Why I Use St. Tropez Exclusively to Cover My Vitiligo

Disclaimer: St. Tropez did not compensate me in any way for this blog post, but the products do contain affiliate links. The opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Update: Since writing this, I’ve given up wearing tanner and embraced my skin. That said, St. Tropez was my go-to product for years and I will always recommend it to those looking for a self-tanner.

After getting vitiligo at the age of seven, the condition slowly took 100 percent of my pigment over the course of 20 years. Today, I wear tanner every day to give my skin a bit of color – and have been doing so for more than seven years. Lotions, spray tans and mousse? At home and in the salon, I’ve tried them all. In fact, I spent two years addicted to spray tans before I found St. Tropez – the self-tanner that has been my go-to for three years straight.

St. Tropez has given my skin color and me the confidence to feel more like my old self again. Living with no pigment is still a relatively new chapter for me. It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that this disease has stripped all of my pigment from my body. Eventually, I could see myself going tanner-free. But for now, St. Tropez is a way to bridge the gap and help me feel good in my skin. Here’s why I love St. Tropez’s self-tanning mousse.

Products (left to right): St. Tropez Classic Bronzing Mouse 8oz, St. Tropez Advanced Bronzing Mouse 1.69oz (great for travel), St. Tropez Tanning Mitt

The color is incredibly natural

If you ask me, the most important factor in choosing a tanner is the color. Fake tans come in all variety of shades – and not all good ones. St. Tropez is by far the most natural-looking tanner I have used. In fact, because I wear it on all of my body, I have to tell people that I have a skin condition for them to know I have one – and they are often surprised to find out that the tanned skin isn’t my natural color. If that isn’t a testament to the color, I don’t know what is.

It’s easy to apply

Checkmark number two? St. Tropez is easy to apply. I typically shower and exfoliate at night and then apply lotion in the morning. Using a tanning mitt, it takes me just five minutes to apply the tanner if I’m doing my entire body. In another fives minutes – and sometimes less – the tanner is dry and I’m already getting dressed and heading about my day. Applying tanner can be a hassle – but this self-tan fits into my day just like brushing my teeth or combing my hair.

No smell or stickiness

You know what I’m talking about. There’s a distinct smell that comes with many fake tans – in fact, I would often buy scents to cover it when I got spray tans. Many fake tans can also leave your skin feeling sticky or wet. After spray tans and some of the tanning lotions I’ve tried, it would take hours for me to feel like I could put my clothes on comfortably. For me, St. Tropez couldn’t be more different. The mousse had an ultra-lightweight feel that leaves my skin dry in just minutes. I don’t think twice about putting my clothes on and running out the door after applying.

It’s easy to travel with

It turns out that you can’t pack a spray tan in your carry-on. But you can pack St. Tropez – especially if you get their 1.69 ounce travel size bottle. One of my favorite things about this self-tanning mousse is the ability to apply it anywhere and anytime. Going to a salon to get a spray tan was time-consuming and made keeping up a tan during travel incredibility difficult. St. Tropez gives me ease of mind in that I never have to schedule an appointment or devote an entire part of my day to tanning.

Have you used St. Tropez? What do you like about this self-tanner?