
One of the easiest ways to upgrade your look for the holidays is to add a little glow with self tanner! It really does make a big impact. We stopped wearing shorts a long time ago, and those legs may be looking a little pasty (mine definitely were!) I definitely don’t bother with self tanner in the winter unless I’m attending an event. However, for the holidays we do tend to get more dressed up, and if you’re planning on wearing a skirt or romper like the one I featured in this holiday outfits post, giving your legs a little tan can definitely enhance your look. In this post, I’m sharing my favorite natural looking self tanner and some tips for applying it.
Note that I’m not a beauty expert, and I’m just sharing this product that worked well for me!
My Favorite Self Tanner

I’ve used the St. Tropez brand of self tanner for years. I used to use the St. Tropez Classic Bronzing Mousse which I still recommend, but I recently tried the St. Tropez Self Tan Luxe Whipped Créme Mousse and really love it. The difference between the two products (to my knowledge) is the presence of added skincare ingredients in the newer version.
This Luxe Whipped Créme product contains niacinamide to even skin tone, Vitamin E to soothe and reduce redness, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate. I did notice my skin felt extra hydrated and glowy after applying, but you may have different results.
When choosing a self tanner, everyone always wants to know if the product is streaky or blotchy, and I have to say I’ve had no issues with this product. It also lasts about 5-6 days for me when also applying lotion daily.
Note that for my face, I use the Isle Of Paradise Self Tanning Drops in the dark shade. I add about 4 drops to my moisturizer in the morning before applying to my face and neck.
Tips For Applying
First, you’ll want to make sure you exfoliate and moisturize your skin. This will ensure your self tanner applies evenly and lasts longer. I use an exfoliating cloth from Target (like this one) in the shower and apply lotion afterwards. The directions say to apply and leave on for 8 hours so I apply at night before bed and shower again in the morning to rinse it off. The color is really strong after applying but appears more subtle after a shower.
To apply, dispense some on to a self tanning mitt (I have this one from Amazon) and glide on to skin with short strokes making sure to blend well. It will look like it is going to be too dark when first applying, but after blending it tones down quite a bit. For the areas around my hands and feet, I use an old makeup brush with just a tiny bit of self tanner and blend down the backs of my hands and fingers and tops of my feet very lightly. Don’t apply to your palms.
I wait about 15 minutes for the self tanner to really soak in before putting on my pajamas. It will feel really sticky at first. I haven’t had any issues with transfer of product to my clothes or sheets, but you may want to avoid wearing white until after rinsing. If I want to really glow for an event, I will repeat application the next night.
This is also a great product to use in the spring when we start baring our legs again after the long dark winter. For more tips, check out this post with my favorite hair products.
2 comments
Did u put lotion on your whole body after exfoliating
I do! I let that soak in pretty well before applying my self tanner. 🙂
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