Can A Self-Tanner Last Three Weeks?

When warm weather started hitting New York a few weeks ago, I got caught up in the magic of 70-degree weather and threw on a sundress. It wasn't until later in the day when I caught a glimpse of my legs in a reflection in a store window that I realized my legs were approaching Casper-level ghostly pale. To be clear, I've embraced my pale skin and personally think you should rock whatever level of tan you want, but I like how I look with a little color on me. With my freckles and skin-cancer prone pale skin, there's absolutely no way you'll catch me baking in the sun anymore (seriously — I brought a regular umbrella to the beach last summer when I couldn't find my beach umbrella). However, I've been searching for the perfect self-tanner for years, and I think Vita Liberata pHenomenal Tan Mousse is the best self-tanner on the market.

Here's the backstory on the product: Unlike normal self-tanners, which last a week, max, it's designer to last two to three weeks. Unreal, right? The way it works is you apply it three times, showering in between applications. Then, you look bronzed and glowy for the next two to three weeks.

pHenomenal 2-3 Week Tan Mousse, $54, vitaliberata.com

So, what the verdict on this miracle tan product? It actually works. I know, I was kind of shocked too. I bought my bottle a few weeks ago (after my Casper legs fiasco), and I followed the application instructions to the T. First, I got a tanning mitt to ensure it went on smoothly and didn't dye my hands.

Tanning Mitt, $6.50, vitaliberata.com

I applied it the first day, and I could easily see the color showing up right away. I'm super pale and used the medium shade, which was the perfect color for me. The best part? It was brown, not orange or fake looking. Within seconds, it had dried, and I went to bed 30 minutes later and had no issues with the color rubbing off on my sheets. And, while the tanner had a slight chemical-y smell I associate with self-tanner, it was barely noticeable. The next day, I repeated the process (leaving about 24 hours between applications), and then I did it one final time on the third day.

Two weeks later, my tan has faded slightly, but it's still going strong. I haven't had any issues with streaking, and using the tanning mitt really ensured I covered every patch of my skin evenly. At $54, Vita Liberata is definitely pricey, but it's the best and longest-lasting self-tanner I've ever used. And, a natural-looking summer tan without the dangers of UV exposure? To me, that's priceless.

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Images: Courtesy of Brand