I know tanning is an odd topic for a Thanksgiving Day post, but squint your way through your turkey coma and hear me out. Tanning is a toughie. Tan in a tanning bed, and you risk developing skin cancer. Mystic Tan can be expensive and usually lasts a week or less, depending on showering. Tanning yourself at home can be one of the most economical, easily maintained and safe tanning options, but is it easy enough for the average girl to pull off herself? I tried out L’Oreal’s Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Airbrush Self-tanning Mist in Medium Natural Tan to find out.

I loved the 360-degree continuous spray; it made it easy to spray all the way around my leg in one simple motion, rather than to have to stop and start in the hopes that you don’t overlap or miss a spot. It dries really quickly, too, without having to rub it in. The mist sprays so evenly and lightly, you can barely tell you have anything on you. Overall, the application process really satisfied me – above and beyond what I expected from a self-tanner!

The Results:

I performed a second application in the hopes of evening out any potential gaps, and waited a couple of hours as instructed. Splayed out on the couch watching House, I looked down to my legs only to realize I was (gasp) splotchy! The horror! I had lines where half of my leg was darker than the rest, a couple of uber-dark splotches and worse, an orange-y tinge in the splotchy bits. Eternal optimist that I am, I considered, “Perhaps it’ll look better in the sun – maybe warm tones will even things out?” Not so. I looked worse in the light.

Needless to say, I took a post-haste showered and exfoliated like a madman. It looked a LOT better. The orange tint cooled down, and though I still had a splotch or two, they were easily toned down with a cotton ball and a bit of alcohol.

Even after Splotchageddon 2013, I’m actually pretty pleased with this self-tanner because the application is much easier than any kind of lotion or towelette I’ve tried. And although it did turn me somewhat orange, it was probably the most “bronze” looking I’ve ever gotten from a self-tanner. (Let’s face it, they’re all a little orange-y.) So give it a whirl, but make sure you get the color that best suits your skin to start out with, and carefully apply like a pro. Try it out at Amazon for only $9.99.