I'm glad you asked! lol. Today I bought Jergens Natural Glow. You put it on once a day for several or more days until you get the tan you want. It's really hard to screw it up. I've used it before and I trust it.

You know the self-tanner that my body took really well but it turned other's orange? QT. Remember that one? I don't think they make it anymore. Poo.

(LOL) I remember that one, Oakley! QT . . . I'm one who never did manage to get a realistic tan from that stuff. I always turned out noticeably orange and super-streaky. I'm glad to hear that the Jergens one works good, though. Will it's tan wash off in the pool?

This post was edited by lynninnewmexico on Tue, Apr 16, 13 at 19:30

Go get a spray on tan at a salon the day before you leave and you're good for a few weeks. Also there are sites online that sell sun proof clothing. I have a couple of shirts I throw on when it's really really sunny. Even though you have a spray on you still can get burned. Either way, have a wonderful time.

Well I would start experimenting now...
The hardest part is learning how to apply.
Indulge yourself and go get a pro spray tan.
Exfoliate your shin first.
I don't know how long you have to leave it on 'till you shower
but until your first shower be careful what you rub against.
They all will come off with extended time in the water.
Start with the spray tan and bring the bottle of Jergens with you to touch-up.
They also make one with a sun screen in it as well.

QT and Man Tan! They were the worst. We looked like a bunch of streaky Oompa Loompas. I've heard good things about Jergens, but the spray on tan would be a great way to go.

I agree with yaya. Go to a reputable salon and get a stray tan.
Although I have not done it personally, I did see the results of a customer and it looked like a real tan.

Last year I did a series of spray tans before our son's wedding followed by a tropical vacay. For a special occasion I would probably do it again. We're leaving for another tropical trip this wknd and I started Jergen's Natural Glow last night. I've used it in the past and was happy with it. I've used a couple of other moderately priced brands and found them to all work about the same. Jergen's does seem to moisturizer nicely, maybe better than others I've tried.

Read the link below about Jergens. It has high ratings and it also has good SPF to protect the skin.

It will wash off over time. When you bathe, don't use a washcloth, just rub soap on gently with your hands.

I like that I can put it on every day and see a gradual tan appear.

Spray tans are okay, but most of them are kind of obvious, and they can be a PITA because the stuff comes off on furniture and clothing. Jergens doesn't.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jergens Reviews

My kids and their friends have gotten the professional spray tans in the past. It may vary from place to place, but theirs looked completely natural and not too dark-sort of like after a few days to a week in the sun for those of us who tan well. None of them ever complained about it rubbing off at all. It just faded naturally. DIL was just telling me the other day that she was thinking of doing it again before a wedding she is going to this weekend, so she must have been pleased in the past. I wish they had a set-up for just getting my legs done! That would be great!

I agree with the spray tan. I have a friend who has beautiful porcelain skin. However, about a month ago she was in a wedding and wore a halter style, knee length dress. The bridesmaids did not wear hose. She wanted a bit of color but nothing deep and dark (really her skin is beautiful, pale creamy with not a mark or mole). The spray tan looked great - you would never know it was fake. She just went a few shades darker. No streaking at all. A good, professional spray tan should not come off on anything. It just fades away like a natural tan.

tina

Fake Bake. You need to put it on at night and shower in the morning but it's a very natural brown tan. I use the Original Self Tanning Lotion on my face too with no problems. Also, it's cheaper on Amazon.

Speaking of sunless tanning, I don't normally watch QVC but I happened to see Lisa Roberts the other day. . .don't use whatever she's using...ORANGE! REAALLLY ORANGE!

Here is a link that might be useful: Fake Bake

This post was edited by sheesharee on Tue, Apr 16, 13 at 21:27

Another vote for the Jergen's. I live in Miami and still don't have a tan! Having very fair skin, blue eyes and way too many basal and squamous cell skin cancers cut out already, I shun the sun. Have used the Jergen's for a couple of years and I also think it gives a very nice subtle tanning effect without looking fake. It also has never rubbed off; somehow the thought of spraying or putting on color that will rub off really skeeves me out.

And I agree it has a nice moisturizing effect. Enjoy your trip, didn't you live in Florida at one time?

You must be excited about your vacation, lynn! About the spray on tans, I haven't seen any that looks even remotely real. Considering what we know now about the dangers of sun exposure, I think that "dead fish white" is far more attractive than "melanoma tan" ---- real or fake.

Spray tans have came a long way .
They can even contour-in definition .(No, I didn't go for the contour)
I'm all about self tanners
but I really did enjoy having the spray
done at the salon for my niece's wedding.
What ever you decide be sure exfoliate, shave and moisturize before you start.

Signed~ Another Dead Fish White and cancer removed as well

I've been using the Neutrogena build-a-tan in the pump. You can keep using until you get your desired shade. Make sure you slough your skin well before applying any product.

Lynn, if you have an opportunity, check out the Chesterfirld Hotel~my 3 dd's and myself recently spent 5 days there. It's a historical landmark, and beautiful small boutique hotel. Be sure to see the Leopard Lounge and pool area. And you HAVE to visit the Breakers, also a historic landmark. I'm so enthralled with the beauty of PB! Enjoy youself.

I wouldn't worry about it too much....when I went to FL, all the full time FL were really pale as they never went out in the sun...only the snow birds did that....

I've used the Jergens occasionally and have no problems with it. However, don't rely on it for sun protection as it's only SPF 20.

I'm fair, spend alot of time outdoors and use a high SPF. I still tan although I will never be one who has a dark tan. I use 50 SPF on my face.

Good point, Annie--- when we lived year round in Florida only the tourists were tan. And every bottle tan ive ever seen looks like one. It may look good, but it still looks fake-- not because of unevenness or streaming, but because it is too even and the color has a subtle light reflecting effect you don't get in a real tan.

I'm in Tampa and very pale in spite of having Italian and Cuban genes. I no longer try to get a tan and neither do my friends. Lynne, you'll fit right in with the locals.

Where in the Tampa area do your parents live?

My friends and I have all had a number of spray tans, and they did not look fake at all. The main thing you need to worry about is in PREPARING for the spray tan. Like someone mentioned above-EXFOLIATE and make sure you put LOTS of the lotion on your toes and heels of feet. I would do it a couple of times before you left. My salon offers 2-3 different levels of darkness. I would try the lightest first and then then the medium level the next week.

My spray tans only lasted about a week, but, you could find a salon where you are visiting and have one done there in between if you want to go to the trouble.

Color is very nice this time of year-so I'd go for it!

Hands down, Mystique Tan at a Salon.

They have different level of shades, go for the lowest and it will look great. When too pale people go for the higher shade level, that's when it looks fake. It will last a week, especially if you will be swimming (it will not rub off on your clothes) but I guarantee the resort area you are going to will have a Mystique Salon nearby. Make sure you are well guided on how to apply the barrier cream (keeps the tan out of your cuticles, palms, etc.) because it's kind of an art to get it just right.

Also, many salons offer airbrushing. It's way more expensive but looks incredible. You wear your bathing suit and someone actually sprays your body with an airbrush.

If you really just want to do at home tanning, my favorite product is Bliss "A Tan For All Seasons" Spray. It's not cheap and not at the drug store - you can find it at Sephora, Ulta, BlueMercury and online. It doesn't smell as bad (they all smell) and dries very fast. It also comes out purple so you can see the areas you've already applied so it reduces the risk of streaking. The purple fades and develops into a very nice brown with no orange tint at all.

No matter if you go to a salon or at home you need to:

- Exfoliate like crazy & shave
- Test it well before you go, maybe even a couple of times so you get the hang of it because there is a learning curve
- Watch some "how to" Youtube videos, they have good tips

Good luck! I think I'll head over to the salon in the next week or so for the first time in a few months.

I have been using Sally Hansen airbrush spray leg makeup on my feet and a short way up legs when I wear my ankle jeans and pants with my Mini Tonka mocassins or ballerina flats as it is too early for self tanning , and too cool for sandals, but I hate very white ankles and feet below my jeans. I just bought this stuff and it is working well for me. Great for quickie coloring when I take off socks and athletic shoes and change into something nicer for going out.

I've done the Mystic spray tan before, and that's what I'll do before we go to Mexico in a few weeks. I have a very pale friend that gets it done a couple of times a year, and it looks totally natural.
I recently bought a tube of the new and improved Jergens self tanner, and I am pleased to report that it really does have less odor than it used to. In fact I forgot that I put it on because I couldn't smell myself a few hours later.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mystic Tan

MYSTIC. Terriks got the spelling correct.

I guess I was thinking of X-Men or something!

Day two of Jergens and I'm tanned! I have to have tan on my legs in the summer though. I find it slimming.

Mystic Tan sounds great. If there's one nearby, I'd get it.

Oh yes, exfoliate big time, until you're red!

Yeh, I'm on the side of celebrate your paleness. Who on earth ever decided that white skin isn't attractive?...and skin cancer is?
This is probably along the lines of gray is beautiful and I certainly do color my hair, lol! and wear makeup....

I went to college in Sarasota and the first week of my freshman year, I was standing in the main building reading a bulletin board in shorts, when I heard someone- a mean girl- loudly say " Look at those legs! Have you ever seen anything so white before!?"
It was so mortifying, I put on a pair of jeans and wore jeans for the entire school year...in Sarasota, in old, UNAIRCONDITIONED class rooms. Eventually, as I got older, I didn't care anymore.

Another Jergens self-tanner here! Love that stuff!
It never looks fake, you can't mess it up, it is moisturizing, and it is cheap.

I start using it early in the spring just on my face, neck (for the V and scoop necks) , shoulders, arms (for those early short-sleeves). Next I will do the feet and calves when I bring out my first capris and flip-flops and sandles, gradually working up the thighs.

It is so "natural" looking that it reminds you of when you start changing your seasonal wardrobe to spring clothings and get a subtle real tan

If you get in a hurry and happen to get a small streak, just scrub the streak with a wash cloth a little harder.

It doesn't stain my clothing or bedding. A little of it will show up on your wash cloth when bathing, but it doesn't all come off - just reapply every day or every other day . I apply after drying from the shower, let it soak for a few minutes while doing face, then start dressing. I don't bother putting in on the main trunk of my body unless I plan on wearing a bathing suit. I don't bare a lot of skin :).

I also have a Mary Kaye self-tanner that I can use later in the summer - it is a little darker than the Jergens - but not the ugly "fake-dark". It's is kind of "coming back from vacation" tan.

Tuesday

Bumble, Coco Chanel popularized tan skin!

Thanks for all the info and suggestions. They are much appreciated!
MonaBlair: I'd forgotten that you lived down in Tampa. My parents live in the Tarpon Springs area north of you.
Runninginplace: That's right, I did used to live in Florida. Deerfield Beach actually. Back then I didn't even own a tv, because if I wasn't working (I was the special procedures tech at a hospital in Ft.L), my friends and I were outside water skiing, surfing, swimming, scuba diving or playing beach volleyball. Lots of time in the sun working on tans . . . and future skin cancers.

Oakley, I went out and bought that Jergen's Natural Glow self-tanning lotion. I'm on Day 2 and I can already see a difference. I'll keep it up until next Tuesday and if it's not where I'd like to be, I'll head to one of the Mystic Tanning Salons . . . but I'm already impressed with my light tan.

Terriks: thanks for the link to Mystic. I used it and found several down in Albuquerque I can head to. I had no idea that they were there!

Again, thank you all for your advice. It was so very helpful!
Lynn

Patty cakes: thanks for the recommendations of places to check out in the area. We're actually staying at The Breakers. I'd like to see the others while we're there, but we won't be renting a car. The Breakers has something like 7 restaurants, 5 pools, it's own spa, shops and one heck of a gorgeous beach. DH seems to think we'll have enough to do right there. I'm still hoping we can make it down to see my old stomping grounds in Deerfiled Beach one day, though.

Kelly: thanks for the thumbs-up on the Mystic salons. If I go that route, I'm definitely heading to one of them, as so many of you here like them.

Forboystoo: LOL!
Lynn

ah the Breakers, I love that place and you're right, there's plenty to do . We love the steakhouse above the Breakers golf proshop, specially the wonderful outdoor dining space; it's off the hotel premises, the shuttle can bring you there. It's only minutes away.

I always stop and shop at the proshop when I am in the area. ( grin )

I went to cvs and bought the jergens tanner, I got the 3 day version in a smaller tube. I also bought an exfoliator and a loofah.

I'm vacationing at Anna Maria island right now. From where I'm sitting in the restaurant, I can see all ranges of colors from pale to dark brown. The only color that doesn't appeal is the misfortunate flaming red sunburn.

We have been lucky enough to stay at The Breakers numerous times.

If you can, try to take the hotel tour given by Mr. Ponce. He's worked at the hotel for over 60 years and shares all the history.

Enjoy!

ML

If you decide to go the Mystic route
you want the Mystic HD machine or
the VersaSpa machine.

I decided to try some of the Jergens self tanner - I have used the product in the past, but they have really improved it this year! I now have an even streak free tan, and have experienced very little of the icky self tanner odor. I started with the cream, but switched to the foam, since it dries quicker.

Just reading this old thread. Lynn, my dad has been in Deerfield Beach since 1974...he lives in Deer Creek. He's an architect, and has done many local buildings, including the rescue station on the beach.

Hope you managed to get rid of the dead fish look. I would also suggest a Coppertone product that I use (can't thing of the name right now though). I will post again when I find it. Same concept as the Jergens, nice smell too.