My Top 5 Fake Tans

Anyone that knows me will know that I love , love fake tanning ! I have been since I was about 13 and have tried so many tans ! It has taken me a long time to perfect applying it ! I've experienced orange hands, dark body and white face, patchiness etc. ! In the past year I have tried some amazing tans and get asked so much what one I am wearing which is always a compliment ! I always feel a little better when I have that perfect golden glow ! I am not saying there is anything wrong with being pale , this is just my personal preference !

1. TanOrganic

It is all in the name ! 99% of the ingredients in this tan are from natural origin and 87% of the ingredients are from natural farming ! It has been awarded with the Eco Cert which is stated on the glass bottle ! This tan is fantastic ! It might not be for everyone as it comes in liquid form ( very watery ) ! There are two bottles ; one with a pump which allows you to spray the tan or one in which you can let the liquid drip out through a small hole on top ! After exfoliating the night before and after moisturizing knees , feet , elbows and hands , I began to apply this tan with a mitt ! Straight away I noticed the sweet smell of caramel and oranges ! I was surprised at how nice this tan went on and how it gives an instant glow ! You can see the tan when applying as it has a slight colour but as you rub it in it disappears and just leaves a light golden colour ! If you have missed a patch just grab a small bit of moisturizer and rub around the area of tan so it blends together ! This tan takes longer to dry than others because of the natural ingredients but on the plus side , it gives you time to work with it and this tan is also very moisturizing and leaves your skin nourished and feeling and looking healthy ! I left it to develop over night ( It says leave for 8hrs before showering ) and woke up with a gorgeous even golden colour ! It wasn't orange and looked so natural ! It also lasted me over a week looking as if I had just applied it ! I had never experienced this before ! I was amazed ! I would recommend to someone with dry skin to moisturize everyday to keep it looking fresh and even ! I loved it so much that I even wore it to a debs ( as shown below ) and on many nights out ! For those who like a super dark tan then this probably isn't for you as the colour is quite natural but I might have the one for you further on ! TanOrganic is an Irish brand and can be bought from most pharmacies , supermarkets and on their website ( www.tanorgainic.com ) for €19.99 ( 100ml bottle ) ! Tan Organic also have a number of products to help prep the skin before tanning and also to apply the tan ! You should definitely check them out !

Wearing TanOrganic for a debs !

2. Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan

Those following my blog have probably noticed I have mentioned this tan numerous times already ! I can't stress enough how good this is ! If I am ever in need of a quick tan or if I ever run out of my go-to tan ( which is Karora ) then this is the fake tan I use ! Cocoa Brown 1 Hour is a mousse so I recommend exfoliating and moisturizing feet , knees , hands , elbows and any dry spots on the body ! I always apply my tan with a mitt and never use my hands ! This tan gives an instant light colour so you can see any patches you may have missed ! You have a choice with this ! Whether you prefer a light glow , medium or dark tan , CB 1 Hour gives you a guideline in which you should follow to achieve your colour preference ! It recommends you shower after 1 hour to leave a light tan , 2 hours for medium and 3 hours for dark ! I usually don't bother washing the top layer off as I like to be dark but there really is no need ! This tan has green undertones leaving you with a golden colour without looking orange ! I have got many compliments whilst wearing this tan and definitely recommend it ! You will find this Irish brand ( Cocoa Brown ) in Penneys/Primark , pharmacies , supermarkets and online ( www.cocoabrown.ie ) with many of Marissa Carter's other tanning products !

I wore Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan on my Birthday as shown below !

3. TanTastic Self Tanning Gel

Okay this one mightn't be as well known but this use to be my go-to fake tan ! I used it for about a year and went through bottles of it ! I loved it but it is unbelievably difficult to get off and doesn't have the lasting power of others that I am currently using ! Apart from that this is an excellent fake tan ! It is available in liquid and a spray but I always used the gel formula ! Once again , after exfoliating and moisturizing those dry areas ( feet , knees , elbows and hands ) I would apply this with my mitt ! As this is a gel it is quite sticky and to be honest , it has that typical fake tan smell which may be a turn off to some but I didn't mind ! It has a colour to it so you can see where you are applying it ! It takes a while to dry and is quite sticky so I'd recommend loose clothing when allowing this tan to develop ! If you like a deep tan then it recommends two coats ! I usually left it overnight but it says up to 7 hours ! I always loved the colour it left ! It was always so golden ! If this tan hadn't have been so hard to remove then I would probably still be using it ! For €15 it was also quite affordable and the amount in the bottle lasts a long time ! Why not try it for yourself ? Available from pharmacies and on their website at www.tantastic.co.uk !

4. Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs

I think the majority of girls in Ireland have tried this infamous fake tan ! I much prefer developing tans but this is one instant tan that I do like ! For those that don't know , it comes in a spray bottle ( It can get quite messy ) but Sally Hansen has recently brought out a lotion too which I am yet to try ! It is different when compared to other instant tans because I feel it is more like a make-up for the body ! It says it is for legs but it works perfect all over the body ! When applied it gives you an instant colour and a smooth airbrushed look ! It also covers light blemishes , marks and scars ! Sally Hansen Airbrush legs , unlike other instant tans , is water resistant ! A lot of us have probably experienced the awful effects rain can have on fake tan ! This doesn't budge as easy and you might just make it through a quick shower of rain without it leaving you with streaks and blotches ! I went to Barcelona and I wore this all the time ( as shown below ) ! I was even in the pool and it only faded a little ! I couldn't believe it ! As this is practically like a make-up , I use to mix a small amount in with my foundation to darken it on a night out or if I was on holidays so my face and body would be the same colour ! It worked wonders ! Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs' colour range is very good ! It comes in light glow , medium glow , tan glow and deep glow ! There really is a shade for everyone ! This fake tan is also great to even out any blotchy tan and is a quick alternative to any developing tan ! I think it is so handy to have in case of a tan emergency ! Prices vary but start from around €9.99 depending on where you buy it ! You will find it in Boots, most pharmacies and supermarkets ! 

This is the best picture I have unfortunately ( Very old ) ! I am wearing Sally Hansen in Deep glow !

5. Karora Self Tan Mist in Dark/Bronzed Bombshell Tinted Self Tan Mist Medium/Dark

These are actually the same tan just different bottles ! The newer bottle ( left ) and the older bottle ( right) are both available to buy !

I have left the best for last ! This is my all time favourite fake tan at the minute ! It is amaaazing ! First of all , Karora is an Irish brand that have a huge range of botanical tanning products which moisturize the skin aswell as giving it a gorgeous glow ! This is the only one from the Karora range that I have tried but I am keen to try more ! I heard a lot about this so decided to give it a go and my God ! I was amazed ! This Self Tan Mist comes in a spray bottle but doesn't go everywhere unlike some tans ! I spray it onto my mitt and apply it after exfoliating and moisturizing the dry areas on my body including knees , feet , hands and elbows ! There is a light colour when applying the liquidy formula so you can see what you are doing ! It blends so easily when you use circular motions to apply ! This also has a gorgeous smell which is always a bonus ! Karora have used acai berry and argan to create this scent which is so much nicer than your typical fake tan smell ! This tan isn't sticky and dries quite quick leaving your skin feeling soft and moisturized ! It also leaves you with a gorgeous glow straight after ! It is recommended that this is left on up to 8 hours before showering giving it time to fully develop ! I usually leave it overnight and wake up looking beautifully bronzed ! I cannot explain how nice the colour of this tan is ! It has green undertones so it is not orange ! It is a natural looking brown shade which I can say , without a doubt , will flatter any skin tone ! Like TanOrganic ( as reviewed above ) it lasts so long ! After a week , my tan will look just as good as the day after I applied it ! I moisturize everyday to every second day so it helps on how long it lasts but this is by far the best fake tan I have ever used ! I can't wait to try more from the Karora range ! I have got asked so many times what tan I am wearing whilst wearing this and can't recommend it enough ! It is a little pricier than some of the other tans I have mentioned but it is worth it ! For 100ml bottle ( perfect for travelling )  , prices start from around €16 - €22 ! There is a larger bottle available also ! You will find Karora products in some beauty salons , pharmacies and on their website ( www.karoracosmetics.com ) ! 

Hope you enjoyed this post ! Plenty more to come ! Thanks for reading ! Feel free to drop me a message or comment at any time ! Mwah !

Holly X

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