The Self-Tanner I’ve Stuck With Since I Was a Teen
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
In thesummertime,self-tanningis a weekly ritual for me. As a pale personwho burnsjust thinking about the sun (and would never consider a tanning bed), it’s the best method to achieve sun-kissed skin. But it’s not a foolproof method: Even when you’ve been tanning for years as I have, you can still end up with streaks, patches, or smudges, or you can come out entirely the wrong shade. Some of that’s due to human error, but most of it comes down to the product you use. That’s why when I started tanning with Bondi Sands foam (in the shade “Dark”) six years ago, I knew I’d found the best.
It never shows up orange
Even before I became abeauty writer(when brands started sending me bottles to add to my already stocked shelf), I’d tried at least 30 different types of self-tanner. They included liquids, mousses, sprays, lotions, and drops from brands such as St. Moriz, St. Tropez, Coco & Eve, Garnier, and L’Oréal. For me, the biggest issue was finding a shade that didn’t skew orange on mypale skin. The shade range from Bondi Sands caters to paler skin tones: I started on light/medium before graduating on to dark after a year or so. And it’s not just great for pale people, either: I’ve never tried the extra-dark shade, butSabrina Johnson, a spray-tan stylist based in Los Angeles, told me she finds this foam works great on dark skin tones. This is most likely due to its high DHA percentage, but more on that below.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Bondi Sands Self-Tanning Foam
Johnson also told me that the tan’s neutral-to-green undertone (a tan’s base shade, which affects how it shows up on the skin) leads to more of a natural-looking finish than products with purple or red. Spray-tan stylist Cait Cassagne ofStudio C8agreed, saying that “the color has beautiful undertones. My tan has always looked natural, and I’ve even had people ask where I’ve been on vacation for such a glow.”
My experience has been the same. Never once in six years have I woken up to a fresh layer of Bondi Sands and felt obliged to go and clock in at thechocolate factory: no Oompa-Loompa orange, instead a very natural-looking bronze.
The formula is non-smelly, non-drying, and long-lasting
I hate smelly tans, tans that stain my bedsheets, tans that rub off in unsightly patches, and tans that last for at best 48 hours (applying it is too much of a chore for such a short window of gratification). Bondi Sands’s products do have aslight scent, but it’s nothing offensive — more of a light tropical scent that reminds me of an old Hollister spray. It also completely dissipates after your second shower. As for color transfer — to yourbedsheets, yourclothes, and everywhere else — there issome.And that’s because this foam has a guide color, a shade that shows up as you apply the tan to your skin and will develop far darker than the tan will actually remain once you’ve showered. I personally prefer a tan with a guide color to make sure I haven’t missed a spot (you never grow out of this, I’m sorry to say), so unfortunately, a bit of transfer is a necessary evil. And it is really minimal compared to other products that I’ve tried.
My second-biggest issue when finding a self-tanner — after tracking down the right shade — was finding one that faded uniformly, which becomes even trickier withdry skin. A tanning product that’s drying will exacerbate thosedry areas: Not only is that uncomfortable, but it prevents the tan from sticking properly. In the past, with those drying tanners, my tan has come off in huge, noticeable patches, particularly on my chest and arms, meaning I’d look great for 48 hours and then have to cover up for the rest of the week. Bondi Sands has been formulated with that in mind; along with its tanning agent (more on that below), it contains glycerin, panthenol, and aloe vera. It’s not necessarily moisturizing, but it’s far from drying — which is far better than a lot of the products I’ve used can say. If I keep up with my moisturizing, the tan lasts for a week (five days of looking great, two days where I’ll start scrubbing). Even if you don’t moisturize, you’ll get about three days of flawless-looking tan — which is pretty good going.
You can’t beat it for the price
Bondi Sands contains a sugar called dihydroxyacetone (DHA). It’s the only sunless tanning agentapproved by the FDA, up to concentrations of15 percent. The darkest Bondi Sands self-tanner shade (ultra-dark) contains 12.5 percent DHA — so it’s within the threshold. Its DHA rating is actually considerably higher than most brands at the same price point, which sit between 5 and 8 percent. A higher DHA rating usually indicates a premium product. I find Bondi Sands remarkably reasonably priced, pretty much the first rung price-wise above drugstore products that fade fast and smell archaically pungent, yet with the DHA percentage of a much splurgier brand.
The only thing you really need to remember is that self-tanners have little to no UV protection: You must wear sunscreen as usual. Avoid overly oily formulas, though, as they’ll strip your tan right off. Also, the tanner is not to be ingested … but that’s not really a risk when you’re applying the foam on a mitt (and you must wear a mitt!). Some other parting advice: Your mitt matters, so go velvety. And always add two hours to the guide time on the back of any tan bottle (e.g., with a four-hour formula, aim for six). For the best Bondi Sands tan, I sleep in mine overnight. I have used faster-drying formulas, but this one doesn’t take too long to fully absorb: Apply it at least ten minutes before getting into bed to completely avoid any sticky feeling.
Some of my self-tanner essentials
More From The Strategist
- The Strategist Fall 100
- The Best Things Strategist Editors Have Bought This Year (So Far)
- The Strategist Summer 100
- I Replaced My Tretinoin With This $30 Retinal Cream
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
