South Seas Tahitian Tan Mist and Island Glow Body Bronzer
Y’all it may be November and feel like Fall somewhere, but in LA it’s far from it. It was 100+ degrees today! With temps this warm that means ‘self-tanning season’ is still here (not that it ever really leaves when you live here in sunny SoCal).
South Seas is a company that makes beautiful tanning products. Some of your favorite dancing celebs have been tanned by many a product from this company. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a few of their products last spring and couldn’t test them all before the summer was over…enter the hottest weekend I’ve had in months and now I get to test one more.
Product: South Seas Tahitian Tan Mist
Smell (this is a HUGE thing for me with self tanners, especially as it dries down)
Initially it has a nice coconut-ty smell, but I think because it’s an aerosol there’s a ever so slight chemically smell.
Dry down - Minimal! Usually my pj’s & my sheets smell like self tanner then next morning, but there was nothing. Just to be sure put my nose next to my knee and only when I was that close could I smell that developer smell.
A few hours later I was outside where it was 100 degrees. I had my legs crossed and where there was a little sweat behind my knees I noticed an ever so slight “self-tanner” smell. This was a slight disappointment as I had showered and expected it to be less.
Color
Lovely golden, yellow hue. Matches my arms nicely so there’s not too much color after it develops.
Product: South Seas Body Bronzer
This is a product I use when I’ve self tanned and when I haven’t. It. Is. Beautiful on the skin!!! It has light reflecting particles in it so it evens out your skin and helps mask any imperfections (veins, bruises, etc.) plus….
One of the things I most love about this, is that it won’t transfer to clothing or anywhere that you might be seated. I’ve warn this while wearing shorts sitting in white plastic seats (basically guaranteed to show if something transferred) when it was HOT outside and the back of my legs were sweating. I panicked that when I stood up you would see where my legs had been and the color would have transferred to the chair. Absolutely Nothing! Nothing budged or transferred to my light colored shorts or the chair! That’s a major win for me! This stuff goes with me in both my make up kit and personal one!
Conclusion
Likes
This dries quickly upon application so you have to move fast. It’s slightly tinted so you can see where you’ve applied it, but I would recommend doing second pass just to make sure everywhere is covered.
Dislikes
A spray is more difficult to use than a cream, especially if you’re using it in a small space and there’s not good ventilation. Also, because it dries so quickly it’s not as forgiving and can take a little more work to get an even application.
Application Tips
Apply to the calf area first. Spray one vertical line and rub into skin. Move the the right, spray the next line, rub into skin. As you do this make sure there is blending and crossing over of the product in each of these “sections”. Repeat until leg has been covered 360 degrees around. Then move to thigh. As you spray the calf or back of the thigh, bring the product behind and to the sides of the knee. Skip the front of the knees and feet until the end. Don’t try and do the entire leg at once. Also, if you feel this might be streaky, do a second application once the first is dry.
OR
Spray the tanner (at about a 30 degree angle) into your hand. Let a small amount “pool” into your hand, rub into skin. Move quickly. Apply to the leg in sections as suggested above. As you apply to the calf or back of the thigh, bring the product behind and to the sides of the knee. Skip the front of the knees and feet until the end. Don’t try and do the entire leg at once. Also, if you feel this might be streaky, do a second application once the first is dry.
Knees & Feet
Cut self tanner 50/50 with lotion in these areas. Trader Joe’s Midsummer Night’s Cream was what I used.
Results
Voila! Tanned gams!
1. Before 2. Legs with South Seas Tahitian Tan Mist 3. Legs with SSTM and Island Glow Bronzer
The Tahitian Tan Mist is a great product (I’m clearly a fan of the other already). The application is relatively easy, but not fool proof since the dry down is so quick. A huge plus for it, is that it does not make my bedsheets smell like self tanner and that South Seas sells both of these products in a travel size!
XO,
Jamie