Fair skin can certainly come with major benefits, but when it comes to having a filter-worthy glow on a daily basis, “benefits” are what we, fair skin people, lack there of. I have tried just about every craze-worthy self-tanner there is but only ended up with bad streaks, a repulsive fake tan odor, and, yet, another bottle to throw out. One of my biggest pet peeves is a bad fake tan (along with bad roots) so I am very very picky when it comes to a good self-tanner/ if one at all. It wasn’t until one of my favorite bloggers/influencers, Sivan Ayla, released her own gradual self-tanning lotion that I decided give this taboo skincare ritual one last shot. Although naturally a olive-skin goddess, I almost always trust Sivan’s judgement with products and I was also super excited that the gradual tanner was vegan, paraben-free, cruelty free, gluten free, and just about everything free (Parabens, Paraffins, Phthalates, Sulfates, & Silicones). Needless to say, I am now on my second bottle now and have yet to find a reason not to love this product. Selfishly, I would want to keep this hidden gem to my myself but after so many compliments on my skin and product review requests, I decided to share my overall thoughts on this product. Below is my (well-shared) Pros + Cons list of Sivan’s LuxUnfiltered Nº32 Gradual Tanning Lotion. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Elizabeth

*Before & After Pics Coming Soon*

PROS

first of all, it’s a realllly big bottle so it will last you a long time.

I’m usually a huge hater on fake tan smells but this lotion actually smells really good when you first put it on.
The fact that you don’t need a mitt is super nice. It also gives you more control on where you want to put it and makes it easier to even everything out. Idk I really like that aspect of it.
It doesn’t feel super sticky after you apply it (but I do wait about 5-6min before putting on my clothes. I usually put on my robe and wait until I need to get dressed.).
The lotion doesn’t make you feel dirty after having it set in your skin! I will apply it in the evening after I workout, shower, and just rinse off in the morning but it never makes you feel like you have to... if that makes sense?
The tanner is a lotion and is actually hydrating. My skin is never left feeling dry or looking scaly.
Not going to lie, after the first application I was left a little bit streaky on my arms but if you continue you to apply each day, the tan blends really well and you get more comfortable with using the product. I am never left streaky anymore.
The tan you get is kind of amazing! I used to be super against fake tanning b/c I always felt like they were always way too dark for my fair skin and I hated the smell. It was always just so obvious people had it on but this is kind of INSANE how natural it looks.

ALL Photos courtesy of: @luxunfiltered

CONS

Even though you don’t smell like fake tan immediately, after a few hours I can get a little smelly but it is never overpowering. I have asked just about every one of my friends and “You’re crazy Elizabeth. I can’t smell anything” seems to be the repeated answer. So I can still go out and not feel gross… and trust me that says a lot coming from me... I can smell fake tans a mile away.

You need like 5-6min to make sure everything is set in when you apply so make sure you make time for that when you are showering/getting ready/etc. As long as you wear a light robe or something like pajama pants, you are totally fine.
Make sure to wash your hands with soap and water after applying because you don’t want any noticeable lines on your hands (This has never happened to me with this product but I am super cautious about it).
At the end of the day, it is still a fake tan and because of my fair skin, I have to worry more about applying evenly than someone with a darker complexion. But it is nice that you can simply apply another layer if I notice any uneven-ness.