A confession: I envy people who have their self-tanning routine down pat. Especially when it comes to self-tanning my face, I’m like a turtle retreating into my shell every time a new mousse, cream, or foam formula crosses my desk for testing. I find the sunless tanning process extremely intimidating—there’s the unpleasant scent during application, the incredibly sticky residue most formulas leave behind, the fear of streaks come morning, and of course, the near-impossible feat of shade-matching. But I still love a healthy, bronzed glow on my face, and while I typically achieve that look via a slew of foundations, my hope has always been to find a product that could deliver the same skin-evening benefits, but with longer-lasting results.
Cue the +Lux Unfiltered Bronzing Face Drops—a product that’s caused dust to settle in my filled-to-the-brim foundation drawer. Unlike other self-tanning drops on the market, this one is colorless, meaning it’s completely customizable for all skin tones. The number of drops you use will guide how dark your tan will be, whether that’s a two-day-Cabo-trip tan (five drops) or a week-spent-in-Hawaii glow (go for three drops). I like to apply the product as part of my nighttime skincare routine—after cleansing and before night cream—to let the tan develop overnight, though you can mix the drops with your morning moisturizer and let it work its magic throughout the day.
My dry, sensitive skin loves the vegan and fragrance-free formula—no abnormal sensitivities experienced here. This product also features serum-esque ingredients like hyaluronic acid, coconut water, and vitamin E for an end result that actually feels good on the skin (unlike other self-tanners that can be quite dehydrating).
One caveat: there’s a bit of a learning curve if you’re a self-tanning rookie like me: don’t apply the product every night, as this can cause the color to build upon itself and get splotchy in some areas. Every other night is the way to go for an even tan that lasts five days before naturally fading away. I’ll be relying on these faux-tanning face drops to maintain my natural, bronzed glow, even with the cold weather seasons approaching.
