FASHION Magazine

Normally we would have blown through at least a few bottles of sunscreen by now, but with the constant rain and cloudiness this summer, we’ve been reaching for the self-tanner instead. Even if we aren’t busting out a bikini every weekend, we still want our limbs looking bronzed and healthy.

There is quite the range of self tanner options available that offer different finishes depending on your skin tone and the level of bronze you’re looking for. But what we’re fixated on right now is growing number of natural and organic tanners geared toward those of us who want to green our beauty routine.

While faux glow and all-natural products may not seem like the most obvious pairing, it’s one that makes sense. After all, if you’re avoiding damage from the sun, it’s just as important to avoid the harmful chemicals and additives that many self-tanners can contain. But before we share our paraben- and silicone-free picks, some self-tanning 101: don’t forget to exfoliate. We can’t stress enough how important it is to polish your skin before you apply any self tanner—it will be the difference between achieving a gorgeous golden versus blotchy butterscotch.

It seems a bit silly, perhaps, to be talking about a product called Beach Prep when we’re halfway through August. But then, in Ontario anyway, it’s hardly been beach weather until very, very recently. So if you are finally headed for the sand you could do worse than this body polish ($35, at select Holt Renfrew stores) from Elemental Herbology–a British company that uses responsibly harvested botanicals to create their line of synthetic fragrance- and sulphate-free skin care.