On the Quest for Beauty: Make me Brown!

This blog is dedicated to my husband who sees my imperfections and doesn't mention them.

I love trying new beauty products. Place me in a Sephora or Ulta store and I feel I am in paradise. For hours I can pleasantly entertain myself looking at the plethora of different shampoos, facial washes, makeup and perfumes, envisioning myself as a size 0 with glowing clear skin, no split ends, and being stopped by every man in America asking “What’s that scent you are wearing? (Ok, maybe not EVERY man)

One of my downfalls , as my mother will readily tell you, is that I am a sucker for cool packaging and intriguing ingredients. That inclination has resulted in trying hundreds of different products over the years – good and bad. Some products I have used ever since I was in college and I would rather exit the house with no makeup and hairy arm pits then see my fav end up on the proverbial chopping block. Others I have readily discarded vowing never again to be duped by flowery ingredients which deliver zero results.

Because of my “beauty product love”, I probably have more knowledge roaming around in my head than Wikipedia. So I decided to start this blog to share my adventures with you on the quest for beauty, giving my recommendations and warnings so your money can be well spent. The subject matter may be a tad vain, but ultimately every woman has an innate desire to look and feel her best and there is nothing wrong with that. Happy reading, and if you don’t come for my daily blabberings at least drop by for my contest giveaways that I hope to do every other month.

I am white. I don't mean just "caucasian." I mean a pasty, stark, ashen sort of white. Some may see that as a plus, since tanning can lead to skin cancer and wrinkles. True, but seeing bright white cellulite in the mirror hurts my eyes, not to mention the effect it can have on the general public. Since I live in Arizona, it's almost a sin not to look "sun-bronzed", so for the past several years, I have looked for ways to give me a "faux tan." I have visited tanning booths, and although the color looks great for 2 days, after that, the tan not only fades but doesn't fade gracefully. (only thing worse than looking pasty is looking pasty and dirty) Tired of paying big bucks to look dirty, I decided to save some money and try self tanners.

Tanners have come a long way since their invention, and although they all have the same goal of making you look like a "brown bunny" they can range in price from $10.00 to $60.00 and vary in results. I have yet to find a tanner that doesn't fade in patches but three tanners I have tried have served its purpose and hopefully have fooled people into thinking I worship the sun.

Neutrogena MicroMist Tanning Sunless Spray - The first spray bottle I bought was a fiasco. The nozzle got clogged and when I tried to fix it the whole bottle exploded on me. Ah, nothing like having brown bathroom walls to match. My second bottle was much more successful. Being able to spray makes it so much easier when trying to reach the back, but don't believe the packaging when they say "No rubbing needed" Unless you want streaks or patches, you still need to rub in to make sure you haven't missed a spot. The color was subtle and dried fast, but once again, when it faded, it faded quickly and in patches. Plus the smell could be considered replusive to some. Liked the product but not a lover.

Lancome Flash Bronzer Instant Color Self Tanning Gel - I purchased this after reading rave reviews online. It is pricey at about $30 a bottle, but I understand why everyone gushes. I would have preferred a spray version, but the results were beautiful. Golden brown, smelled lovely, and no streaking. Still faded a bit in patches but not nearly as bad as other tanners. $30 for self tanner is never worth it in my opinion, but still cheaper than going in a Mystic Tan booth to achieve a state of glorious brownness.

Ulta Self Tanning Spray--I was skeptical at first to use this product. I don't know why except maybe because I am sometimes leery of "generic" brands. However I was pleasantly surprised with the results. This also has a spray application and so the palms of my hands didn't get tan, I bought a glove for application as well. One thing I loved about this product is that it has a slight color guide so you can see where you applied the tanner. Color was a nice brown and the smell was acceptable. Too bad it faded so badly in patches. In fact the color lasted about 3 weeks on my feet and nowhere else. (I guess I could have used the Michael Jackson 'I have a skin fading disease' excuse)

As summer approaches, I know I will be seeking out another self-tanner for those swim parties and volleyball games. I may go back to Lancome's self tanner, or I may try something new. If you know of any tanners that don't fade in patches, post your fav here. I'll try it and post my results.