.00
I have used Jergen’s sunless tanners for years and they just get better all the time. You’ll notice that Jergen’s bills this as a moisturizer. It’s a moisturizing lotion that just so happens to have sunless tanning ingredients in it.
It promises a natural tan that builds up slowly over a week. They suggest that you use daily until you get the color you want. The color will begin to fade a few days after you stop using it.
I used the Fair to Medium and I noticed a bit of color within 3 days. I had the color I wanted within a week. The color definitely began to fade when I stopped using it for 2 days in a row.
Pros:
- The price and the fact that I can pick it up at the grocery store.
- Great moisturizer
- Natural looking tan
- Comes in Fair to Medium or Medium to Dark so that you get a tan that more closely matches your natural skin tone
Cons:
- Takes longer to dry because it is an actual moisturizing lotion, so you don’t want to use it at a time when you are in a hurry to get dressed and out the door.
Rodan and Fields Essentials Foaming Sunless Tan
Price: $26
This product provided a natural-looking tan as promised, with the color starting to develop within 2-4 hours. Now, you aren’t going to get a full-blown dark tan in that amount of time, but you will definitely see some color.
This sunless tanner is a foam, rather than a lotion. You spray one or two pumps in the palm of your hand, then spread it over the parts of your body where you want a tan.
The foam turns into a thin liquid as you spread it on and it dries very quickly. This is a big plus if you want to apply your sunless tanner and get dressed and out of the house quickly. There is minimal “drying time” before you can put on your clothes.
I found the color to be very natural and lasted about just as long as the Jergens. Fading started on day 3 after I stopped using it.
Pros:
- Foam to thin liquid provides even coverage easily
- Dries quickly
- Natural color
Cons:
- I think it’s a little pricey. There are some skincare products I’m willing to spend the money on. Sunless Tanner just doesn’t happen to be one.
Vita Liberita Phenomenal 2-3 Week Tan Mousse – Medium
Price: $54
Vita Liberita was recommended by another blogger that I follow. Unlike the sunless tanners that build up color slowly, the Vita Liberita Phenomenal 2-3 Week Tan Mousse provides immediate color. The 2-3 week in the product description refers to how long the tan is supposed to last. It only lasted a week on me.
Vita Liberita bills itself as a luxury tan brand. They have many types of tanning products that tan in different amounts of time and come in fair, medium or dark.
I applied this product with a tanning mitt, which I loved. I found that it made the mousse spread more evenly. And since this is a product that provides immediate color, my hands didn’t get stained when using it.
The consistency is similar to the Rodan and Fields, only a bit thicker.
When I applied Vita Liberita at home, I loved the color and was so pleased that I saw results immediately. I thought that I had applied it correctly, per the instructions. However, later that day when I got out in the sun, I saw all kinds of streaks and dark places. It looked horrible.
Perhaps there was a slight amount of “user error” in applying this product – I don’t know. But I didn’t have this problem with the other two products I used. And since I paid over $50 for this “luxury product”, I was not happy.
Pros:
- Immediate color
Cons:
- Streaking and dark spots
- Price
How to apply sunless tanners:
There is definitely a technique to applying sunless tanners to ensure that you get even coverage and no dark spots.
- For the most natural-looking color, be sure to exfoliate before first use.
- Spread evenly & smoothly. I apply my sunless tanner much more carefully than I do a regular moisturizing lotion, making sure I don’t miss any spots.
- Use sparingly on dry areas like knuckles, knees, ankles and in between fingers and toes.
- Go over these areas with a damp washcloth to make sure there is no excess product that would result in dark spots.
Conclusion:
I like the Jergen’s and Rodan and Fields equally. Both provide a natural color that builds up over time, which prevents the dark spots and streaking. I like the moisturizing benefits of the Jergens and the quick drying time of the of the Rodan and Fields
In a perfect world, I would keep them both on hand so that I could use either of them, depending on the time I had. But the $26 price tag on the Rodan and Fields is more than I want to pay.
But if YOU would like to try to Rodan and Fields, I have a deal for you! I’m giving away the Rodan and Fields Essentials Sunless Tan to one lucky reader along with the Rodan and Fields Essentials Lip Shield with Broad Spectrum SPF 25.
There are 2 ways to enter. Use the Rodan and Fields Solution Tool, which will tell you which regimen of their great skincare is right for you. And/or leave a blog comment below and use the hashtag #sunlesstanner. Do both and you’ll have TWO chances to win!
The drawing will be May 30, 2018 – just in time to kick off summer.
