Before I became a makeup artist I pursued a career in the fitness industry. I was never really interested in being involved in sports growing up but I realized lifting weights agreed with me as there was no competition involved. Learning to discipline my body and work it out daily felt like the most natural thing to do, and with so many benefits. Training my muscles felt meditative to me. It was also very rewarding to be able to help individuals achieve their own fitness goals and to be in a positive, fun atmosphere every day.
As my muscles became more sculpted and defined, having a tan was like the icing on the cake as it accentuated all the contours and helped me see the results of my hard work. I was constantly searching for a tan in a bottle that did not leave me with streaks and an odd odor. I became a self-tanning junkie! Yet, I was never pleased with the ingredients I read on the bottle. And that all-to-familiar smell was not attractive! Some self tanning creams contained ‘parfums’ to mask the smell but eventually it would overpower any kind of added scent. Every formula also seemed to often contain alcohol, which dried out my skin. FInding a plant based self tanning creaming was completely out of the question a decade ago.
helpful tips if are new to DHA-free tan application
Please keep in mind that the ‘tan’ or colour takes twice as long to develop as DHA formulas. It is a little different for everyone, but the colour develops roughly within 48-72 hours. With a DHA-formula it is 8-24 hours. The tan will also last twice as long as a DHA-based formula. If you would like to extend the life of your tan, keeping skin hydrated is important. The caramel tan self-tanner itself has built-in hydration but on the days you do not apply it, you can stay hydrated with a natural body butter like 100% pure cacao or coconut oil. The less ingredients, the better! For optimal results, make sure to stay away from cleansing and moisturizing products with aqua, alcohols, fragranc, silicones like dimethicone, glycerin, citric acid, and emulsifiers. Again, you cannot go wrong with simple coconut oil, and if you do not have it, it is everywhere. If you cannot pronounce the names of ingredients easily, the product likely contains all or some of the above. They can create a barrier between your skin and the caramel tan formula, preventing it from doing its job. Also, when ‘aqua’ is the first ingredient, the formula is not going to be as richly hydrating. When you want to hydrate your skin you do not usually reach for water right? There are 300-500 mystery chemicals in ‘parfum’ or fragrance as well as alcohol and all can be drying on the skin. Because it is a mystery concoction of chemicals, we cannot tell you how it will react with the caramel tan formula or any formula. Always make sure your skin is completely dry before applying caramel tan and do not follow with any type of moisturizer as it will dilute the active ingredients in the caramel tan.
WHY DHA-FREE?
I decided if I ever had the chance and if it was even possible, I would create my own self tanning cream that had only nourishing, toxin-free ingredients and still offered no compromise on a beautiful, healthy-looking tan. Upon reading more about DHA (dihydroxyacetone), the active colouring agent in self tanning creams and spray tans, I realized I did not want to risk the long term effects of this ingredient just to have a tanned look. Over the years it has been reported that DHA can wreak havoc on your DNA, especially in spray form. Being that everything we put on our skin can be absorbed into our blood stream, the risks to me greatly outweighed any beauty benefits.
Yet, I missed having that tan in a bottle at my fingertips. Although it is now known that too much sun can accelerate aging, a tan to me is like the ultimate body bb cream with SPF coverage. It diffuses hyperpigmentation, cellulite, scarring, stretch marks, and creates a smooth, leaner look. So once I started creating my makeup line, I wasted no time in creating my own plant based, toxin-free self-tanning cream. I have tweaked it a little over the years with some newly discovered food grade ingredients but most importantly I am proud to say it is 100% DHA-FREE.
caramel tan review
Emmily Banks, an eco-beauty advocate, celebrity makeup artist, and founder of Depths of Beauty recently reviewed our CARAMEL TAN along with a few others! Read what she had to say about it HERE. I recommend storing your CARAMEL TAN in the fridge as the thicker consistency will keep you from applying too much and also keep all the antioxidants more potent. You will find even the 1oz size will go much further. I like to mix a little with my Coconut Cream to my upper forehead, cheek bones, and bridge of nose to create a sun kissed look. What I learned from my experience in the fitness industry is that you can do the same contouring on your body {click photo for reference link}:
