Loving Tan 2-Hour Express Medium Self-Tan Review

Really excited for today's review because I have been pleasantly surprised by the results and I feel like you guys will be too! It's been heavily requested so let's just jump into it!

SHOP MY SELF-TANNING ROUTINE HERE:

I am chugging along on my quest to try and review self-tanners. If you missed it, I've reviewed Isle of Paradise Tannings Drops (in medium) here and Tan-Luxe Dark vs Isle of Paradise Dark drops here. This week we are talking about Loving Tan self-tanning mousse in medium.

I had to admit I was pretty wary about trying this one. I KNOW so many people rave about it. My best friend is basically like the spokesperson for the brand lol. I really am only trying it because I promised her I would! I don't know what it is about tanning mousse but it just seemed like it would be hard to use. The first thing I think of with this self-tanner is all the streaky girls on IG lol.

Quarantine has made it so I can be one of those girls *but* without judgment since I'm not seeing anyone. So why not take the time to test it now? Turns out it went better than expected and I'm excited to share this review!

I'll share how I apply it because after about three-ish weeks of testing, I've learned a lot of do's and don'ts. First things first, like all self-tanning products you should always exfoliate before applying. If I need a deep exfoliation, I'll use this MicodermaMitt Exfoliating Mitt, and if I need a more everyday, easy one I'll use this Necessaire exfoliator. Also be sure to shave! I use this Billie razor and L'occitane shave gel that is the best combination out there!!

I also read to not use any shower gel or body wash in the shower before you apply your self-tanner. I guess it creates a barrier on your skin and can make the product move around after you apply it. Thankfully the exfoliator I use works really well and smells good!

After the shower, dry off like normal and wait about 30 minutes before applying to make sure you're fully dry. I read this in two how-to blog posts and followed the instructions. Now is also a great time to lotion your dry areas like your elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles. I would apply a pretty good layer and let it sit for 30 minutes. This is pretty important because the mousse will stick to ANY dry patch. This is your warning!!

When it comes time to apply, it's important you have a good tanning mitt. I first used one from Tarte that was pretty poopy, and switched almost immediately to an Isle of Paradise one that was thin and I don't think meant for mousse products (it soaked through to my hands). My first tanning experience with the mousse was difficult because the mitt didn't blend the product well.

After some research, I decided to buy the St. Tropez tanning mitt, and let me tell you, it made a WORLD of difference. The mitt was no longer eating up all the tanning mousse and I could actually blend and apply it all correctly. I will note that I did get it to work with the IOP mitt, but it was a night-and-day difference with the St. Tropez version.

I started with three pumps and would apply to my arm, spreading product around as evenly as I could from my wrists to my shoulders and around. Everyone says to focus on your elbows last but I did it all together, and then did my hands after everything was rubbed in (this was where I was the most worried). I did the same thing to my other arm and then applied one pump to my chest, two to my stomach, and two to my lower back (I can't reach my upper back and I don't really mind if it's bare)!

For my legs, I would apply three pumps for my shins and use whatever is left over for my feet and ankles. Then three or sometimes four pumps to my thighs and butt, repeating the same on the other side. Then I would wash my hands just to come back and use whatever is left over on the mitt (making a spread out claw with my hand -- points of fingers facing down) and rub some more self-tanner in.

I felt like this worked for me because it wasn't super stark bronze/tan on my hands and more of a gradual tan. I also did the same around my ankles and feet: either washing them off right away and applying with the mitt (without any new pumps) or using a damp (dark) towel and rubbing it off and reapplying with the mitt. I felt like it helped soften everything and I liked how it came out!

After you're done applying, you need to leave it on for two hours before washing it off. A ton of people told me to sleep with it overnight, but I just can't see how you would do that. After you apply the mousse, it's like your body is dipped in bronzer and it just gets everywhere. My bed and white sheets -- even if I did wear long dark sweats to bed -- would not like that.

So for those two hours you just hang around. Sometimes I would do so naked, other times I would put on a loose black long sleeve top and loose black joggers. Either way, don't wear ANYTHING tight or light-colored and try not to sweat/get wet. I found it was a good time to do my hair and makeup but be aware that you will need to wash it all off after a minimum of two hours.

I had to admit that I didn't like the two-hour waiting game and the moment the two hours hit, I would find myself running to the shower just so I could be normal again. The longer you leave it on, the more it will develop, but I couldn't take it! I see the appeal of doing it overnight, but I don't understand how it would be feasible without ruining your sheets!!

Once the minimum of two hours is up, pop into the shower and stand under the running water. You'll see all the bronzer coming off, but don't scrub, use body wash, or rub your towel after. It will mess up your tan! I gently rub it all away in the shower, pop out once the water is back to clear, and pat dry with the towel.

I have dry skin and not being able to body wash/moisturize on top of applying a drying self-tanning mousse was rough! So I found out after my second round of tanning that you can apply lotion post-shower. I did, and I think it helps the tan stay and smooths out better on your skin! I use the Necessaire one and swear by it!

Most people re-apply once a week to keep up with the tan. I found I was doing it every 3-4 days only because I would constantly exfoliate with the body wash in between days. I'm an exfoliating obsessed person. I noticed this would take away the tan.

Overall my thoughts are this:

Pros:

It's a really natural-looking tan. I'm super pale and always worry about it looking too orange and this color was like I just came from the beach.
The mousse is surprisingly forgiving. It's easy to mess with right after you apply (or during application) and even if the bronzer is a touch streaky in one place, it doesn't mean it will show up that way once your tan is dry.
After the shower, you're pretty much good to go in terms of being dry/living your life.
It lasts one week, and fades naturally and evenly.

Cons:

It's a little stressful to apply because the mousse dries really fast. You want to make sure you do one area at a time and really work it into your body.
After you apply, you're untouchable (IMO). For a minimum of two hours, everything you touch will get bronzer on it.
For the first full day after showering, a little will rub off on white clothing items. I noticed it around my arms/shoulders/armpits/chest on white shirts the most.
When you first apply, the mousse has a red tint to it.
It's drying on your skin and will attach to ANY dry spots and patches.

And all of that to say, I really like it. I like the color it gives and the evenness of the application. I see why so many people like it and I will continue to use it! I actually have liked it so much I'm going to test out their tanning mitt and I also will try the dark 2-hour express!

Some photos for comparison...

No tan (was taken before the Tan-Luxe vs IOP tanning drops review):