THE TRIED EDIT: MY FAVORITE SELF-TANNER FOR FAIR SKIN
I don’t tan. But I absolutely still want to look like I do. ☀️
I have very fair, Irish skin, and I’m also prone to having precancerous spots removed. Because of that, intentionally lying in the sun to get a tan just isn’t something I want to mess around with.
But I love having a little color.
That’s why self-tanner has become a year-round beauty staple for me, and this is the one I come back to again and again.
If you’re new to Dear Lucy Edits, The Tried Edit is where I share the products I actually use, love and repurchase. After nearly 20 years of buying products for my stores, I’m pretty particular about what gets a recommendation here—and this self-tanner has earned one.
WHY I LOVE THIS SELF-TANNER
I’ve tried enough self-tanning products to know that I don't want anything complicated. I want a natural-looking self-tan, even color and something I can realistically keep up with.
This checks those boxes for me.
On my fair skin, I want color that makes me look like I’ve spent a week somewhere warm—not like I obviously used self-tanner.
And the secret for me is the tanning mitt.
The mitt is amazing. It helps me spread the self-tanner evenly and blend it around the areas that can be tricky, especially knees, ankles and feet. It makes the entire application process easier and gives me a much more even-looking result.
I USE IT YEAR-ROUND
I don't think of self-tanner as just a summer beauty product.
I use it all year long.
In the summer, I want color without intentionally tanning. In fall and winter, a little self-tan makes me feel better when my skin hasn't seen the sun in months.
At home, I keep the full-size bottle in my beauty routine because that's the one I reach for regularly.
Shop the full-size self-tanner here.
And then there's the travel size.
THE SELF-TANNER I TAKE ON VACATION
This might be when I appreciate it most.
When I'm headed somewhere warm, I don't suddenly change my mind about sun exposure just because I'm on vacation. I still want the look of a tan—I just don't want to get it by lying in the sun.
So I bring the TSA-friendly self-tanner with me.
Shop the travel-size self-tanner here.
It takes up almost no room and means I can maintain my color while I'm away.
Ironically, vacation is probably when I'm least interested in actually getting a tan. 😂
THE DEAR LUCY EDIT
Don't skip the mitt.
If you've tried self-tanner before and ended up streaky or uneven, application can make a huge difference.
I use the mitt to really blend everything in rather than simply wiping the product over my skin. I take a little extra time around my knees, ankles, feet and elbows.
For me, the combination of a self-tanner I love + a really good tanning mitt is what makes an at-home self-tan feel easy enough to actually maintain.
And that's really the test for everything that makes it onto Dear Lucy Edits:
Do I actually use it? Would I buy it again? Would I tell a friend to spend her money on it?
For this one, the answer is yes.
TRIED + LOVED. ✓
— Melissa
Dear Lucy Edits
This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no additional cost to you.
0 comments