The Only Natural Tan I’ll Ever Have

Being Irish has its perks, but sadly one of them isn’t the ability to get a tan. Seeming as we get about four full days of sun here a year, my skin physically will not tan in the sun, even when I go on holidays and lie in 27 degree heat. However, the risk of sun damage just isn’t worth it for me, so over the years false tans have become my go-to sun in a bottle.

I’ve tried and tested more tans than I could list, but never before have I tried an all-natural organic tan. Tan Organic landed on my doorstep a few weeks ago and I was so excited to try it out. Tan Organic is the world’s first eco-certified self-tanning brand, with 87% organic ingredients – now how’s that for impressive?!

To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect with Tan Organic. It’s like nothing I’ve ever tried before, and I was slightly wary of the application as it’s an oil. But boy, I shouldn’t have worried at all. Firstly, I prepped my body with the Tan Erase Exfoliator. I thought this would be rough and scratchy, and was afraid to rub it on dry skin. However, it was smooth and gentle on the skin and didn’t irritate it at all. It buffed and exfoliated my skin so there was a good base for the tan. It wasn’t harsh but gave great results. So handy if you’ve forgotten to exfoliate in the shower prior to tanning, like I always do.

Next up – the tan itself. Again, I was conscious of the oil formula dripping everywhere, but it didn’t. I added a few drops to a tanning mitt and applied it in circular motions all over my body. The oil is pretty much clear, so you can’t really see where you’re applying it, but if you take your time and apply it section by section you’ll be fine. It leaves a really nice smooth feeling and light sheen to the skin, which I love. Plus, it smells great. I had to refrain myself from going into my dad and waking him up so he could smell it. I let it dry for a few minutes before putting on loose pyjamas.

Another concern I have when I put on fake tan (#firstworldproblems) is that it will stain my sheets, but this left hardly any residue at all as it sank straight into my skin. I applied two layers as I like my tan to be slightly dark, and was delighted with how it looked the next morning. Does anyone else check if their tan developed overnight first thing in the morning?! The colour was really nice and natural, and gave me the tan I’d imagine to have if my skin tanned in the sun. No hint of orange or missed patches in sight. Result. 

I washed it off in the shower, but unlike other tans it didn’t leave a streak of bright orange running through the drain. For a deeper tan I’d apply two layers two nights in a row, but for day-to-day tan it was perfect. It left my skin really smooth, the colour faded evenly over about five days and it didn’t go patchy or streaky.

Genuinely, I couldn’t recommend this tan enough. It gave the most natural result I’ve ever achieved – which is what we’re all looking for at the end of the day. Since when did orange become a good look?! The fact that it’s an Irish brand and eco-certified is just the cherry on top of the organic cake.