DIY Self-Tanner In Just 3 Steps

Image courtesy of thebeautybean.com

Summer is coming! The weather’s heating up. You have your favorite Hapari swimsuit picked out, ready to rock. Vacation is planned. But how about getting a little color ahead of time?! Well before you purchase an expensive self-tanner, try this -

Our DIY Self-Tanner in just 3 Steps

Let me preface this post out by saying, I’m naturally pale. I do tan fairly easily but I burn quickly too. I have a face splattered with freckles and am not actively seeking to add more to my collection. So considering the scenario, I slather on sunscreen whenever I’m outside and constantly scan the shelves at local drugstores for the best self-tanners.

Recently I stumbled upon a DIY recipe to make self-tanner at home. I was curious and a bit skeptical, but hoped this would be a legitimate solution! After trying it myself, I can testify — it works! Not only does it give you a summer glow, it’s perfectly safe and contains zero artificial ingredients. Most self-tanners contain dihydroxyacetone or DHA, a color additive that darkens the cells on the outermost layer of your skin. While the Food and Drug Administration has declared DHA safe to use topically, some concerns surfaced recently over ingesting the ingredient. If you’re like me, when you apply self tanner you never wear a mask, goggles or gloves to avoid accidentally inhaling or ingesting the lotion/mist. Dr. Melanie D. Palm, MD, MBA and Director of Art of Skin in Solana Beach, CA recently wrote in an article, “Primary concerns about self-tanning sprays relate to the risk of inhalation and ingestion, which is not recommended. For those using spray tanning products, it is important to wear protective gear for the mouth, eyes and nose to protect the mucous membranes.”

I always try to err on the side of avoiding unnecessary ingredients or agents (even though self-tanners sold at stores are safe when applied to the skin.) So, to piggy-back off our recent post on ways to protect your skin from the sun, here are the three easy steps to for DIY Self-Tanner!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 4 black tea bags
• ¾ cup of water for soaking the tea
• ½ cup coconut oil
• ½ cup cocoa butter
• ⅓ cup raw cocoa powder

Three Simple Steps:

1. Bring the ¾ cup of water to boil. Soak tea bags for at least twenty minutes. The longer you soak, the darker the tanner.
2. Blend cocoa butter (you may need to warm up before hand to make it workable), cocoa powder and coconut oil in a blender.
3. Add half of the steeped tea to the mixture. Blend together for 1 minute. Add the remaining tea and blend again for another minute.

And that’s it!

Spot test on a small section of your skin rubbing the lotion in a circular motion. If you like the color continue with a full coat wherever you’d like to look more tan . As with any other tanner, avoid your elbows, knees, ankles and hands. Also make sure to exfoliate and shower beforehand. You’ll start to see the color deepen on your skin within 1 - 3 hours.

Enjoy a healthy, happy, faux sun-kissed summer without the UV rays or artificial ingredients. Let us know when you try this DIY out! We’d love to hear if you like how it looks on you.