By Chloe Taylor
Ever dream of treating yourself to a glow-up with self-tanner? Now is the time when self-tanning products become most popular for those looking to dazzle up for special events and summertime. The challenge is finding healthy products that are natural, likeable and a reasonable price.
Self-tanning is a healthier way to appear tan without the damaging skin issues that real tanning from the sun can cause. This application can come in different forms based upon user’s preferences such as lotions, foams, creams, mousses, mists and drops.
Juniors Abigail Taylor, an early childhood education major and Lindsay Caudill, a biology for pre-med major shared their experiences using b. Tan’s Fake It Till You Make It foam self-tanner.
According to b. Tan, their self-tanning products are vegan friendly, cruelty free, sustainably sourced and use recyclable materials. Their Fake It Till You Make It self-tanning foam is designed for easy use. Not only that, but this product has five different shades.
According to Taylor, depending on how many uses one does, the darker their tan.
“It was definitely one that if you used it a couple of times, you could get as dark as you wanted,” said Taylor. “Or you could just do it like once and you can get nice even – it’s not too much different from your natural color.”
Taylor and Caudill have previously tried self-tanning lotions and Caudill has used sprays but they both prefer b. Tan’s foam tanner. Caudill said she believes lotions are more messy and less ideal, and sprays typically are too strong and less easy to control how dark the shade gets.
“When you put it on, it looks like a natural tan,” said Lindsay. “It didn’t just look like a spray tan, which is like, bam, you are orange for a first day, then you slowly get like beautifully bronzed tan, and it washes off.”
Taylor and Caudill prefer self-tanning because of the damage the sun can do to their skin.
“Even if you wear sunscreen and you get a tan that’s because you burn those skill cells still,” said Taylor. “And so if you choose the alternative like a spray tan, obviously. If it’s got good ingredients in it, then you’re doing better. You’re helping your skin. It’s a lot better for you.”
Just as it is important to avoid the harmful side effects of real tanning, one must pay attention to the ingredients of self-tanners according to Taylor. Avoid self-tanners with ingredients like parabens, synthetic dyes, formaldehyde, lead acetate and more due to harmful side effects. Finding brands such as Botanic Tree and Beauty by Earth that focus on natural ingredients is an easy way to stay clear of harmful ingredients.
b. Tan’s product mainly stays clear of harmful ingredients such as parabens, but it does have dyes like red 40 and yellow 6.
Both Taylor and Caudill love the confidence boost from using the self-tanner.
“When you take care of yourself, it makes you feel better,” said Caudill. “I think that self-care is important because if you don’t take care of yourself thoroughly then you won’t be able to be your best self and we should value taking care of ourselves, even though this is just a simple activity, as putting on fake tanner. It made me feel like more put together in a way, just as if somebody were to wake up early, do their hair, do their makeup or whatever they do to feel put together, it usually makes your day feel better.”
Caudill believes self-tanning is a form of self-care just like makeup to help boost self-esteem.
“There’s nothing wrong with having your natural skin color, and it’s not like I did this to prove myself or to be anybody else. I just do this because it’s something that I enjoy doing,” said Caudill.
Caudill and Taylor enjoyed b. Tan’s product overall due to its reasonable price and excellent, lasting effects.
