Who will be the winner?? You tell me!! Jk jk... I'll tell you what I like better. But you can also be a judge! Which side of my body has a better tan?
The LEFT side of your SCREEN is
Tan-Luxe, the RIGHT side of your SCREEN is
Isle of Paradise. Both are in the color "dark."
Day 1: No Tan
Day 2: 2 Drops Per Arm, 3 Drops Per Leg (Tan-Luxe on my stomach + chest)
Day 5: 5 Drops Per Arm, 7 Drops Per Leg (Tan-Luxe on my stomach + chest)
THE FINAL VERDICT:
Overall, I really like tanning drops. I think they are the easiest and most fool-proof way to self-tan. You literally just mix them in with your lotion and apply like normal. Wash your hands after and you're done. It's that easy!!
Tan-Luxe wins but slightly. Both of them do a great job. I thought Tan-Luxe had a better scent (not that Isle of Paradise (IOP) smells bad, but just more "tan-y") and a slightly better bronze tint. Tan-Luxe also has fewer streaks/weird patches. There were some, but fewer than the IOP side. Is Tan-Luxe worth $30 more? Probably not. BUT it is fair to note that Tan-Luxe has 50mL where IOP only has 30 mL.
The great thing is, you really cannot go wrong with either. Both get the job done and are so easy to use. Self-tanning really has come a long way!
You can see in real-time how I apply the drops and mix them in with my lotion in my Story Highlights on Instagram. If you're a visual person like myself this should be helpful.
Someone warned me ahead of time that the dark was dark, so I started out small but (for a pretty pale person) it was ok. My suggestion would be to start small and go from there. You can drop anywhere from 2-10 drops to see a difference.
Over time with trial and error, you will find the perfect amount of color for what you like. I would say the tan stays for about 3-5 days. I try to re-apply every two days to keep a tan maintained the way I like it to.
I tested out the Medium color first (you can read that dedicated review HERE) and I see a little bit of a change but not a ton. I have a plan to test out the medium vs. dark in the coming weeks! FYI those images have filters on them which have an orange tint, whereas the photos above are raw.
Questions from the audience:
Do you apply it to your face? Does it make you break out? How do I keep it from washing off after my toner?
I actually don't apply it to my face. For Tan-Luxe, I would suggest using their Face Drops. IOP says you can apply theirs to your body or face. I don't because my skin is so sensitive and acne-prone. I'm really particular with what I put on it, and self-tan drops aren't high on my list. If I want my face to be tan, I'll add makeup! So I am unsure if they will break you out. I haven't broken out on my chest or back.
In terms of a skincare routine, I would add your drops in after you do all your steps. Mix in with your moisturizer in the morning and night. Some will come off with each routine, and it won't get as tanned as the rest of your body since it won't have as long of a time to sit and sink in. Try to give it eight hours between your days and nights!
Do they stain?
During quarantine, I've been able to apply the drops in the afternoon. I let them sit for about six hours before going to bed. With that, I've seen zero transfer of the self-tanner on my white sheets. I've only ever noticed color transfer when I wear something tight the first 12 hours and/or sweat in something white. Now is the perfect time to sit in a robe all day getting perfectly tanned lol.