I love self-tanner in the summer time. I don’t bother with it in the winter, but when the weather is warmer, a tan just is a little more forgiving. It makes everything look toned and skin imperfections just seem to be less obvious.
A great way to apply self-tanner is to use one that is tinted, but the problem ends up being that the tint can rub off on your clothes (even when it’s not supposed to).
Now, Vita Liberata has a tanner that you wash off, but it still keeps working. They call it 10 Minute Tan, because it’s a tinted gel that you leave on for just 10 minutes and then wash off, but the tanner still takes 5-6 hours to develop just like a regular self-tanning product. The only difference is that since you’ve already washed if off, you don’t have to worry about the tint coming off on your clothes and looking super obvious. That said, the tint has already done its job of helping you see where you’ve applied your self-tanner so that you can apply it evenly.
The instructions say to leave it on for 10 minutes for a light tan, and for 15-20 minutes for a darker tan. I’ve tried both, and I definitely like the effect after 20 minutes a bit better. The tan is just a little nicer and still not too dark.
Just like regular tanner, the self-tan lasts about 5 days depending on how often you shower, exfoliate, or how long you tend to spend in the water. It tends to come off on me after one or two swims, so that’s not very long. I do find that the results are best if you exfoliate on a regular basis and reapply right afterwards – even up to twice or three times a week.
I have to admit that waiting the 10 or 20 minutes while the tan sets can be a little annoying, but the effect is so good, that I’m not complaining. I apply it with a mitt, and the gel just sets perfectly. I spend the rest of the time reading, or putting a mask on. I put leftover tanner on my face, my feet, and on the back of my hands. The mitt is awesome because it doesn’t make your palms orange, which has happened to me all too often. Because this develops slowly over time, there’s little to no self-tanner smell. I could detect it now and then but not too often. And I actually like the scent of self-tanner, so this wasn’t a bother to me.
Pick this up at Sephora stores. $49.