Every year around this time, I make a valiant effort to self-tan at home. And each year I make my first foray to the beach streaky and orange, still recovering from my inability to apply the stuff evenly. This year, craving a summery glow I’d be proud to show off, I decided to leave my annual tanning experiment to a professional. Salon 1800 offers a sunless tanner application service at a relatively reasonable price and it even includes a full-body exfoliation.
A bronzing treatment is a lot like bikini waxing or any other maintenance service–it’s not exactly comfortable while it’s happening, but the results are worth it. And, let the modest beware: The lights are bright (the aesthetician has to be able to see what she’s doing, after all) and you’re stark naked (save for a pair of spa panties that–let’s face it–offer more of a psychological crutch than any actual coverage).
The first step is a thorough exfoliation with a brush followed by a gritty scrub that’s rubbed in all over then washed off in the shower. My skin deflaked and smoothed, I was ready for my faux tan. Because I’m fair and I didn’t want to look too bronzed, aesthetician Lexi Terzis diluted the salon-formulated St. Tropez self-tanner with lotion to make it lighter.
The result: A fab natural glow–and not a streak in sight. My legs had just enough color that I felt great showing them off in skirts, and the rest of my skin had a nice subtle color. Even though it’s about five times the price of self-tanning at home, it’s worth it. I’ve never gotten results like these when I did it myself. My spa tan started to fade in about three days and was pretty much gone in a week. To extend the tan, Terzis recommends moisturizing every day and touching up after a few days with the home version of the St. Tropez self-tanner, available at Salon 1800 and other salons.
What: Face and Body Bronzer application, $70; 45 minutes
Where: Salon 1800, 1011 W. Armitage Ave., 773-929-6010.
Here are some other salons where you can trade that pasty pallor for a golden glow:
Kiva, 196 E. Pearson St., 312-840-8120; Bronzing Revitalizer, $85.
Channing’s, 54 E. Oak St., 312-280-1994; Self-Tanning Treatment, $105; follow-up treatment, $55.
Honey Child Salon and Spa, 735 N. LaSalle St., 312-573-1300; Sun-kissed Skin, $75.
Estee Lauder Spa, 1 Old Orchard Rd., Skokie, 847-329-2772; Super Tan To Go, $120.
Mario Tricoci, 900 N. Michigan Ave., 312-915-0960; 284 Oakbrook Centre, 630-572-0500; Self-Tanning Treatment, $65.
Tiffani Kim Institute, 310 W. Superior St., 312-943-8777; Park Hyatt Hotel, 150 W. Chicago Ave., 312-239-4036; Full Body Bronzing, $90; Bronzing Package, $190, follow-up treatment, $50.
Bronze in a bottle
Want to go from wan to wow in a flash? Grab a bottle of self-tanner and head for the bathroom. We had our testers try a handful of products, from drugstore-shelf standbys to top-of-the-line splurges. Here’s the low-down :
SkinCeuticals Sans Soleil Self-Tanning Moisturizer, $28, 4 fl. oz. Vitamins A, D and E and sunflower oil keep skin soft. Tester’s 2 cents: “Excellent bronze color [no orange]. It’s a bit runny, so don’t use it while standing on a rug or carpet–it will drip. Dries in about a half-hour. ” Call 800-811-1660 or visit www.skinceuticals.com.
Bain de Soleil Radiance Eternelle Self Tanning Crme in dark, $13.99-16.99, 3.2 fl. oz. This dual-chamber tanner gives you an equal amount of tanner and color accelerator with each pump. The bonus: Your tan shows up in 30 minutes. Tester: “It gave my legs a light brown tint–it looked pretty normal, not exactly like a real tan, but not fake.” Available in drugstores and at www.baindesoleil.com.
Chanel Bronzage Automatique Perfect Colour Self-Tanning Lotion in Deep, $28.50, 3.5 fl. oz. Contains Vitamin E, aloe and chamomile for supple skin. Color appears in an hour. Tester: “It went on very easily and dried in about a half-hour. Great light bronze color. My only complaint was the pump was messy.” Available at department stores.
Bioelements Serious Self Tanner, $31, 6 fl. oz. The directions recommend applying it to slightly damp skin, which helps the tanner glide on smoothly and evenly. It dries in under 10 minutes and comes with a plastic glove–no more stained palms. Tester: “The color was even and subtle, no streaks.” Call 800-533-3064 or visit www.bioelements.com.
Coppertone Endless Summer Sunless Tanning Lotion in light/medium, $10.99-$12.99, 3.7 fl. oz. Contains alpha-hydroxy acids to help smooth and soften skin. Tester: “Very subtle, natural-looking color. Dried fairly quickly. The bottle says it takes 30 minutes to dry, but I put on clothes after 15 minutes.” Available at drugstores and www.coppertone.com.
Estee Lauder Go Bronze Tinted Self-Tanner, $18.50, 5 fl. oz. Special ingredients in this tanner reflect light and give skin a subtle shimmer. Tinted formula makes it simple to spot mistakes before they’re permanent. Tester: “Liked the faintly fresh and floral scent. Reserve time to let it dry; directions say 15 to 20 minutes, but it’s more like a half-hour.” Available at department stores and at www.esteelauder.com.
Elizabeth Arden Oil-Free Self-Tanning Lotion, $21, 4.2 fl. oz. Dries in 10 minutes, which makes it great for on-the-go application. Tester: “The color was natural-looking, but came out streaky on my legs.” Available at Elizabeth Arden spas, or call 312-988-9191.
Phytomer Soleil Autobronzant Accelere Rapid Self-Tanning Gel, $31, 1.7 fl. oz. A gel formulation that contains an SPF 4 sunscreen. Tester: “Looks like lotion but goes on much more easily. Absorbs quickly and dried in five minutes. Tan was soft and natural-looking.” Available at Sephora stores and at www.sephora.com.
OPT Adjustable Self-Tanner for Face and Body, $25, 5 fl. oz. Refillable bottle, and a dial that lets you adjust color from light gold to deep bronze. Tester: “Dial dispenser was a little complicated, but tanner goes on quickly. Took 30-40 minutes to dry. Good color; not streaky.” Available at Sephora stores and at www.sephora.com.
Clinique Self-Sun Body Self-Tanning Lotion, $15.50, 4.2 fl. oz. Fresh-smelling formula dries within 20 minutes. Tester: Went on smoothly and left an even, not-too-dark, natural-looking tan.” Available at department stores.
–Ann E. Boehler
Tanner tips for the do-it-yourself crowd
If you’d rather get tan without an audience, here are some tips from Suzanne Joyce, a manager at Salon 1800, and Daniel Maes, vice president of research and development for Estee Lauder Worldwide:
– Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. Use a brush, a scrub, a cactus–anything, just get rid of those flaky skin cells or they’ll botch your tan.
– Moisturize from head to toe; this helps the self-tanner go on smoothly. Slather areas prone to dry patches (hands, feet, elbows and knees) with extra lotion, then apply the tanner. The moisturizer keeps the tanner from seeping into the crevices and cracks in skin.
– Use thin surgical gloves to avoid staining your hands. If you don’t have gloves, wash your hands immediately after applying the tanner–and be thorough. Scrub nails and cuticles well with a nail brush.
– Tan from the bottom up. Start at the feet, then do your legs, backside, stomach, chest, arms and neck. Grab a pal to help you with your back.
– Moisturize daily to keep your tan looking its best.
– Reapply tanner every three days to maintain your tan.
– Let the tanner dry completely before putting on clothes.
— Ann E. Boehler
