MSN Sunless Tanning Contest 2001
A Just A Little Bit Orange Feature
By Clara Pettitt. Copyright © 11/07/2001. All Rights Reserved.
The MSN Sunless Tanning Contest this year was in many ways the best we've had. There were nine entries, a record, and the competition was so stiff that all of the contestants received votes for first place.
There was another new twist: the physical headquarters of Sunless.com moved in the middle of contest season, so the MSN Sunless Tanning Board stepped in and hosted the contest. Without the unwavering help of Natalie and Kathy of the MSN Sunless Tanning Board, there wouldn't have been a contest at all. Thank you, ladies!
The Winners
First place: Contestant #9
Second place: Contestant #8
Third place: Contestant #2
So what did everybody use? Here's what you've been waiting for! Click on a contestant to see their entry information.
Contestant #1
Contestant #2 — Third Place
Contestant #3
Contestant #4
Contestant #5
Contestant #6
Contestant #7
Contestant #8 — Second Place
Contestant #9 — First Place
Special: Product summary section
Contestant #1
A self described "super pale pink person," Contestant #1 is lucky enough to have a husband who helps her with her back.
She applied Sea & Ski Sunless Deep Dark Self-Tanning Lotion to her body and face; Yves Rocher Monoi de Tahiti Express Bronze on hands.
The products were applied twice over a 24 hour period. Approximately fifteen hours elapsed before the photos were taken.
She has Bonne Bell Golden Tan Bronzing Powder on her cheeks and nose.
Contestant #1 is grateful to Laurie, who recommended using cocoa butter in the Sunless.com message board. "I applied to my legs before the second coat...and it seemed to smooth out the color."
Contestant #2
Contestant #2, our friend Mel, won third place with SUN Laboratories Dark Sunsation, which she used everywhere but her face, where she used one coat of Au Courant Bronze Face Gel and one coat of Beach by Strong Products.
The bronzers in both the Au Courant and SUN products were washed off prior to the pictures being taken.
She has a little bit of Bonne Bell Golden Tan Bronzing Powder on cheeks, nose and forehead.
It's a deep, dark, fabulous fake tan, and she worked hard to get it. She applied SUN Laboratories Dark Sunsation three days in a row, Au Courant Face Gel and Beach once only.
The photos were taken eight hours after the last application.
Mel adds, "The only thing that has made my feet and hands look very natural and believable is...the use of the sponge that came with the Tan Rescue sample. I also apply spray lotion on my feet and hands ten minutes before I put sunless tanner on them."
Contestant #3
Contestant #3 used two of my favorites: Au Courant Sunless Tanning Mousse and Au Courant Sunless Tanning Lotion.
She applied the mousse once, then the lotion one hour later. She repeated that the next day.
Nine hours later, the photos were taken.
Contestant #3 adds, "I typically apply sunless tanners 2 - 3 times a week. Usually my routine is to do it Saturday and Sunday and then a maintenance coat on Wednesday. I apply the sunless tanner myself except the middle of my back which I cannot reach and therefore MAKE my boyfriend do it [which is a task he hates to do]. The best tip I have to give is to make sure you avoid lizard skin! Always use moisturizer after a shower and always use sunblock!"
Contestant #4
Contestant #4 is a skin type II/III with pink undertones. She normally burns, but tans very well after that. For her contest entry, she applied Coppertone Endless Summer in Medium/Dark. The next day, she applied one coat of Hawaiian Tropic Deep Dark Self Tanning Lotion.
Contestant #5
A Sunless.com visitor who voted for Contestant #5 wrote, "She has such a deep brown tan, it truly takes some skill to develop and maintain that dark of a color! Her tan makes her look like a true sun worshiper. If I saw her on the street, I would never have guessed that she was using a sunless tanner. Maybe she could post what products she uses and her secrets for developing and maintaining that gorgeous tan!"
You have finally got your wish. Contestant #5, better known as Vicki, is going to let you in on her secrets.
Vicki hasn't had the easiest time finding sunless tanning products that work for her. All light sunless tanners are "no shows" on her. Even most medium products are very light or "no-shows." She needs many applications to get good color, probably more then most. In addition, many products look very yellow on her. What she used for the contest: Beach by Strong Products and SUN Laboratories Dark Sunsation. On her hands and feet, she applied Sea & Ski Sunless Deep Dark Self-Tanning Lotion.
Photos were taken 24 hours after last application of sunless tanner. Color guide is showered off. No bronzers or color guide on skin. Foundation on face, and Bonnie Bell Dark Powder Bronzer on cheeks and eyelids only. On lips, Wet'N'Wild Lip Liner #666.
Vicki explained her application method: "I exfoliate well in the shower, and dry well. I have a total of four coats of sunless tanner on body, face, and neck. I apply Creamy Vaseline to hands, feet, knees, elbows, ankles and wrists, 5 to 15 minutes before I sunless tan. I layer products, applying alternate layers, at 2 to 3 hour intervals. No showering between layers. I start with Beach, then Sun, then Beach, then Sun. I use yellow kitchen gloves."
"I have 3 coats of Sea & Ski on hands and feet. I apply a coating of Creamy Vaseline first, then 5 minutes later I apply the Sea & Ski. I wipe off knuckles and nails with a baby wipe. I also apply a moisturizer to hands and feet 15 minutes after I apply sunless tanner, and rub in well into hands and wrists, to blend all well."
"To maintain: I shower daily using a soft shower poof and moisturizing body wash. I moisturize daily with a good moisturizer [Queen Helene’s Cocoa Butter, Aveeno, Jergen's Ultra Healing, etc.]. I apply one coat of a medium sunless tanner in about 3 days, usually Sun Ultra Dark, Tomas Tan Perfect, or Fake Bake. Then on day 6 or 7, I exfoliate well, with shower gloves and baking soda/soap gel, and start all over again."
"I don't try to scrub all the sunless tanner off, just build up spots and dead skin. Be careful not to over exfoliate, as baking soda can be very harsh, and, when combined with shower gloves, even more so. But I don't have sensitive skin. If you do, this may be over exfoliation for you, so use gloves or baking soda only."
"Tips: If I look a bit yellow, or will be under fluorescent lights where I may be more yellow, I apply a coating of spray-on purple kids sun block, then cover with a strong scented moisturizer [Suave Vanilla Floral is one]. Blue works to counteract orange tones. Or you can mix both sun blocks to counteract both tones. This only makes a 'slight' tone change, but it helps."
Contestant #6
Contestant #6 [Kathy!] has to deal with more than just pale skin. She has vitiligo, and has lost pigment on approximately 90% of her legs and feet and 50% of her hands and arms.
For the contest, she used Au Courant Sunless Tanning Mousse in clear [no instant color] and Au Courant Sunless Tanning Lotion in clear [no instant color].
Kathy wrote, "Before applying the sunless tanner I soaked in a bubble bath for about 30 minutes. During the bath I exfoliated [the] old color that I had. After my bath and waiting about an hour I applied the mousse to arms and legs and left that on overnight. The next morning after a shower I applied the lotion to arms and legs. Approximately 8 hours or so after that I applied the mousse one more time."
Photos were taken approximately 24 hours [again after showering the next morning] after the third application.
Her tips: "I normally do my hands and feet using the Creamy Vaseline method. I put the Vaseline all over my hands and feet. Let that set for about 20 minutes. Then I put on my sunless tanner, rubbing just like it were hand lotion, wipe palms, nails, knuckles with baby wipe...let that set for 15 - 20 minutes or so...then back to the Creamy Vaseline and a wipe of palms, knuckles and nails...set another 15-20 minutes, then again the same procedure...then about an hour or so after that I put more Creamy Vaseline on again. Very very time consuming but I get great results!"
Contestant #7
Neurofibromatosis has left contestant #7 with severely dry skin, especially on her legs.
For the contest, she used moisturizing products: Target Sunless Tanning Lotion, No-Ad Sunless Tanning Lotion, and Banana Boat Deep Dark Sunless Tanning Creme.
Her preparation was impressive: one layer of Target applied at night of day one; two layers of No-Ad applied morning and night of day two; and then three days of applying Banana Boat once a day for three days!
Her photos were taken about eight hours after the last application.
None of the products she used contain bronzers or color guides.
Her tip: "Mix dark products 50/50 with regular lotion for face, hands, and feet. I also use the brush technique on hands and feet."
Contestant #8
I've got some good news and some bad news.
The good news is contestant #8 won the second place prize.
The bad news is that she used a product, Zia Sans Sun, which is no longer made!
But you can try Zia Solar Intelligents Self Tanner or Beach by Strong Products as substitutes.
Contestant #8 used Zia Sans Sun all over. She applied it two days running, one coat each night before going to bed.
The day of the photo, she applied SUN Laboratories Dark Sunsation a few hours before.
In the photo, the color guide in Dark Sunsation is still present.
She is going to have to tell me how she got it that even!
Contestant #9
It's not always necessary to apply sunless tanners multiple times for great, realistic color.
Our first place winner, contestant #9, proves it beautifully.
After exfoliating thoroughly, she used Sea & Ski Sunless Deep Dark Self-Tanning Lotion, just one application.
Her photo was taken 33 hours after application.
She wore yellow household gloves to apply the sunless tanner, and used a four inch sponge paint roller to distribute it over her back.
Face makeup: Olay Complete Radiance Compact Powder Foundation in Medium Beige, Bobbi Brown Blush in Soft Pink, Mascara, and black eyeliner.
The praise poured in:
"To my eye, her [sunless tan] coloring is the most flattering and natural in appearance - she doesn't look too dark, but instead has a nice healthy glow. Very even, too. I think she looks lovely."
"I was so impressed how natural her color is and the overall difference in her before and after photos."
"Very natural and even looking..."
"...exactly how I would want my sunless tan to look. Very natural and not too dark."
"She just looks radiant. This is the sunless tan that I want."
Sunless.com would like to thank the contest winners for allowing their photos to be reproduced here. All photos belong to the individual contestants and cannot be used without their permission.
Contestant #9 will receive a $100 gift certificate from Ulta.com; contestant #8 receives a $50 gift certificate from Ulta.com; and contestant #2 receives a $25 gift certificate from Ulta.com. Prizes were donated by Sunless.com.
Product summary section
Au Courant Bronze Face Gel
Au Courant Sunless Tanning Mousse
Au Courant Sunless Tanning Lotion
Beach by Strong Products
Bobbi Brown Blush in Soft Pink
Bonne Bell Golden Tan Bronzing Powder
Coppertone Endless Summer in Medium/Dark
Hawaiian Tropic Deep Dark Self Tanning Lotion
No-Ad Sunless Tanning Lotion
Olay Complete Radiance Compact Powder Foundation
Sea & Ski Sunless Deep Dark Self-Tanning Lotion
SUN Laboratories Dark Sunsation
Target Sunless Tanning Lotion
Wet'N'Wild Lip Pencil #666
Yves Rocher Monoi de Tahiti Express Bronze
See the shop by brand name section for online retailers. Sea & Ski, for example, can be found at www.longs.com.
