GTL Thursdays: I'm so fresh I got a tanning bed in my house.

Confession: I don't actually have a tanning bed in my house. But Pauly D does. As does my friend's Aunt Lisa.

Confession: What I do have is a baller self-tanner. Or, as my college roommate used to call it, tan in a can.

I know what you're thinking: first,that self-tanners are crap and unnatural and unreliable, and second, Danielle is already brown--what does she need a tan in a can for?

Well, let me assure you that self-tanners have seriously evolved over the years. We no longer have to risk transforming into a streaky oompa loompa. Instead, we can successfully achieve a more subtle and natural healthy glow, or maybe a fresh-from-the-beach bronze. Let me also say that even ginzos like me--that is, people with an olive complexion--find their skin ashy and pale and depressed in February, and a little bronzer or tanner is the perfect pick-me-up.

Plus, it is a vital component of any respectable GTL.


In short: don't judge. Don't hate. And most importantly, don't knock it til you've tried it.

Recently, I took some self-tanning advice from one of my favorite bloggers, and newest member of the wolfpack, Breanna--of BreBeauty.com. After reading her review of the product, I bought Clarin's Self Tanning Instant Gel from Sephora.

As Bre promised, the results. were. amazing. Not streaky. Not orange. Not fake. Just healthy goodness.


You can read Bre's review of Clarin's here. While you are there, you'd be wise to check out Breanna's recent posts and archives. I particularly enjoy her "beauty don'ts"; her post about Seabreeze made me giggle. Just thinking about the blue/green astringent makes my face tingle with fear. (You know you used seabreeze in 1995. And you thought it was the bomb.) Anyway, I read Bre's blog every day. And I learn something every day. And then I usually tell all of my friends.

What do you guys think about self-tanners? Perfect pick-me-up for winter skin? Or Fake faux pas for Snooki wannabes?