Bronzed beauty

In my sunscreen post, I mentioned I would talk about getting an artificial glow, and so here's some of my experiences with bronzers and self-tanners.

Let me start off by saying I have ZERO patience for those "daily glow" moisturizers that add a gradual bit of tan each day haha I have used them in the past and quite frankly they take too long. I want to be brown ten minutes ago, not in two weeks. Though, they do work if used properly, and you're going to be moisturizing anyway, just make sure to a) let your moisturizer DRY before you put your clothes on, and b) definitely remember to wash your hands. Also, for sensitive skin people, don't put the "body" ones on your face =\

Glow Girl from Make Me Smooth (you can custom-scent them, mine is Coconut & pineapple), Boots No. 7 Sunless Tanning Quick Dry Tinted Lotion in Light/Medium, Roc Minnesol Mousse Auto-bronzante, Vichy Capital Soleil Autobronzant.

I do occasionally use the faster-working tanners, but usually they are also too slow for me haha I have used a number of products in the past. The best one was a Marcelle tinted gel that had two separate formulas, one for body and one for face, but I can't find it anywhere anymore. I resorted to Vichy's Capital Soleil Autobronzant which is awesomely moisturizing and great for sensitive skin, however it isn't tinted, so you may miss a spot. This is better if you use it a few days in a row so everything can even out. I have used a pile of products from Roc as well, and the Minnesol foam is also not tinted, and I don't care as much for the colour, so I usually use it on my legs only. Boots No 7 tinted tanner is one of the best -- it smells great (I think, at least) and makes you insta-brown as well as prolonged brown. It's not that dark, so I usually tend to use it a bunch of days in a row to get desired colour. Get it at shoppers, $20 for a huge bottle.

My brown arm and white side haha

For a quick fix, if you only need to be brown for a few hours, there are a ton of products on the market. For those of you who hate shimmer and glitter (you people suck, by the way! haha only kidding) there are some "matte" options that don't contain any sparkle or shine. Boots No 7 Smooth on Bronzer from the Instant Sunshine line (on the far left of the photo) is a great colour without any sparkles. You mist it on and rub it in. Same with the Rimmel Sun Shimmer Mousse. It also doesn't contain any glitter and is in a foam form. Just pump it out and rub it in. I typically tend to use one of these products as a base, then cut the darkness of a liquid shimmer bronzer (like the Rimmel Sun Shimmer Sexy Legs, on the right) or Boots No 7 Instant Sunshine Shimmer Gel (middle, bottom box) with something like the Jergens Soft Shimmer or a plain moisturizer, as I'm so fair, the thick brown goo makes me look ridiculous.

Bronze yourself -- or come over and borrow mine, I apparently have plenty (This isn't even my whole collection either. Shameeeee on me!)

On top I usually dust on some powder, which is great if there are uneven looking areas or you feel too gooey from all the liquid products. My favourite is the Glimmer Bronze powder from Bonne Belle, and the Boots No 7 Instant Sunshine pearls (lower right, round container). Lush also has some solid rub-on bronzers as well that would work well. I have a gold Glitter Bug I love (same shape as shimmy shimmy) I have had for years that is nearly gone and has been long-since discontinued by Lush.