Test Drive: Mystic Tan Sunless Tanning Lotion Face +Body

Friends, I am sick and could not get out of bed this morning. I think it had something to do with the fact that I was tailgating in the rain Saturday for ND's scrimmage game. For those of you who don't know Mr. M is an MBA student at Notre Dame and I'm pretty much along for the ride. We're moving back to NYC this summer, which I'm thrilled about. Then it's back to ND until Mr. M graduates in May 2011, and hopefully moving back to the NYC area permanently where we can buy a house, have a huge pile of pets and babies (Mr. M loves when I say this) and live happily ever after. 

But back to the beauty. I am addicted to self tanner because I am a true beach girl (grew up about 10 mins from Ocean City, NJ) who loves to be tan. When I got into the beauty business everyone was force feeding sunblock down my throat, and now I am weening tanning out of my life. When Mr. M and I went to St. Lucia in December I even sat in the shade half the time. But let's be honest, most people look better tan, so that's where a good self tanner comes into play. Read on for my thoughts on Mystic Tan Sunless Tanning Lotion Face + Body.

The Experience:

Right off the bat, I love that you can use this on both face and body without incurring a breakout situation. I started by squeezing a dollop onto the mitt and rubbing in circular motions until evenly dispersed and blended. The tanner is tinted so you have an idea of where it's going. Once I had slathered from head to toe I waited about five minutes to dry before getting dressed. Major plus: very minimal self tanner stink. You can wear this during the day without that awful smell creeping up on you. Other huge bonus: not a hint of orange in sight. The color is very natural looking and ends up developing into a lovely bronzey brown shade. I started off major pale and was completely fine. A not so plus: you won't get dramatic color from just one application. You'll definitely need to use this either twice a day (reapplying after four hours) or for several consecutive days. 

The Verdict: 

I say buy if you're looking for a super natural self tanner that gives great color, with minimal stink. Since it works on both face and body the $38 price tag seems a little more reasonable. I had no streaks and a nice little glow going on that really takes the edge off of pale skin that hasn't seen the light of day in awhile. Ditch the mitt though and use your hands, just be sure to wash thoroughly with soap and water post application. Pick up Mystic Tan Sunless Tanning Lotion Face + Body at Sephora stores and the Sephora website.