By Rachel Sokol
I’m pale, which really isn’t fair, considering I’m half Puerto Rican. I love the beach and being outside, but I’m all about my SPF and cute hats. I absolutely never lay out, lather oil on my body, and hope for an amazing outdoor tan. I’d like to avoid melanoma, so when I want to tan my pasty skin, I always turn to a self-tanner. But, to be completely honest, I have yet to find one that really works. Ones I’ve used in the past have been oily, greasy, left a dark residue on my clothes that wouldn’t wash off, or turned my skin orange. In other words: I haven’t really been too impressed with what’s on the market. However, I recently tested a self-tanner that I genuinely like: Fake Bake’s Flawless Coconut Tanning Serum For Face & Body.
I first tested the product on my pasty pale legs, and also on my face. A bit skeptical initially—especially because of the name “Fake Bake”—when I opened the product box, I was pleased to see a pair of plastic gloves were provided—getting self-tanner on your bare hands is awful because it’s so hard to wash off. (Plus, it’s not like I have a stack of rubber gloves in my apartment that aren’t used for washing dishes.) It said to try the product at night for best results, so two hours after a shower, I shook the Fake Bake bottle, and squeezed some lotion into my right (gloved) hand, massaging the lotion into my legs, first.
I worked carefully, under a bright light, making sure I gently and carefully rubbed the product into my skin. It smelled wonderful; like coconuts (of course) and the beach; an all-natural scent that wasn’t too acidic or harsh. The liquid wasn’t oily and didn’t leave any kind of heavy residue on the glove or my skin. I went to bed worried the product would stain my sheets. Six hours later, when I woke up, my legs were bronze and my sheets weren’t stained! I have very sensitive skin, and it didn’t give me any reaction whatsoever. The product is really fresh—it’s chock-full of “the good stuff” like hyaluronic acid, coconut oil, glycerin and silk amino acids. Additionally, my legs didn’t feel dry, or look flaky—the product moisturized my forever-dry skin.
Also, it looked natural. It didn’t look like I got a bad spray tan or applied self-tanner in the dark. When I awoke, I applied some Fake Bake, lightly but thoroughly, to my entire face, upper chest (since I planned to wear a V-neck top that day) and neck. I waited two hours, nervously, before looking into the mirror. My face also had a gentle, natural-looking hue, as if the sun kissed my cheeks—but gently. I looked like me, but with a light tan, which was my goal. I didn’t apply any makeup or product to my face, post-Fake Bake—except for under eye cream—and headed out the door in a skirt; my legs bare. Confidence? Check! It washed out easily later that evening during my shower. Honestly, I cannot wait to use it again and I like that it’s safe for the whole body.
Based in Tulsa, OK, Fake Bake carries an entire product line, and celebrity fans include Demi Lovato, Whitney Carson, and Rumer Willis. I strongly encourage you to consider using this product if you’d like a natural-looking, sunless tan. Remember; it’s not loaded with man-made, abrasive ingredients that clog the pores and leave oily residues on your epidermis. Also, the company doesn’t test on animals. So—it’s cruelty free, gentle on the skin, and a safe alternative to skin cancer? What’s not to love! Just remember, it’s not an alternative to sunscreen with an SPF. Happy summer!
For more information visit us.facebake.com