Tanologist Gradual Oil Self Tan Overnight Treatment Review
Tanologist's Gradual Oil Overnight Treatment Made Getting a Glow on My Face Really Easy
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Beauty confession time: back before I was a beauty editor, I was horrible with my sun protection. My skin naturally tans well, and growing up, I spent more time than I would like to admit lying out at the beach or in my driveway (true story, I'm not proud of it) with minimal sunscreen on, if any. Even though my sun-protection habits have gotten infinitely better, I still feel my best when I have a little bit of a tan. But before one of my dermatologist friends reads this and gets mad at me, I should say that this desire for a healthy flush of colour to my skin has just inspired my love for testing self-tanning products, like the Tanologist Gradual Oil Self Tan Overnight Treatment.
I've tried just about every body-tanning water, mousse, gel, wipe, and lotion in an effort to achieve a faux glow, but the following still remains true: self-tanning your face proposes its own challenges. Some face-tanning products feel too heavy or greasy, others have a bad smell to them, and others just leave you looking streaky (which is one thing when it happens to your body, but a whole different story when it's above the neck).
I've tried the Tanologist Face + Body Drops ($20) before with great luck, but as lame as it sounds, I don't like having to go through the additional step of mixing the tanning serum with my moisturiser. So when I heard that the Tanologist Gradual Oil Self Tan Overnight Treatment ($20) doesn't require that extra step, my inner lazy girl got so excited.
Before Using the Tanologist Gradual Oil Self Tan Overnight Treatment
To put it to the test, I completed my nighttime skincare routine like normal — just skipping any exfoliation like retinol — and used the tanning oil as the final step in my routine. My face is lighter than my neck because I wear a facial sunscreen religiously every day, so I was curious to see if it would help even me out.
The directions recommend using anywhere from six to 10 drops — the more drops you use, the deeper your tan. I opted for seven just to be safe and used the dropper to apply the oil straight to my face before rubbing it in with my hands. The oil is lightweight and goes on clear so you can't see the colour right away. The only indication is a slight tanner smell, but that quickly dissipates and it just feels like a regular facial oil. You want to make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after use to ensure they don't end up discolored. Then you go to sleep and let the formula work its magic.
After My First Use of the Tanologist Gradual Oil Self Tan Overnight Treatment
When I woke up the next day, my face had a subtle glow to it — nothing too crazy — but I did use a smaller dosage of the formula. It gave me a healthy touch of colour that looked completely natural. If anything, I feel like it helped my complexion look smoother. But to really see how it worked, I decided to use it again the next night and go for more drops.
After My Second Use of the Tanologist Gradual Oil Self Tan Overnight Treatment
This time, using 10 drops on my entire face and neck, I got the full effect of the self-tanning oil. I woke up with glowing, tanned skin that was still subtle but enough colour to make me feel like I could go makeup-free and not look like it. The result was smooth, even skin that looked almost as if I had a light skin tint on — no streaks or patchiness.
There are two main reasons I've made the Tanologist Gradual Oil Self Tan Overnight Treatment a staple in my evening skincare routine: you sleep while it works, and the result is a natural glow that won't have people saying, "You look tan!," which is exactly what I want in March.
