Isle of Paradise Express Mousse Review: Proven

I consider myself a self-tanning enthusiast. why? Because I was doing Irish dancing. For those who have never marveled at competitive Irish dancing, consider Dancing Her Mama, a combination of Riverdance and a beauty pageant. This meant fake tanning was a big part of it. Thinking back 15 years ago, most at-home fake tans were one shade of orange (which turns slightly green when applied).

I’ve tried everything: mousse, tanning water, gradual tanning, instant tanning. So when the formula started getting pretty good, I was always itching to buy it. Later, when I became a beauty editor, I was first in line for the market’s beginner trials. Do you need the best fake tan for fair skin? Yes, we have a lot of recommendations.

One brand at the forefront of this innovation is Isle of Paradise (their tanning drops are legendary) and their Express Mousse is honestly one of the best self tan products I’ve ever used. It’s one. I am sure that even people who are afraid of false tans can be converted into lovers of this product.

Isle of Paradise Express Moose

Isle of Paradise Express Self Tanning Mousse

This is one of the easiest formulas to apply, takes just an hour to really develop color (many tanned skins don’t live up to this claim), and is streak-free. Leaves skin with a beautiful golden tan.

can’t believe it? Here we will introduce the application process and some before and after.

Isle of Paradise Express Moose application process

Isle of Paradise 30 Min Express Self Tanning Mousse

(Image credit: Tori Krauser)

According to the advice of founder and tanning legend Jules von Hepp, the application is all in the preliminary stages.

I start with a scrub the night before using Bare By Vogue’s Express Tan Removal Gel. I love this exfoliant. Because it doesn’t dry out my skin and doesn’t contain harsh exfoliating beads (many of which are a little too much for my sensitive skin). Oh, and it’s golden and sparkly and always fun.

If you have a really stubborn tan, we recommend something a little stronger like Rose & Caramel Purity Excel 60 Second Self Tan Removing Scrub.

Then moisturize (this is an important step). I found Naturium’s Biolipid Body Lotion to be perfect for this. I apply lotion to my chest (mainly around my collarbones where the sun will be patchy), elbows, knees, ankles, feet, hands, and wrists.

Bare By Vogue's Express Tan Removal Gel

Bare By Vogue Express Sunscreen Removal Gel

Naturium Biolipid Restoring Body Lotion

Using a mitt with a thumb attached, start at your feet and work your way up. I apply the tan on my legs (I don’t have legs, so I’ll come back to that), then my torso, arms (avoiding my hands), and towards my chest. I use quick upward strokes to tan and then use circular motions to blend. I spent 5 minutes convincing my boyfriend to do my back. This tan has a color guide, so check the mirror to see if you’ve missed any obvious patches.

For my feet and hands, once everything is well moisturized, I pump the sunscreen into my mitt, but instead of using the mitt to apply, I use a stiff stippling makeup brush to rub it into my hands and feet. Masu. The fingers of the hands are bent and inserted between the fingers to give it a natural feel. Less is more here. It is easier to increase and increase the tan than to remove it.

Now, the face. I actually use this sunscreen on my face as well and I don’t think it clogs my pores, but it may not suit everyone’s skin. For example, if you’re particularly prone to blemishes, you may want to stick to using a tanning moisturizer. I approach tanning on my face the same way I approach tanning on my hands and feet. First, apply a generous amount of moisturizer to your face and tan. Next, use a towel to brush your hairline and eyebrows to avoid getting any sunburn on your hair.

It may seem like a lot of work, but once you learn the technique, it only takes about 5 minutes.

Isle Of Paradise Double Sided Self Tan Mitt

Sigma Beauty F80 Air Flat Kabuki

Isle of Paradise Express Moose Results

Isle of Paradise 30 Min Express Moose

The left side has a sunburn, the right side has no sunburn

(Image credit: Tori Krauser)

I leave my tan on for anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on how dark I want it and how long I want it to last. In the photo here, I left the tan on for 2.5 hours. The transfer is by no means the worst, but it transfers a little because it comes with a color guide. I let it dry for a few minutes and wear my old pajamas while that progresses. Sunburn will come off easily with washing, so you don’t have to worry about it getting on your clothes. However, since it’s an express tan, you can’t leave it on for very long and I recommend not sleeping with it as it can transfer to your bed sheets.

What I love about this express mousse is that it seems to stay on even after you wash it off. At first, I thought I wasn’t as glowing as I usually would like, but when I woke up the next day, I was noticeably more tanned than when I first washed off the color guide.

I’ve seen some reviews saying it doesn’t get as dark as people would like. The thing to remember here is that the development time is 30 minutes, but when it comes to tanning, you don’t have time at all, so getting the color out after 30 minutes is quite a feat. This does not give a deep dark shade but a streak free shine and that is exactly what it offers. If you want more depth, add more layers the next day.

Another benefit of this tan is the fact that it has a long wear time and doesn’t get patchy. There’s no need to fear tigerbread skin. Home tanning often comes with a dry, patchy tan, but I’ve never had that experience with this product, and it took about 20 coats.

Isle of Paradise Express Mousse is the most natural-looking sunscreen I’ve ever used, and I recommend it to everyone, including beginner tanners, and it hasn’t disappointed me yet.