Self tanning

Self tanning: mousse, spray and drops for a sunless glow

Self tanning gives skin a brown shade without the sun. Here you will find self-tan mousses, sprays, drops and tinted products for face and body that give skin a natural, sun-kissed look in a couple of hours.

Self tanners are a convenient alternative when you want a glow all year round or before a holiday and want skin to look even. Some products show colour at once, others develop gradually.

How to choose a self tanner

• Mousse: easy to spread and even, suits the whole body; a colourless mousse develops the shade invisibly.
• Spray: handy for hard-to-reach areas and for quick use.
• Drops: you add them to your usual cream or face cream and control the depth of colour yourself.
• Tinted products: give visible colour at once and even out skin tone.
• Shade: start light and go darker until you reach the shade you want.

After self tanning, a moisturising body lotion helps keep the colour. If you prefer to get colour in the sun, see tanning. Self tanners are available from Vita Liberata, Collistar and Australian Gold.

Self-tan mousse: even and easy to spread

Mousse is the simplest way to tone the whole body evenly. Vita Liberata Invisi is a colourless self-tan mousse in a 200 ml pack: it does not bring visible colour at once, and the shade develops invisibly. It suits anyone who wants to start gradually and does not want skin to change in a single evening.

Self-tan spray: quick and reachable

A spray suits places your hand cannot reach and quick use. The Collistar 360° Self Tanning spray comes in a 150 ml pack. Spray the product evenly and spread it with your hand, so that the skin gets an even surface.

Self-tanning drops for the face

Drops are the most flexible solution for the face. You add a few drops to your usual face cream and control the depth of colour yourself: fewer drops give a softer shade, more give a deeper one.

Tinted products and skin finishers

If you want a visible result at once, look at the tinted products. Vita Liberata Body Blur is a skin finisher and toner for body and face, Sunless Glow gives a medium shade to face and body, and the face and body highlighter adds accents to face and body. These products also suit the time before an event, when you want a finish as well as colour.

Which shade suits you?

If you use a self tanner for the first time, choose a lighter product and apply it in a thin layer. You can go darker later, by repeating the application or by adding more product. That way you see which shade suits your skin and your clothes. A separate product suits the face, for example drops.

Preparation and application

• Exfoliation: use a body scrub the day before, so that the surface is even.
• Moisturising: apply a little cream to drier areas such as knees and elbows first.
• Application: use circular movements and spread the product in an even layer; an applicator glove helps you do it with a clean hand, see the body accessories.
• Drying: wait until the product has dried before you get dressed.

Step by step

• The day before: wash the skin, exfoliate it and shave if you wish, so that the surface is even.
• On the day: moisturise drier areas, apply the self tanner and wait for it to dry.
• The following days: moisturise the skin daily and repeat the self tanner to reach the depth of shade you want.

Self tanner for the face

The face needs a smaller amount than the body. Apply the product up to the neck and the cheeks, then blend around the hairline and jawline. For face make-up see face makeup, which goes well with a natural shade.

Before and after a holiday

Before a holiday a self tanner gives the skin an even shade, so that beachwear looks better. After a holiday it helps keep the tanned look for longer. If you prefer to get colour in the sun, you will find sun protection and tanning products in the tanning range.

Body area by body area

• Legs and arms: start at the shins and continue upwards, then cover arms and shoulders. An outstretched arm is easy to cover in long strokes.
• Knees and elbows: drier areas absorb product faster, so apply a little less there.
• Back: a spray or an applicator glove helps in hard-to-reach places; a friend’s help is welcome too.
• Palms and soles: they stay light when you first wipe them lightly with a damp cloth.

Light and deeper skin tones

For light skin a gentle shade suits the first time and gives a natural warmth. A person with darker skin can use a deeper product in order to notice the colour. Skin type matters too: for dry skin, apply a little hydrating cream first, and for oily skin use a thin layer.

How to keep the shade

The shade stays longer when the skin is moisturised. Use a light body lotion after the shower and choose gentle washing products. Repeat the self tanner when the shade starts to soften. That way the skin keeps an even shade.

When to use a self tanner

A self tanner works well before a wedding, a birthday, a holiday or a festive party, when you want a light shade on your skin. It also gives colour on an ordinary winter day when grey weather has not been kind. If you like preparing your skin before a trip, you can try the product the week before and choose the final shade.

An everyday routine

A self tanner needs no long preparation once you are used to it. In the morning apply a moisturiser, and in the evening add self-tanning drops to your cream when you wish. At the weekend consider a mousse or a spray to even out the whole body. That way the brown shade grows slowly and you have full control over the result.

What the brands offer

The Vita Liberata range holds a mousse, a spray, a skin tone optimiser, a skin finisher, a highlighter, a moisturiser and an applicator glove, so by using the products of a single brand you can build a whole routine. Collistar completes the range with drops for the face and a 360° spray for the whole body. Australian Gold is a brand of tanning products, which you will also find in the tanning range.

Gift idea

A self tanner is a good gift for those who travel or want colour in winter. Put the applicator glove, a mousse and a moisturiser into one bag, and the set is ready. Tinted products also make good gifts, because they give skin a glow from the first use.

Frequently asked questions