ALL MY ADVICE, TIPS, AND RECS BELOW!!! 🫶🏼 SELF TANNING TIPS: - always exfoliate beforehand and add moisturizer to your elbows, knees, and dry spots and LET IT DRY before applying. - do not buy a super dark tanning formula if YOU ARE FAIR and just starting out. i promise a light to medium or a medium is dark enough!!!! - your mitt doesn’t matter. get a $5 double sided one from amazon. if you want a fancy one that is fine but it truly all does the same thing. replace it with each bottle to prevent mold (yuk) 🫶🏼 RECOMMENDATIONS beautybyearth is hands down my favorite self tanner that i've tried. the glow and color is perfect, and the ingredients are one of the cleanest on the market - pregnancy safe! doesn’t have an orange color and barely any smell. i love their mousse and their face drops soooo much. 100% my biggest recommendation! st tropez is my OG love. this was the first self tanner i've ever tried when i worked at sephora and i used it for years. definitely has a gorgeous color and stays on really well - looks expensive and like a real tan! i prefer the original formula, as it’s more BROWN. rather than the green or violet options. tanologist has a more affordable price point and i loooove tanning waters if you just want a SUBTLE tan. can be difficult because you can't see where you're applying because it's clear, but its a great option for a better price point if you want to just try one for fun! i love their face tanning drops as well, i find it’s just as good as anything expensive. i recommend not getting a super dark tanning water if you are fair, because you can’t see the application as well! coco & eve i've only tried once but i did love it - i hear SOOO many people talk about how much they love it too, that’s why im putting it on the list out of all the other ones!! gorgeous color and isn't orange.