HELIOS – Self Tanning Lotion ****1/2

I’m a pale skinned girl so when I was asked to test out a self tanning lotion I jumped at it! I’ve always wondered about self tanners and which products worked well and which ones turned you into an Oompa Loompa! I didn’t want to end up orange. The self tanning market seems to be saturated with different products, from tanning towels to lotions and foams. They all intimidate me a little bit. I tried the Helios Self Tanning Lotion, and really liked it!

The first thing I did was take a shower and make sure to exfoliate well to help get rid of and moisturize any dry spots on my body, like elbows and heels. These are places that could easily soak up too much tanner and turn orange, and at the very least turn a much darker colour than the rest of you! When I applied the lotion I rubbed it on my skin in a circular motion, that’s what I’ve been told over the years works best to help prevent streaks.

I applied the lotion before I went to bed to let it do it’s magic overnight, I woke up with a bit more colour and a glow. The bottle says it works with your skin colour to give you more colour, so it makes it more natural than some other self tanners that just give you a dramatic colour boost. My one complaint would be that in the bottle I didn’t notice any scent, but once it mixed with my skin and natural oils I noticed a tanning scent that I didn’t really like. It didn’t last long though, once I showered that morning it went away. The length that the glow lasted was probably about 4 days, it lightly wore off as I showered every day and I’m sure if I applied it every couple of days it would last much longer.

Overall I think it’s a pretty great product that I would use regularly! It’s nice to give yourself a little extra glow for special occasions or just because! I’ve included the Ingredients and product description from the website below. I think one of the best things about the product is that it’s made in Canada and even more specifically, made in BC! Check out the website for this product and others at www.helios-suncare.com

HELIOS SUN Self Tanning Lotion
provides a natural looking tan without the damaging effects of the sun. This light non-greasy formula will give you a healthy tanned appearance within hours. It contains Vitamins A, D, E, Aloe Vera and Ectoin, Emblica, and Liposome Collagen to moisturize and protect the skin. Helios Sun Self Tanning Lotion  is not a bronzer or a dye. It is moisturizing and non-irritating. The color you develop depends on your skin type.
-Size: 120ml, 200ml

INGREDIENTS: Water, Glycerin, Oleth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Ditaethicone Dyhydroxyacetone, Fragrance (Vanilla), DMDM Hydantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ergocalciferol, Retinyl Palmitate, Aloe Vera.
Not tested on animals
No scent in tube, but once applied to skin a bit of a tanning scent
Light texture
120/200ml
Made in CANADA

Rating Breakdown:

* No sensitivity issues at all!
* Tan takes a few hours to show up, but last a few days with showering before fading and needing reapplication.
* Easy to apply, just remember to read the directions, and wash your hands really well after application!
* I found it online for $12.99 a bottle!
1/2 I only gave half because I did notice a bit of a tanning smell that I didn’t really like.

Recommended Use:
When you want to get a natural glow overnight and don’t have time to tan and don’t want to worry about some of the harmful effects of tanning to your skin!