When I had kids in school, the summer season never started before the end of June, when the schools let out for summer break. Now, with my boys out of school, the summer season kicks off a month earlier—over Memorial Day weekend. This holiday weekend, my husband and I entertained a few close couples at the beach house on Long Island's east end. As usual, the water was too chilly for swimming (though we saw some intrepid tykes splashing about). However, my over 50 girlfriends and I were determined to celebrate the holiday in summery Capris, sun skirts and flip-flops. Several days before the weekend, I prepped for the beach by trying Fake Bake, a self-tanning lotion. This past week, I used the product again in preparation for a beach weekend visit with my dad, sisters and their families on the Connecticut shore. Here's my review of Fake Bake.
EASING INTO BARE LEGS SEASON
I’ve been using tanning lotion for years. They’re great for easing into bare legs season. I usually start just before Memorial Day and continue till the end of June. By July 4th, I’ve gotten a little color from beach combing or gardening and stop using tanning lotions.
When tanning lotions first hit the market, most women I know were turned off by the products' rotten odors and unnatural results (orange legs, anyone?). The minute I unscrewed the cap of Fake Bake, I knew the product's makers had solved the odor issue. Fake Bake smells like cake batter. The lotion's color coming out of the tube, however, was a bit alarming. It was dark brown--the color (and consistency) of chocolate pudding. I double-checked the label to make sure the product was designed for fair-colored skin. It was.
I followed the directions, which suggested applying the tanning lotion in a swirling motion. I knew from other self-tanning lotions that you have to be careful when applying the product to the knees, ankles and feet. It’s easy to apply too much lotion to these areas and end up with uneven, dark splotches of color. Fake Bake has added a "temporary organic color" to its lotion to act as a guide. The color helps women see how much lotion they're applying.
I liked the way the "temporary color guide" instantly gave my legs a little color. The day after my first application of Fake Bake, I took a shower. Since the "color guide" was supposed to be temporary, I wiped my legs with a paper towel before using a regular towel. I wanted to see if I could see the color on the towel. I could. It was like wiping off makeup. The product’s manufacturer promises that the color guide won't permanently stain clothing. I wasn't about to take any chances and made sure the freshly applied lotion was completely dried before I got dress. (The lotion dries quickly.) After two more applications, my legs had a subtle tan tone--just what I wanted. Since the color appears gradually, women can decide just how much fake tan they want.
Fake Bake is a good solution for women who want a little color, but don’t want to expose their skin to the harmful effects of the sun. I liked the touch of color instantly provided by Fake Bake's "color guide" as well as the subtle fake tan achieved after repeated application. The fake tan has been perfect for my early beach weekends. Now that June is here, I'll be wearing stockings and slacks less and bare legs more. Later in the month, I'm attending a wedding. If the wedding day is unseasonably cool, I'll wear nylon stockings. However, if there's a heat wave or just warm temperatures, I'll be wearing Fake Bake.
To learn more about the line of products, visit the Fake Bake website.
