Self-tanners have easily become a must-have in skincare routines everywhere but I’ve had a hard time finding “the one”. There’s always either an overwhelming smell to them or they leave you with streaks and stain your clothes. I’ve tried several different ones over the years such as the Loving Tan mousse, Tan-Luxe drops, Jergens daily natural glow moisturizer, and so many more! So when I started seeing and hearing more about the Isle of Paradise products, I was really skeptical. I’ve already tried so many, what could possibly be different about this one? What finally got me to try it out was that a lot of people claimed it didn’t have a funky smell. Also, the fact that they carry a tanning water is a whole new way to tan than what I’ve tried before. They also carry a self-tanning mousse and lotion but the kit I purchased contained a super-size (1.69-fl oz) bottle of tanning drops, regular size (6.76-fl oz) bottle of tanning water, and an applicator mitt. I got this bundle (all in the shade Medium) from QVC for $49.95 (after tax, shipping, and a $5 off coupon).
Starting with the tanning drops- below is a before and after of how it worked for me. I’m actually really happy with the results and the fact that there really was no smell is a HUGE win for me! With past tanning drops, I’ve gotten nauseous from the smell and wake up with my shirt and bed sheets stinking from it too but not with these! The picture on the left is after I showered and exfoliated my face with a liquid facial soap and electric facial brush. I also did NOT put any products on after I got out of the shower, just patted my face dry. I went to bed about an hour after applying so the results on the right show about a 10-hour difference.
The directions for the drops say to use anywhere from 1 to 12 with your normal face lotion. I used six drops and I don’t think I would use any more than that unless my skin is a little lighter than what it is now (like in the wintertime). I mixed it in with my First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream and applied it evenly all over my face, neck, and chest area. At first, the mixture of lotion & tanning drops will look like cottage cheese, but just keep mixing it with your finger until you reach the consistency shown here.
Below is the tanning applicator mitt included in the kit. Shown on the left is the back side of the tanning applicator mitt and on the right is the front side of the mitt which is sponge-like and soft.
Before applying the tanning water, I exfoliated and shaved in the shower. The directions say to moisturize your skin before use but I’ve heard different opinions here and there so I decided to apply my moisturizer to only my right leg to see if I could see a difference. There wasn’t really any noticeable difference. But, if you have dry skin, always moisturize! Overall, I’m pretty darn satisfied with these results! For future use, I do plan on using lotion first because I think it helps with creasing areas such as knees and ankles. I also plan on rubbing it in better near my ankles since that area can be a little tricky. I used 10-15 sprays on each leg and waited an hour before I got into bed (the drying time is much faster than that). I have bright white sheets and nothing rubbed off on them overnight. These results are from the next morning (so about 10 hours after application). Although, the bottle states that results can be seen as soon as 4-6 hours after applying. Now, for the smell. There is a slightly more noticeable smell compared to the tanning drops but it’s so minimal compared to past products I’ve tried. My bedsheets and PJs didn’t have any lingering smell on them and this was easily solved by taking a quick rinse.
I’m so happy I finally tried these products out! I definitely recommend them if you’re looking for a not-so-funky-smelling self-tanner! And a quick note about the tanning water- it did not stain my bathtub or shower area at all which was something I was worried about. The mitt worked great and to help conserve it just follow the directions on the back of the bag to help maintain it at its best condition!
Share your favorite self-tanners in the comments below or what your thoughts are on the Isle of Paradise products! 🙂
Best view i have ever seen !