Be the Bronze You Want to See in the World
It’s cold outside. I try not to take the weather personally, as I am pretty sure it’s happening to everyone else in my neighborhood too. Because of it’s reliable rate of reoccurrence, winter itself doesn’t come as a surprise, but each year I’m a little more surprised by my distaste for it. That said, I love Chicago and unless my husband adds some vigor to his campaign to move to a warmer climate, we’re staying.
In general, my personality baseline falls on the optimistic/positive end of the spectrum. However, this time of year I find myself reaching for extra tools to help maintain a positive vibe. Behind sleep and a portable light machine, the tool of positivity I’ve been reaching for most can be found, as you may guess, in the form of a beauty product. Sure, bronzer and self tanner may be a “lipstick on a pig” solution to frigid temps, but they definitely provide a reliable pick me up on an otherwise bleak winter day.
For this reason, I am urging each of us to be the bronze we want to see in the world all winter long!
As some of you may remember from my sunscreen post, my Irish skin appears to be almost without pigment, except for the freckles. I have been relying on self tanner since I was 16. Most of the time it just brings me to what other women would call “pale” on themselves. For me, self tanner is a necessity since I don’t shy away from inappropriately short tennis skirts and do not tan. Spray tans are not a solution because I believe they should be performed by a doctor. Naked in a room with a stranger so close is nothing if not uncomfortable. Self tanner it is! Here are a few of my standards:
Favorite self-tanner for face:
Clarins was one of the first companies that did self tanning well. I am so grateful to Clarins for pioneering self tanning that I remain loyal to their brand when there are many other competent products out there. I love this one because it absorbs easily into the skin and gives a nice, light color. Doesn’t feel heavy at all. I don’t want my face to look too overbaked, and this provides just enough non-orangey color. Clarins is good at masking that gross self-tanner smell as well. I use it everyday in the morning after lotion, before sunscreen.
This product is cool because you can add these drops to any lotion in the morning or at night, depending on your preference, and it allows you to control the amount of tanning you do. More drops equal more tan. It’s also an easy travel size. I like this one in summer.
Favorite self-tanner for body.
I use this for special occasions when I want to make sure the color is right and I have time to really go for it with a careful application. It’s pricey for the amount that I use on a weekly basis. If I win the lottery and it turns out that parabens are fine, it will become my daily self-tanner. If you are a new or occasional self tanner, this is a good one with which to start.
Alba Botanica Very Emollient Sunless Golden Tanning without the Sun.
This is a relatively new find. I love it for winter skin because it helps with the dryness, smells like a vacation (coconut) and doesn’t have parabens and all the gunk we’re told is in department and drug store brands. The coconut smell can be a bit strong. The best part is that it's only 10 bucks at Whole Foods and even cheaper on Amazon.
L'Oreal Paris Skin Care Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Serum, Medium Natural Tan
All of the L’Oreal Sublime products give good color, not too orangey. I like this serum in the summer because it absorbs fast and spreads easily. You don’t have to wait for a long time before you get dressed. You can put lotion on after. It's in the $10 range. I go though lots of bottles of this.
I hope these suggestions help you to be the bronze you want to see in the world. To complete your look, check out my Radiance and Niod Opacity Fluid post.
Be the bronze!
Keely