My top tanning and bronzing must haves!

Having bronzed skin throughout the summer is a trend that will never grow old, but as we become more aware of how harmful the sun can be to our health and to the condition of our skin, it has never been more important to take care on those beautiful sunny days, leaving beauty gurus like myself to search for affective alternatives for women looking for that healthy glow!

Of course, sitting in the sunshine has it's health benefits but too much can be damaging for our skin - it may only be a burn now, but this is causing permanent damage to our skin that will become more noticeable in the future! So although many take to the sun for a non-patchy, all-over tan, I thought I'd show you a few of my healthy alternatives in a can/bottle to get that glow all year round without the risks!

Garnier Ambre Solaire dry body mist - 

This is a fairly recent purchase for me and I have to admit, my laziness when it comes to applying fake tan was the driving force for this buy. The idea of being able to quickly spray gradual tan on your body without having to wait ages for it to dry or that awkward stickiness that cream formula tans bring, is great, but of course it has its downfalls. As I was spraying myself with this new purchase, whilst dancing around my room and getting prepped for going out that evening, I suddenly thought - wait, this was way too easy.. surely there's a catch? It wasn't until 3/4 hours later that the catch became evident. STREAK ALERT. It's very hard to apply dry mist tans liberally and without missing a spot or two - or hundreds in my case - so it's probably best to apply this a day before actually going out to an occasion or event, because after a second coat it seemed to all blend in and look socially acceptable.
The colour was great though, natural and not too orange and even though I did have a little disaster on the first application, I think I will get to grips with it after a few attempts. The easy application makes it still very attractive for someone like myself who hates that stickiness of tanning lotions, but be warned! Expect to visit streak city until you get the hang of it - unless you're a tanning mist expert in which case, please comment some tips!!! : - )

Cocoa Brown by Marissa Carter - 1 hour tan mousse: 

I actually love this tan, and I have to say, it's really wiped out my ol'faithful Garnier Summer Body tanning lotion off the top of my holy grail list. I usually leave my favourite till last but thought I'd mix it up for you guys and keep you on your toes!! hehe. Of course it's a tanning mousse so application is quite fussy, but its so worth it for the beautiful result! It's such an affordable alternative to more expensive tanning products on the market but its finish is just as good!
Simply apply all over your body and on your face for an all over bronzed look - don't be alarmed by how dark the product looks, it needs to be washed off after a couple of hours (I usually leave it for 3/4 hours) but after you've hit the shower, the colour and evenness of the product is lovely and really natural. And in case you're wondering, Cocoa Brown is made from a vegetable derived tanning agent, it's suitable for sensitive skin and it's moisturising and kind enough to be used on the face - WIN! This saves the trouble of having separate tanning products for the body and face which I know many brands haven't sorted out yet for people on a budget like myself!
I've really fallen in love with this tan and I know other big names in beauty like Tanya Burr have raved about this product too so it's definitely worth checking it out - and in case you're interested, this tan saved me from my little palaver with the previous tan I mentioned so I managed to leave the house with an all over, streak free tan! : - D

Garner Summer Body moisturising lotion:

I mentioned this product on my blog last summer and it's still up there with my favourite tanning products (it's been knocked off though by Cocoa Brown.. sorry Garnier!) but it's still a very reliable go-to tan for me because most of the time if I've prepped - exfoliated and moisturised the day before that is - it develops evenly leaving me with a nice deep but natural looking tan. However, the smell is very love it or hate it. I know some people who don't mind the smell of fake tan, but I happen to fall in the 'hate it' category and it becomes unbearable sometimes. However the even finish makes this product worth it and I think it's a definite must-try for anyone on a tight budget and wants a fuss free tan.

Click HERE if you want to see my other review and some other thoughts on this product from last summer!

Now onto bronzers! I know sometimes it can be a little daunting applying fake tan onto the face because it's harder to cover if something goes wrong and a lot of tanning products (apart from Cocoa Brown) are not suitable for face application and can sometimes cause break outs. So, to be safe, I like to apply a nice bronzer to match my fake tan to the colour of my foundation, and there are plenty of options out there to try and explore! Here are my two favourites right now : - )

 Hoola by Benefit:

Hoola is every girls best friend, and no she's not a human or a tub of ice cream, she's an old faithful bronzer that has graced every beauty gurus vanity table at some point. I can only describe this as your basic matte, fuss-free, brown bronzer. No shimmer or glitter or all hues of orange - just a brown powder. It's like a LBD for example, every girl needs one! I think the simplicity of Hoola is what makes it so popular; it's easily blended into the skin and perfect for an all over bronzed look when swept across cheekbones, nose and forehead. The fact I've hit the pan as you can see in the photograph is a BIG thaaaang, normally products don't even make it to being half empty before I'm bored and interested in searching for better or more exciting alternatives!

The Body Shop Honey Bronzer - 02:

And last but not least, The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer has been in my makeup bag for a little while now and it's compact mirror has become a must-have for my handbag and it's always on hand when I'm out and about. In my opinion this is a a great alternative to Hoola for girls with fairer skin and want a lighter bronzed look, because sometimes when I haven't applied tan, Hoola can be a little too dark for my skin tone. Yet again it's a matte brown powder which isn't too pigmented so perfect for anyone who wants a light bronze or a buildable bronzer for any makeup look. You can probably tell that I'm not into all of the shimmery bronzers out there with crazy patterns and blocks and wheels of pinks, yellows shades etc. A basic brown powder allows me to control and personalise my makeup so much easier with my choice of highlighter if I fancy injecting a little brightness into my makeup look! 

I hope this has given you an idea of a few tanning products to try this Summer ladies and please let me know in the comments your holy grail bronzing and tanning products so we can look like effortless bronzed goddesses! : - )

P.S: I also reviewed L'Oreal's Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Elixir last summer and it claims to be 'indestructible', lasting for two weeks with no streaks or smell!!! See what my thoughts are after I put it to the test! Click HERE to read my review. 

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Elixir

Hello girlies! I've been excited about this one for a long time; I have finally got round to trying the apparently 'indestructible' tan which promises to last 2 WEEKS, with no streaks and no smell. Sounds too good to be true, right? But whilst the advertising provides promises that no other can make, the end product fell a little short. 

The new elixir tan has just as many positives as negatives.There is definitely a fake tan smell as soon as it's applied, although it's not as prominent as when you wake up in the morning smelling like biscuits… being a bit of a tan-a-holic myself, the fake tan smell is definitely something I try to avoid- looks like my mission to find a odourless tan isn't over yet!

However, I love the colour after a few applications (when applied for three consecutive days, the tan is supposed to last 2 weeks). I've been a little bit of a wimp and haven't tried all three applications because I fear I will be too orange to be seen and not judged in public; two days gives me enough of a noticeable glow.
BUT- whilst the colour is oh so pretty on the day of application, the product only went and migrated to under my arm pits, knees and elbows- it left me looking so streaky my boyfriend started calling me bacon. The elixir in the tan absorbs into the skin really quickly, so it's hard to find any missed spots (WARNING: PUT YOUR TANNING MITTS AWAY, USE HANDS FOR SPEEDINESS).

Without a lot of time spent exfoliating and moisturising the day before, L'oreal's Elixir tan falls incredibly short. After learning to moisturise my elbows and knees, the patchiness isn't as bad *sigh of relief as money isn't wasted*. Depending on how carefully you apply the product, will depend on the evenness and quality of the final product; do not go into this process half heartedly- be prepared!!.

On the plus side, it leaves skin feeling so soft and moisturised and it does last a very long time. However, it's incredibly annoying if a few pesky patches appear; it takes a long time to scrub off!

The colour, after two applications, lasted over a week which I was really impressed with. I swim a couple of times a week, and any budding swimmers would know that chlorine obliterates any effort you put into tanning or moisturising your body.. BUT parts of the product did remain in place! So in that respect, I am impressed. 

FINALLY: L'oreal does state that the product can be used on the face as well but I'm too scared to try! I guess a patchy face would match my patchy body but I have to step down from my role as a hardcore beauty blogger, I cannot risk it!

Okay, so there may have been a few more negatives than suggested at first, but I would probably repurchase again if I came across this unpredictable little tan on the shelves… and if it was on sale- what's life without a little risk ay!