In the past, sunless tanners had never appealed to me. I felt like they would take too much time and I didn’t want to incur the risk of streaking and turning orange. Hence, I steered clear. Then I came across Chocolate Sun’s Shea Sunscreen for Body SPF30 at the SpiritBeautyLounge website and promptly ordered it. When that purchase was a success, I figured their Cocoa Glow Sunless Tanning Cream would be worth a shot and while I was at it, I gave Cocoa Illume For Face a trial run as well.

Here are a few important details before I get to the self tanner review: my skin is light to medium and olive in tone, so I chose Cocoa Glow which is their sunless tanning cream for medium tones. The “lite” is for paler skin and “absolute” is for darker skin tones. The Cocoa Illume for Face comes in light  and medium/dark, so I opted for the light.

I hinted in my previous Chocolate Sun review that my sunless tanning experiment went very well, and indeed it did. The body cream is applied with ease, just like a daily body lotion. I use one pump per leg, and one pump for my arms, chest and upper back. I have used the body cream at least 4-5 times and have never had any streaking, only a lovely sunny glow sans orange. The Cocoa Illume for Face is just as simple to use. I’ve applied it three times, after washing my face in the morning and again, no streaking to be found. The Cocoa Glow Sunless Tanning Cream has a pleasant, albeit strong scent of bittersweet cocoa butter that lasts for several hours.

The ingredients in all of Chocolate Sun’s products are 100% natural and the “developer” in the sunless tanners is derived from beets. The bottles have extensive application directions on the labels which I find much more practical than searching for a pamphlet each time I put it on. (I like to refresh my memory regarding their recommended techniques while I’m in the newbie stage). But in reality, the directions are almost unnecessary as they are so easy to use.

So now that Chocolate Sun’s body and face sunscreens are working out so well for me, I really do need their sunless tanners to keep up my summer glow. If sunscreen wasn’t such an important part of any skincare regimen, I’d be a little suspicious of a Cocoa Glow conspiracy!

Cocoa Glow Sunless Tanning Cream is available at SpiritBeautyLounge, $40 for 8oz.

Cocoa Illume For Face is available at SpiritBeautyLounge, $17 for 2oz.

Posted by ~Trish

image from vangaurdgallery at etsy.com

Disclosure: Samples from SpiritBeautyLounge were provided for this review. The opinions in this review are my own. I was not financially compensated for this review or any other.

I’m always on the look-out for natural sunscreens. Specifically, one for the body that smells nice, leaves no white cast, and is also efficacious. Well, I’ve discovered a terrific body sunscreen by Chocolate Sun that meets all three criteria. Aloe Vera, sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, and shea butter are the nourishing and hydrating ingredients in Chocolate Sun’s Shea Sunscreen for Body SPF30and titanium dioxide provides the protection. 82% of the ingredients are organic and all of the ingredients are natural. Sunscreen for Body smells nothing like chocolate as the name suggests, as it’s scent is a light and pretty citrus aroma, compliments of sweet orange oil.

Chocolate Sun’s Marigold Sunscreen for Face SPF 30 is virtually unscented, which I prefer in my facial moisturizers. Like the Sunscreen for Body, it contains aloe vera gel, sweet almond oil and titanium dioxide with the added ingredients of calendula (marigold extract) and white tea for their respective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. 90% of the ingredients are certified organic. This facial sunscreen provides excellent hydration and would work on most skin types. Thankfully, it leaves no white cast and mixes well with tinted moisturizers. My favorite way to wear the Marigold Sunscreen for Face is with a pump of Dr. Hauschka Translucent Bronze Concentrate. I warm the two together in my hands before applying, and it evens my skin tone while also creating a natural, glowy look.

As you can see pictured above, Chocolate Sun also makes self-tanners derived from all natural ingredients. I want to give it a few more weeks before I review the Cocoa Illume For Face and the Cocoa Glow Sunless Tanning Cream, but the early findings are very positive. (see link for the review….it’s in!)

Chocolate Sun is available at SpiritBeautyLounge. Sunscreen for Body is $30 for 8oz, Marigold Sunscreen for Face is $28 for 4oz.

Posted by ~Trish

Disclosure: Chocolate Sun Sunscreen for Body was purchased by me, a sample of the Marigold Sunscreen for face was provided for this review by SpiritBeautyLounge. The opinions in this review are my own. I was not financially compensated for this review or any other.