My Essential Kit for a Natural Summer Glow

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyJergensGlow #CollectiveBias

If you’re a part of the parenting movement where our generation slathers our children and ourselves with SPF (as one should) to protect yourself, you might also suffer from Ghost Skin. #TheStruggleIsReal

I myself am pretty much see-through even though I’m a runner and I spend a lot of time outdoors. With weddings, backyard barbecues and other big events coming up, I find myself feeling more confident with a splash of color– especially on my legs! It also helps hide the things that make me a little self-conscious like my varicose veins and my small array of stretch marks- proof that I went through puberty, childbirth and I have reached my thirties. To maintain some color all year (AND get my protection on), I use JERGENS® Natural Glow® +PROTECT Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 20, but with a huge event (Listen to Your Mother) last week, I knew I needed a slightly deeper tan than I had, and quick! With just hours to show-time,  I decided to make myself an essential kit, making it easy for me to grab what I need to give myself a weekly glow; similar to the shower caddy I carried to and from the bathroom in college. This would make it easy for me to always have a spectacular, natural tan, in no time! In it I’ve packed things that I love, from my favorite music to a relaxing candle. Starting with the right frame of mind is key to getting my glow on.

My kit is awesome for me because I can put it away on a high up bathroom shelf (no one wants the kids to get into self tanner!), and it’s complete with everything I need for a streak-free natural glow, like the new JERGENS® Natural Glow® Color Primer In-Shower Scrub and JERGENS® Natural Glow® Instant Sun® Sunless Tanning Mousse.

Creating your summer glow essentials kit is super easy and starts with a simple trip to WalMart for just a few of your favorites. First, make a list of simple items that relax you. For me, I added a candle, my favorite gum, downloaded some great show tunes to my phone and grabbed up a magazine- all items to occupy for the time it takes me to apply lotion and make sure it dries well. Added into my kit, of course, are a razor, primer, a gentle loofah pad, sunless tanning mousse, and my daily glow moisturizer with SPF 20. Be sure when picking your shade, you consider your current skin color and desired look!

Once your kit is assembled, you are ready to glow!

Start by lighting a candle and playing some of your favorite songs… seriously. Giving yourself a spa feel, but ready to rock out is so needed! Throw all the bath crayons and foam letters into a corner of the tub, lock the bathroom door and ignore the small hands reaching under!

Now really… here’s how to get the perfect tan in less than 30 minutes!

1. Begin by shaving your legs… simple enough.
   
2. Treat the skin you want to tan with JERGENS® Natural Glow® Color Primer In-Shower Scrub. This is crucial, as this primer is gentle, but effective, in giving your legs the smoothest skin for applying your self tanning mousse.
   
3. Once you’re out of the shower, be sure to towel dry completely before applying your self tanner, then get started with JERGENS® Natural Glow® Instant Sun® Sunless Tanning Mousse, using sparingly on dry areas like knuckles, knees, ankles and in between fingers/toes. If you’re especially dry in those areas, apply a regular moisturizer to these dry areas just before applying any JERGENS® Natural Glow® moisturizers to minimize extra color absorption. Be sure to apply over a complete area. Use enough tanner to cover a whole area of your body at once (such as your entire arm) using long, smooth, downward strokes for even coverage.
   
4. Apply evenly and thoroughly- and if you’re worried about hand staining, a mitt will go a long way! Hands get stained? Apply the JERGENS® Natural Glow® Color Primer In-Shower scrub to your hands, rub together for a few seconds, and wash off!
5. Once your sunless tanning mousse is on, let it dry for 5-10 minutes (I waited 15), then reapply IF you want a more intense color.
   
6. Do not shower for 4-8 hours after application of Instant Sun. Allow the sunless tanner to deeply penetrate and build color. If possible try to avoid wetting your skin for a full 8 hours.
7. After color starts to fade (7-10 days), use JERGENS® Natural Glow® Color Primer In-Shower scrub to exfoliate and prep skin for another application- once a week? You got this!
   

TIP: After applying Instant Sun and washing your hands thoroughly, apply a small amount of foam to the tops of your hands with a washcloth to help blend the color onto the tops of your hands.

I use the Instant Sun for events that day, but to keep my color beautiful every week, I use my JERGENS® Natural Glow® +PROTECT Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 20 every few days (which, incidentally, is also when I get the chance to shower). To get a gradual glow, use your lotion daily until you have achieved the desired level of color, then continue to reapply once or twice a week! And don’t forget to apply SPF when you’re in the sun all day; the SPF in the +PROTECT is just for incidental sun.

So… are you ready for a show-stopping glow? Head out to WalMart and scoop up all of your summer glow needs- and don’t forget pampering yourself is half the fun!