All creams, gels, and/or sprays are not created equal and without meaning to we have become collectors of self tanners. Torn between wanting gorgeous golden skin and wanting to protect it we have become fans of tans in a bottle. Truth be told we have never set foot, or body, in a tanning bed. We have had the occasional spray tan and are ever on the lookout for the newest tan in a bottle product.
But we have found that whether it be cream, gel, spray, all natural, body only, face only, high end or low we had a hard time picking a favorite as they all have a different purpose. Some are perfect for the beach, while others wash right off at the mere sight of water. Tanning newbie or seasoned professional take a look at some of our pics for tanning products based on the event or occasion you would like to use it for. Your favorite didn't make our list? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, leave a comment below so we can try it out!
STAY PUT ALL OVER COLOR 
If we had to choose a favorite, Banana Boat would be it at the moment. The color begins to appear almost immediately and if you follow the instructions and stay out of the water for the specified amount of time you'll be left with a nice tan glow. The cream is what we use most often but the spray is nice if you are going to be in a swimsuit and all of your body will be showing. The spray on is similar to getting a spray tan in the salon. Strip on down. Stand in your shower and get spray happy. Get a good coat all over yourself from head to toe. (Avoid the face.) Let it dry before dressing and viola. Wait for your gorgeous glow to develop. Perfect for a day at the beach or pool, if you apply at least a day in advance and give your color time to develop.
NIGHT OUT NECESSITY
Short on time? L'OREAL is perfect for a FAST tan. Especially the mousse. Apply that foamy goodness and you my friend, will see color immediately. When wearing short skirts we may or may not decide we need some last minute color and hike up our skirts just to apply the mousse on our legs and feet. That is all that shows anyway. The Sublime Bronze also has a hint of glitter to it so be prepared to sparkle. The mousse while fast acting is not your best bet for water. True story..... Once, asked out by my crush of the moment to raft down the canyon in a few hours I look one look at my pale self and knew something must be done. Jumped into my suit and lathered up head to toe in the Mousse. I perfected my glow and looked perfectly tan. Thinking I had plenty of time to let it set, I did not foresee a problem. We arrived at our destination and everyone found a raft. As my goddess like tan legs received a few splashes of water I noticed brown all over our raft, and it only took a moment to realize my tan was coming off in a very unnatural way. With no way to fix it I was left to jump into the ice cold water to rid myself of the entire tan before it continued to run off with each water droplet that ran down my leg and arms. Lesson learned. Mousse is not meant for water adventures. Just a word to the wise, as it was quite embarrassing, and left me feeling like the melting witch on the Wizard of Oz.
ALL ABOUT THE FACE
While every girl has her favorite shade and/or brand of bronzer for the hot summer months, (Hard Candy-Baked Bronzer) there is on that is more than its drugstore counter parts but will stay put both in and out of the water. Too Faced Bronzers have been one of our favorites for years. Its more of a cream than a powder and you can apply it as dark or light as you wish. Make sure you blend quite well for a more natural look. It also has the most heavenly tropical smell which makes it even more worth it. A good buy if you are going to be in or near water for most of the summer and want a little color to stay put on your gorgeous face!
YEAR ROUND COLOR - GO NATURAL
Looking to take your tan from the dead of winter to summer and back again? Try Nature's Gate Glow Lotion. It is Paraben Free so we feel better about using it non stop and it creates a very nice customizable color. It does build upon itself so if it is not a part of your daily routine you would need to plan in advance to make sure you had your desired shade.
TO TAN OR NOT TO TAN
Should you choose to use a tanning bed do us a favor and check out some of the research coming to light about them. Turns out they are more to blame for skin, and other cancers than was previously thought. Same with our old friend the sun. But, your an adult so the choice is yours. You won't find us preaching to you other than to say tanning beds and the sun AGE your skin like crazy. So while your fun, young, tan self may think a tan looks great on you, give it a few years and it will start to show. Take care of your skin and you will look younger much much longer. Trust us you'll thank us later for that little nugget of wisdom. Healthy skin is always in style. We love Banana Boats Aloe After Sun Lotion for the days we have been on the lake or at the beach. It replenishes your skin with some of the moisture lost from wind, sun, and water. We also like to use it with our self tanners. Moisturized skin tends to hold the tan longer and helps the product stay put longer. 
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