When it comes to being tanned, I’m definitely a fan (who isn’t?). I’m one of the first people to go out and sunbathe as soon as the weather turns warmer. However, I don’t seem to tan as quickly as I used to do. Plus, with the adult life responsibilities, I barely have time to lay outside anyway. And what about the sunless time between October-April?

I never liked the idea of sunbeds or tanning sprays because, to me, it was a waste of time. I always associate them with orange dry skin even though that time is long gone. So starting the self-tanning journey was always super intimidating. But I’m so tired of looking like a snowman’s sister for a majority of the year, that I decided to take the first big step. It took me a few days of ‘what if’s and ‘maybe not’s, but once I took that first step, I now know there is no going back.

If you’re anything like me, then you as well have no idea where to even start thinking about self-tanning products, let alone applying it. But worry not, I tried and tested a fabulous tanning lotion that ticks all of my boxes! And I’m quite difficult to please.

Self-tanning products

Shops are filled with all sorts of different tanning products of all shapes, sizes, and prices. There are so many that it can be really overwhelming. Especially if you don’t have any experience in that field. Because how do you know what’s good? So when Golden Star Beauty reached out to me, I was happy to try out their self-tanning lotion. Their lotion doesn’t have that horrible tanning smell which was perfect for me as I cannot stand it. It contains natural, organic ingredients like olive oil, coconut oil, and aloe vera as well as hyaluronic acid to keep your skin looking young. It also feels super light when applied to my skin – what’s not to love?

Tanning preparations

The most important step before applying a tanning lotion is exfoliating! No one wants a horrible build-up of patchy tan on dry areas like elbows and knees. It definitely takes away from the ”natural” look. If you want to look like you were born with glowing bronze skin, make sure to scrub your body properly 24h before tanning. I use No7 Beautiful Skin Gorgeous Glow Body Scrub and I couldn’t be happier. You only need a small amount to scrub your whole body and it smells incredible. You can use it on dry skin or in the shower for a more gentle scrub.

Moisturising is another crucial part of the tan prep. If you moisturise the day before, you’re less likely to get streaky or patchy tan. So unless you’re after zebra-style stripes, hydrate your skin!

Application process

Tanning overnight works best and that’s what I decided to do as well. Start tanning from your feet up to the top of your body – that way you’ll avoid more product getting stuck in the creases of your skin when you bend down. I applied the tanning lotion with my hands which seemed to work best for me. I could easily tell where I haven’t applied the tan because I could feel where my skin was dryer. However, I did struggle to wash it off my hands and ended up with darker palms, so next time I’ll use a standard tanning mit. Golden Star has one in their store, but any one will do. What I really liked about the tan was how fast it dried. I have lotions with passion and cannot stand feeling wet and sticky, so it was a massive plus. The leaflet recommends waiting for about 10 minutes before putting clothes on but my skin was completely dry a lot quicker than that. 

Keep in mind, the self-tanning lotion is uncoloured. I was not able to see where I already applied the product during the application. While it would have been nice to see where I applied the tan, it wasn’t a deal-breaker. I went over the same areas multiple times just to make sure every part of my body would be tanned.

The post-tan care

The product develops on your skin overnight. To see the full effect you should wait for 24h, but I could already see how golden my skin was after one morning. The tan did leave a slight colour on my PJs but that was to be expected. My sheets, however, didn’t suffer from any discolouration which made me happy. My skin looked like I had just come back from a weekend in Spain – perfectly golden, no streaks and patches. Just after one application, I got that perfect tanned glow I was so longing for. Out of sheer curiosity, I did apply the tan again the following night and got an even deeper shade of brown. But even then, it didn’t look fake at all.

To make sure your tan lasts longer than a few days, stay on top of moisturising. I noticed my tan started to wear off after about 5 days, but it still looked like a normal tan fading away. It was a massive relief since I definitely didn’t want to look like my skin was peeling off in places. Moisturising my whole body is a part of my evening routine which I think made the product fade away nicely.

Verdict

I’m a convert. Honestly, right now I am sitting here planning when I should reapply the tan again so I won’t lose that golden glow. For a complete beginner, the tan looks really good! There are no streaks or patches, especially around elbows, knees, and ankles which I was so worried about. I still have to work on self-tanning my hands, but that’s down to my lack of experience and not the product itself. Now I get to look glowing and healthy all year round – what’s not to love? Let me know in the comments what you think.

Until next time xx

This post contains gifted items. I was kindly sent the tanning lotion from Golden Star Beauty to try it out myself. As always all of the opinions are my own and are not influenced by collaboration. To read my full disclaimer click here.

Read more: Skincare routine for oily skin or My staple makeup pieces for Autumn

Tags : Golden Star Beauty, how to self-tan, self-tanner, self-tanning, self-tanning for beginners, self-tanning lotion, tanning