A few years ago I had to start using a medicine that really dried out my skin. So, for the first time in my life, I started using a moisturizer. I began using a product called Utterly Smooth body cream. This is a really good product, it's inexpensive, and it did the job. Recently, I found a coupon for a really great deal on an organic, custom, spray-on tan at a salon. I don't have a problem getting tan from the sun, however, I hate sunbathing because I get too bored. So, I thought I'd give a spray-on tan a try. The esthetician who would be doing the spray-on tan told me to buy a pair of exfoliating gloves and to make sure I exfoliated before I came in for my appointment. I've never exfoliated before and I discovered that using an exfoliant along with the gloves works 10 times better than just using the exfoliant by itself. The esthetician also told me that the spray-on tan would only last 7 to 10 days. I can tell you that I'm too much of a tightwad and too lazy to go back for a spray tan every 10 days. However, I had watched some videos on YouTube about spray tans and two different people recommended using Jergens Natural Glow to extend the life of a spray tan. So, about five days before my appointment for the spray-on tan, I started using Jergens and I have continued to use it every day since. I use Jergens Natural Glow on my body and Jergens 3-day Natural Glow on my face, neck, and chest. Now, 11 days after I got my spray-on tan, my skin is darker than it was the day after I got the spray-on tan. By the way, I highly recommend using a self-tanning mitt to apply Jergens for two reasons. First, is to keep the tanning lotion off of your hands. I was religious about washing my hands really well whenever I used Jergens. However, as careful as I was, my fingertips we're still turning brown. If you happen to buy a mitt where the lotion seeps through it and gets on your hand anyway (this happens with some of the mitts), just wear a rubber glove on your hand under the mitt. You can get these mitts at a beauty supply or online. Walmart and Target are supposed to have them but they didn't when I looked. I found two different types of mitts. One has a foam rubber applicator and the other is microfiber. I prefer the foam rubber because the microfiber sucks up far too much of the lotion. The second reason to use a self-tanning mitt is that, when you use the mitt, it takes only a fraction of the time to apply the Jergens. Also, the Jergens goes on much more evenly and you only use about half as much of the Jergens as you would if you were putting it on with your hand because you're not wasting any of it. If you try a self-tanning mitt, you'll see what I mean. When you're putting Jergens on your face, do not stop at your hairline. You need to go about one quarter of an inch into the hairline. If you don't, it will look like you have a white ring around the outside of your face. It might not be noticeable indoors, but when you go out in the sun, it's definitely visible. (Please don't ask me how I know this. LOL) And, you don't need another person to put Jergens on your back. If you search for self-tanning mitts on Amazon, among all of the mitts, you'll find a couple of products to help you apply the lotion to your back. These applicators are about 36 inches long and 6 inches wide. You put your lotion on the applicator and then use the applicator to put it on your back the way you would use a towel to dry your back when you get out of the shower. I saw two of these on Amazon ordered one of them. Unfortunately, when I received it, I discovered that it had a microfiber applicator. I'll be ordering one with a foam rubber applicator very soon. Jergens Natural Glow (even the medium to tan shade) will not give you a very dark tan. It's, what I would described as a light beige color, and it's very natural-looking. Below, is a photo of a part of my body that did not get any of the spray-on tan. I just used the Jergens 3-day Natural Glow there for 4 days. At the bottom right hand corner of the photo, just above the shadow line, you can see an area that is pale white. That area is where I placed a Band-Aid so I would not get any of the Jergens on it. This will give you an idea of the type of tan you will get from Jergens. If you want a darker tan, I suggest you use a spray-on tan along with the Jergens. Just make sure you show the esthetician a photo of the type of tan you are looking for and make sure she has a solution that will do that for you. Many estheticians, tend to apply a tan that is just a couple of shades darker than your natural skin tone. By the way, some of the reviewers complained about Jergens having a funny odor. Quite honestly, I cannot detect any odor at all. Maybe they've recently improved it to take away the odor. I don't know. But I can't smell anything. Since Jergens is a moisturizer as well as a self-tanner, I stopped using the Utterly Smooth product. I discovered that Jergens is an amazing moisturizer. My skin is not only smooth, it's velvety soft, the way your skin feels when you're young. Okay, if you haven't figured it out for yourself by now, I'll tell you that I'm a guy. And, while I've always appreciated the fact that you ladies are soft and smell good, I always thought that all of the creams, lotions, and potions you ladies use was a bunch of B.S. But now, I have to admit, you ladies might be onto something. So, here I am, I'm a guy and I'm talking about how soft my skin feels and the best way to exfoliate. Lol That's why I said that Jergens turned me into a girl. I hate you, Jergens. ????
