With the summer season approaching here in the States, that means lots of time out in the sun and poolside. One of my favorite thing to do during the summer is to get a great tan! First up is the best outdoor tanners, if you plan on laying out by the pool or the beach. 

 

My all time favorite tanning product is the Maui Babe Browning Lotion. It's been the only thing to get me super tan, super fast. It's a lotion that has a brown tint, making you look tan as soon as you put it on, but it also has agents that make your skin soft and protects you from the sun. In about 45 minutes, I can already see a tan line. It's a little bit more on the expensive side (anywhere from $11-15/7-6£) and can be found at Ulta in the States or online.

 

My second favorite would be the Banana Boat Deep Tanning line. One of the biggest pros of these products are the smell. They smell just like coconut and bananas which is amazing. They all have an amount of SPF to protect you from the sun and agents such as carrot root to draw in a deep color. This tanning oil runs cheaper than the Maui Babe and can be found in most drugstores. 

If laying out in the sun doesn't sound very appealing to you, whether it be to protect your skin against the rays or because it's just too hot, another way to tan is with self-tanner! I've only used one self-tanner so I'm not super well versed in this, but you can easily find out more information by looking up Youtube videos and tutorials. There is one thing I can tell you though and that is to make sure you exfoliate your skin in the shower before applying any self tanner! If you don't do this, you can end up all splotchy and discolored which isn't fun. 

 

The only tanner I've used is the Jergens Natural Glow Line. They have a range of different lotion tanners that can tan you gradually or in a few days, and you can choose from two different shades (Fair to Medium or Medium to Tan). When I used this, I got the shade too dark for me so my legs were a completely different color than my arms, but it was easy to see that it will tan you. My friend used it a few days ago (in the correct shade) and it looked completely natural. This tanner can be found in any drugstore for a rather cheap price. 

 

Another self-tanner I've heard a lot about is the St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse. This tanner is more on the "luxury" side and is a bit more expensive for a bottle. Rather than a lotion, this tanner is a mousse that is suggested to be applied with a tanning glove. The tan is instant rather than gradual, and like all tanners, will eventually wash off. I've seen really great results with this on Youtube so if you're really looking for a great, streak-free tan quickly, it may be something to look into. 

Like with everything, precautions are always taken when tanning. It is always suggested that you apply an SPF before tanning lotions or oils when you're tanning outside. I personally don't do this, but it will help protect your skin from the UV rays and prevent you from burning. You should never lay out for excessive amounts of time. 

With self-tanning, it's always suggested that you take a shower and make sure your skin is shaven, exfoliated, and moisturized before applying your self tanning to make sure that there are no streaks, lines, or discoloration. 

Even if you're not tanning this summer, make sure to go out and have an amazing time!