Self Tanning Booster Drops – What the heck is this?
DHA Booster drops, or we call it our "Little Bottle of Magic" is a liquid solution product with a very high percentage of Dihydroxyacetone (or DHA) added. They are used to increase, or raise, the DHA percentage of any liquid product they are added to. They darken the sunless tan. We offer our tanning drops in a clear (no tint added) version.
What’s better – Tinted or Clear Self Tanning Drops?
Tinted Booster Drops provide two ways to deepen the tan; the DHA increase, and the added dyes from the bronzer. Both would work together to darken the tan. Adding more or less drops with impact the overall visible darkness of the sunless tan during application. Then the DHA tan will darken over time, darkening the overall sunless tan, and the client will get some skin staining form the brown bronzer as well.
A clear booster drop would not have the added extra brown color “boost” from the food grade dye portion. So tan darkening is from the sunless tan depth increase only. This would be an option if you do not like the appearance of a darker bronzer color in the sunless tan. We prefer to offer only "Clear" so you can mix in your morning skincare and/or foundations and basically tan invisibly all day long without anyone knowing you applied a self tanner. No bronzer, No transference. It's just that simple to apply and then forget.
How do I use the drops?
Island Glow Self Tanning Drops can offer a light to darker tan according to how many drops you use. There is no magic number of drops because there are so many different skin tones and shade depths to build to but we recommend, you would add 6-10 drops in a quarter size of any cream or liquid you are applying. If you are adding the self tanning drops to a bottle of self tanner lotion or mousse, you may want to add up to 50 drops and shake well.
How much is too much? Orange tones and dryness issues.
A common question I hear – “…how much can I add?”. In theory, you could add as many drops as you want.
But keep in mind, you can only get to a certain darkness threshold. You cannot make the skin any darker than its going to get after a certain point. There is no one “exact” amount level, as it is tied into your skin tone, and body chemistry. DHA darkens the skin by a chemical reaction within the dead skin surface layer. It has a cutoff point, where no matter how much more you apply, it’s not going to get “darker” at least not “browner”. It can get more golden, or yellowy or orangey. But it will also only do this to a certain point.
The more DHA added can also increase skin dryness. So, skin may begin to fill tighter, and dryer. It may appear more dehydrated and parched looking. This can also increase the speed and unevenness of the tan fade. And the tan can look “spotty” in the fade off when you start going to high in the DHA range. This is not a reason to be afraid of booster drops, but rather just reminders or where you may need to “back off” if you see this occurring.
Can I just use Self Tanning Drops as a self-tanner solution, by themselves?
Yes, but the results may not be what you expect. We recommend you use the self tanning drops as a "Booster" rather than a sunless tan. Think of adding them to: face cream, foundation, self tanning products, sunscreen, etc.
Can I add drops to a lotion, and make my own sunless lotion product?
People do this with mixed results. Sometimes it works great, sometimes you have a whole bottle of lotion in the trash and a streaky uneven tan. Mixing a lot of booster with a lotion, will create a thin watery lotion. It may, or may not apply, absorb and develop evenly – depending on other ingredients in the lotion and how they integrate with the DHA.
Depending on lotion ingredients, some need to be warmed to mix correctly, but warming or heating your DHA drops can damage them, making them less potent. If you like to experiment, it is certainly a possible option. Just keep your expectations realistic.
Convenience:
Just think how easy this is to keep a subtle glow on your face, shoulders, legs, and all over all-year-round. You won't need to worry about if it's raining for days and there is no sunshine outside or working your busy weekday schedule around the tanning times at your local salon. Just purchase your favorite self tanning product and keep on hand always and then just boost that to darker if you'd like. Or just keep the self tanning drops on your beauty counter and add 6-10 drops in your face cream or foundation every single day. It's just that easy! PS: Just be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after applying or you will see them turn tan within 8 hours.
Shop online Self Tanning Drops online at www.islandglowva.com
xoxo,
Island Glow Sunless Tanning & Beauty
