CEF Product of The Week - MyChelle Dermaceuticals Del Sol Sunless Tanner

As a follow-up to last week’s product post (100% pure exfoliator)... here is a great alternative to dangerous synthetic self-tanners to help you keep that natural glow all year round. Can’t part with your fave tan in a can? Well consider this...

I spent a long time searching for THE at home self-tanner with the best results and I did find it! It worked instantly so I could see where it was applied and didn’t give me that splotchy/streaky look. The results looked as close to natural as a self-tanner could, and since it was a spray application it always looked totally even and literally took two secs to apply. I used it like it was going out of style! Then, when I  learned of the potential dangers associated with the use of parabens and other chemicals in skincare, and colorings and absorbing agents commonly used in self-tanners, I crossed my fingers and wished and hoped that this specific product did not contain any. It was then that I noticed, the ingredients weren’t disclosed on the packaging. So, I went on the website to try to find them, but they were not listed there either...NOT a good sign. Now, I was really starting to worry about what I had been religiously putting on my skin, but I googled, and found a reassuring blurb on the company’s website that said: “Company name” ‘s products contain only botanically extracted ingredients and no preservatives.” OMG! That’s amazing! I thought. I anticipated that this product was going to be chemical crammed! Well, I don’t know how or exactly why, but it seems that that blurb was a lie and a half. These were the real ingredients in that product (I finally tracked them down):

Deionized water, thoxydiglycol, Dihydroxyacetone, Propylene Glycol. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone Dicaprylyl Maleate, Glyceryl Stearate (and) PEG 100 Stearate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Erythrulose, Stearyl alcohol, Polysorbate 85, Cetyl alcohol, PPG-5 Ceteth-10, phosphate, Otcyl Palmitate, Trisodium Edta C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, PVP, Eicosene Copolymer, Diazolidinyl Urea, Glyceryl Stearate, Aloe Vera, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Water Fragrance, Methylparaben, FD&C Red #40 FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #6

I stopped using this tan in a can I once loved immediately (this was one of the hard ones to give up). What worried me the most about its ingredients was the presence of PEG coupled with the Methylparaben, colorings, and other toxic chemicals, because as the company claimed on its website that their “technology” “transports” the active ingredients to deeper layers of the skin, what really should have been said was the PEG in our product will allow the toxins in it to absorb into several layers of your skin which runs the risk of them entering your bloodstream. Also, the main ingredients in all self-tanners when exposed to the deeper layers of skin cause premature aging. Needless to say, I was highly disappointed by this company’s misleading marketing ploy.  

So then commenced my hunt for a safe yet effective alternative to my once rave worthy self-tanner. All self-tanners work because of one of two or a combination of both the ingredients DHA (Dihydroxyacetone) and/or ethrulose. Both are non-toxic and natural based substances which turn skin shades of yellow-brown by way of a chemical reaction of the amino acids already present on skin. The results of this reaction look similar to that of UV tanning since the pigments formed (melaniodins) are similar in color to melanin (the substance our body creates when exposed to the sun or tanning beds.)  Everyone’s amino acids are different, so the same product may have a totally different end result from one person to the next. Also, as with any product, there is always a chance that your skin may react negatively to it and a rash or allergic reaction may occur. Therefore, Del Sol contains natural ingredients that have anti-allergy, and anti-inflammatory properties.

The reason self-tanning sprays are risky are because DHA and other ingredients found in most sunless tanners are considered safe for external application but it has not yet been declared whether or not they are safe to inhale. Even the FDA warns users to take caution and avoid any of the product from getting in the mucous membranes. Having someone professionally apply a spray-on sunless tanner is safer than spray tan booths like Mystic Tan because there is better ventilation, and you can control where the spray is going. However, in general you should be cautious when using any form of spray tan because this service is not thoroughly regulated and many of the required precautionary steps are not used at tanning salons or at home like the use of goggles, lip balm, nose plugs etc.. Keep in mind there are up to 45 chemicals that might be present in synthetic spray tan solutions. Some of them are lead, mercury, and even arsenic!!

So far, I have been very pleased by the safe and non-toxic self-tanner I have been using lately. It is called Del Sol and is made by MyChelle Dermaceuticals. It is a cream that looks and feels similar to a moisturizer, is comprised of many bioactive ingredients, and its active ingredients are sugar and vegetable derived. The packaging suggests that you mix the product with your favorite body lotion to achieve a gradual tan, or use alone for quicker and more intense results. Either way works great! I like to use it every few days or so (without mixing it with anything) in order to achieve and maintain a natural looking tan. Not only does it make me tan though, it also makes my skin soft, supple, and more radiant looking the day after I apply it! I wouldn’t recommend daily application as the results are pretty intense, and although after one application the results are great and natural looking, if you don’t wait for it to fade a little before applying more it tends to look unnatural and can even a bit orange. Remember, just because you don’t see a change right away after about 5-6 hours the color will start to show, so you don’t want to overload it and wind up looking like Magda from There’s Something About Mary.  Although, the results are not immediate, If you wash your hands right away after application and pay close attention to where you are applying it, you shouldn’t have any severe streakage going on. This is hands down the best natural self-tanner on the market right now! Go to: http://www.mychelle.com/delsolbronzingsystem.aspx and receive 15% off on this and any MyChelle product until Sept. 30th, and like with any self-tanner Don’t forget to exfoliate before applying!