Fifty Two Shades of Shay: Self Tanners and Bronzers

Hey ladies!  We are going to keep this short and sweet today...today, my Shade of Shay is on my favorite self tanners and bronzers.

This is one of my favorite Friends episodes...where Ross keeps spray tanning only one side of his body.  I laugh every time I see it!  That being said, we don't want to look like this!  We want a little bit of color, something natural, without looking orange or having streaked hands...just a little glow.

In February when I did my Skincare Routine post, I told you I'd be back for the tanners and such...so here we are!  I am a big fan of sunless tanners.  I tend to wear them pretty much year around.  I just feel like I can wear less makeup when there is a little color on my face...but I'm not going to sit out in the sun...my color has to be fake.  Fake but subtle and natural.  

Here's what I do...

These Dr. Dennis Gross Glow Pads are my very favorite tanning secret!  I buy a box of 20 towels and use one towel per week.  First, I use my Clarisonic and get my face all nice and clean, then I rub one of these little wet-wipe type cloths over my face and let it dry about 5 minutes, then I add my lotion and makeup and I'm good to go for the week. 

Some quick tips...

1. Make sure you rub the wipes up into your hairline and to your ears.

2. Use both sides of the wipes (there is tanner on both sides).

3. Wipe down your neck and into your chest (they're little wipes but one will do you!).

These little wipes are all I use on my face as far as sunless tanners go.  Love them.  Loooooove them.

I use a couple of different things on my body depending on my mood or the severity of my paleness...

This is the body wipe version of the face wipes I mentioned above.  These wipes are much larger than the face wipes and one wipe will tan your entire body.  I use these wipes when I'm reallllly pale.  Like beginning of April and short season is quickly approaching kind of pale.

Some quick tips...
1. Wash your hands really well when you're done.
2. Don't forget to use both sides of the towel.
3. Don't go too heavy around knees and elbows.
4. Make sure you cover your feet and have someone help you do your back (or just do your legs and skip your upper body if you're just trying to get a little leg color).
5. Let your body dry at least 5 minutes before putting your clothes back on.

Once summer starts and I have a little color built up thanks to my tanning towels and from just being outside, I add a little self tanner from a bottle and mix it into my regular lotion.  This St. Tropez is a great, great, great brand!  Just spray a little in your hand and then add in your regular lotion and mix it all up, then rub it all over.  

I find that if you rub this type of self tanner into your regular lotion two great things happen...1. you don't have streaks 2. you smell like your normal lotion and not like tanner.

  

And as part of my makeup routine, I add a little bronzer to my cheeks every day.  Bronzer just instantly wakes your face up and gives you a little something-something.  My favorites...

My favorite powder bronzer is MAC's in Golden.  Love this stuff!  Just a swipe over my cheeks and I'm done.  I use the powder on days when I don't need any extra shine...just color.  For days when I need a little shine, I use...

NARS The Multiple in Orgasm.   This stuff is fabulous!  It's creamy and wonderful and when my skin looks and feels dull, it brightens it right up! 

So there you have it...let's not ruin our skin out in the sun, let's instead fake it.  I'm all about faking it!

Hmmm..and for fun, on my foodie blog today, I'm talking to all of you Peanut Butter Lovers!  That's right, it's PB Day over at Mix and Match Mama.  

Click here to read all of my yummy recipes.

Have a great day!