Fake tan~What Works Best?

I am very pale too, and the only tanners that are light enough for me and won't streak are the gradual ones that you put on daily until you have the tan you want. Loreal makes a good gradual one in "fair"

Welcome to Texas! : ) Don't you just love the Summer heat? LOL

My sister uses the self tanner from Bath & Body works. She was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer at the age of 19 so she won't use anything besides the lotions and she says this one is by far the best.

I haven't used it myself but I've seen it on her and it looked great. She said it never streaks when applied or has the funny smell. I was just talking about this earlier with my hubby and plan on buying some this week, I'm also pale but will never use the beds....just too dangerous. Good luck!

ROFL... Yeah, my husband is a redhead. And for some reason, the fact that he has perfect, porcelain skin (that looks GOOD without a tan, unlike my olive complexion that makes me look ill if I haven't been in the sun), bothers him.

Partly it was a comment made in a predominantly black neighborhood, that sums up how he feels about not being tanner, where a little girl at fred myer got all saucer eyed and clung to her mama and said (in that tone of voice ALL kids have that carries from one end of a store to the other when they're about to embarass their parents):

"Mama! That's the WHITEST man I've ever SEEN! I didn't know they could actually be WHITE! Is there something wrong with him? Is that what an albino looks like?"

We were in a group of people and we almost all died laughing, although my husband blushed like crazy, as did her mother.

But as to your Q:

Guinot is my personal favorite. Both for how it looks after, and because it applies with a dark cream, so you can actually SEE it.

TIP:

NEVER go to a pool within 48 hours of applying fake-sun if you can avoid it. It bleaches fake sun out like crazy. And often rather blotchy/streaky ways, even if it was applied perfectly.

I am also very pale. I have used Jergen's gradual tanner. It works very well and looks natural. It's not very expensive either.

I'm a blonde and very fair. I have used the Jergens Natural glow and it works great, but it's more of a subtle tan. If you want to look like you been on vacation, I would suggest to find a salon that does the spray on tans. But I would definitely ask around and find someone who can adjust it for your skin tone.

There is a girl at the Crew Gym in Houston that does the spray tan and it looks so real, and she is very good, but I've seen some that are not so good.

Nutragena also has a good self tanner, not orange at all.

Jeurgans Natural Glow works really well for me.

I too am a R. Head in Texas and refuse to willingly look like a Vampire 24/7. Twilight may be in, but only in the movies!! I have for the past 4 or 5 years now gone to Darque Tan and used their Mystic Spray Tan. It seems scary at first but once you get the hang of it, it's a piee of cake. I go EVERY Thursday morning as part of my regular routine and then go to work WITH OUT smelling like the old spray tan. They have really come a long way with their products. I also recieve A LOT of compliments. I don't look orange or fake, but have a light natural glow. Suggested Instructions: Make sure you shower and exfoliate thoroughly before hand. And lotion your joints with the lotion they provide before getting into the booth. Extra layer is suggested on the top of your feet, knees, around finger/toe nails and hands. When finished with the spray, gently wipe the top of your hands/ feet since they will have extra lotion and BLOT (never rub or wipe) any areas that may have excess drippage from the spray. I generally wear a dark/old sundress that is long or baggy sweat pants with loose waiste band and baggy shirt & comfy flip flops so that I do not feel stuck and so they do not rub the spray off. They have 2 tone options, I would suggest to start with the lighter one until you feel comfortable to move up. The employees SHOULD inform you as to what the steps are on your first visit. And DON'T buy into their lotions, they are just trying to sell their product. You technically should wait at least 8 hours before showering, so you may want to go in the PM rather than the AM, depending on your daily routine. If you are nervous about the color being too rich on the first go round, you can shower after 5 or 6 hours. To keep the tan for a full week, I lotion after I shower with either Dove or Jergens Natural Glow Tan Lotions. In the summer I use the med-tan level and in the winter I use the fair skin level. Like I said, it takes some getting use to and once you have the hang of things, its like a bad habit. For me it's just another step in my weekly routine. Hope this helps at least a little and GOOD LUCK!!

I'm also a redhead and also live in Texas. My favorite is Jergen's Natural Glow. I've been using it for several months. I only use it a couple times a week, but it's enough to give me some color without looking fake. Other than the one time I failed to washed thoroughly between my fingers, it has never left streaks or dark spots. My flip-flopped feet actually do get a little color on their own and now match my Jergen's tan.

It takes practice to get good at using self tanners. I've used almost every brand and I like the Jergens one best...the gradual tanner. It tans you slowly so it makes it hard to make a mistake. It doesn't leave the streaks, etc.
If you have a special occasion, mystic tan works pretty well. It's at the tanning bed, but is just a spray on tan.
Do not use a tanning bed though! Those are as dangerous as arsenic and increase your risk of melanoma by 75%!

I am a redhead. In my teen years I worked up to a golden tan naturallly from the sun...DID NOT use the iodine in baby oil method (luckily, I had the small freckles that blended together, not the big ones that jump out at you when you get in the sun)...because I taught sailing and swimming lessons, as well as lifeguarded. After my son was born, I decided that I did not have to do sun anymore:) I just keep my legs shaved and moisturized, and toenails painted. I wear the longer shorts and cute bright sandals or flip flops...and I am good to go.

Here's another vote for Jergens Natural Glow: It gets the job done and it is a fair price. A $7 tube lasts me 3-4 weeks of daily application. Not only does it gradually darken the skin, it is a daily moisturizer (some are firming moisturizers). After a week of daily application, my legs were a nice tan color and soft. I recommend putting it on after the showering. You can put your clothes on after the lotion has been on for 3-5 minutes. Of course, with any sunless tanning lotion, you have to put it on evenly, make sure to be careful around your knees and ankles, and wash your hands after application. My husband has tried Darque Tan and liked the results. It is a little more pricey but I think you can get a package deal where the price per tan goes down if you buy more tans.

Arbonne has a great self tanner we also have a Bronzer you can use it all over the body. Private message me for my info.
Kay

Try the VeraSpa at Planet Tan. It is a sunless tan but works awesome and looks very natural.

Origins makes a great self-tanner:
http://www.origins.com/templates/products/sp_nonshaded.tm...

It doesn't smell awful like most, it doesn't make sensitive skin break out, creates a great, natural looking tan - even on light skin. It lasts longer than most drug-store tanners.

if you wouldn't fake bake for health reasons. i would think twice about using chemical dyes on your skin. i would lay out in my yard. or better yet...blind some ppl. its really not that bad. milky white skin is beautiful. work what ya got ;)

I hear the Jergens self-tanner is a good one. I think it is foam-like...sort of like mousse.

I actually prefer the MysticTan at LA Tan, or other tanning facilities. It produces an even spray tan, and usually you can get one for $10 on certain days.

My first thought is that I hope one day you are completely comfortable and thankful for your beautiful white skin. Dark people want to be lighter and light people want to be dark. It is all in our heads and makes us crazy.
But with that aside. I have never spray tanned but this note was in my daughter's instructions for RUSH at her sorority:
NO ONE is allowed to have a SPRAY TAN, they smell bad and look completely unnatural so please do not show up with one. We would rather see you ghostly white than spray tanned.

I thought that was interesting. Hope it helps.