In life I am not normally a procrastinator, but when it comes to "spray on tans" I have deliberated for the past 3 years, yes you read correctly... 3 years! I had good intentions of doing some research into spray tans offered at salons, but guess what...I didn't get around to it, so hence this post!
With the salon route being out of the picture for the moment I turned to the "off the shelf" options available from Clicks. My list of "wants" was primarily no orange shade, easy to apply, no streaking and no chemical smell.Despite being in the beauty business the variety on display daunted me. I found myself having to read the info on each brands box, which was not only time consuming,but also caught the attention of the security who then decided to stand along side me and keep me company during this decision process, which only added to my irritation.
I finally opted for the Caribbean Tan In A Can Instant which is a fine tanning spray with instant colour and 360 degree spray technology. It promised to deliver a deep, even, seamless tan. It gives an immediate bronze that develops over 8 hours and dries within 10 minutes.
Originally formulated for salon application only.. in 2007 they expanded the brand to include products to use at home.
This award winning range now includes the following products:
Self Tan
Sunscreens
Bronzers
Moisturisers
and
Exfoliators
My colour choice was made a little easier as Caribbean Tan offer a colour chart on the side of the box that you can match to your own colouring. I decided that I really didn't want the dark look, but rather a subtle body colour change to take me from winter pale to summer bronze, so I opted for the "safe" shade A Fair/White.
Caribbean Tan is an innovative concept in the application of Sunless Tanning. Their State of the Art Delivery System virtually eliminates all problems associated with Sunless Tanning Creams, which means no streaks,no concentration of dark colour around elbows and knees and no "tell tale" fake tan smell. The innovative Sun Protection products also offer UVA and UVB protection.Their products also contain tan enhancing ingredients that make your skin tan faster and so lessen the time you need to spend in the sun working on your tan. This product seemed to answer my list of "wants".
As with most Sunless products on the market you will find an assortment of "Add Ons" to buy, in order to smooth and moisturise the skin for preparation and products to apply to extend the tan. I used my usual exfoliator and a neutral body moisturiser, as it is important to prep your skin before application to ensure that all important "natural look".
How does Caribbean tan work?
Caribbean Tan products contain specially formulated active ingredients. One of these ingredients is DHA (Dihydroxyacetone - natural sugar cane derivative). When applied to the skin, DHA causes a chemical reaction with the skin to produce a tan much like the sun, but without the UVA and UVB damage to the skin.
(Stained hands after application can be problematic and I advise that you not only work speedily but wash your hands often during the application to ensure no staining. As with most fake tans you do need to allow to dry completely before applying clothes.If however you do stain clothing normally washing will remove)
How long does it last?
Caribbean Tan lasts between 4 to 10 days, depending on your skin type and how well you maintain it.
(I found that a light application every 4-5 days just kept the colour constant and was really no extra effort)
Caribbean Tan is available in selected beauty and tanning salons around SA for those that feel a little anxious about doing your own home spray on tan, but I found the whole home process very easy and I enjoyed the subtle colour change it gave my skin. I also think for the price of around R90 it offers affordable value for money...
Now that I'm on a roll with the "Tan in a Can" concept expect some more reviews from other brands.
If you have a favourite brand please let me know in the comment box, so I can consider for my next review.
