I love a good tan.  I've never been one to lay in tanning beds, but when I used to have the time to bask for hours in the sunshine, I was out every day.  I have naturally olive skin, so when I am self tanning I choose ones with more of an olive, brown, and even green undertone.  Many fake tans on the market now offer a more natural, olive tone.

I've experimented with all different types, shades, and brands over the years.  I have a couple of staples that I keep on hand throughout the year, and I have a few new favorites.
I enjoy using a mousse because it's just so easy.  It blends right into the skin, and it's not messy when you are using a mitt.  I always order my mitt on Amazon and I use it for the various mousses that I own.

My #1 favorite is the St. Tropez mousse.  This is probably the most talked about self tan, and it deserves the fame.  This applies evenly and does not smell funky.  Unlike others, I'm able to apply this and go out while it processes.  It doesn't leave you with a green tint, so you can let it dry and go about your day while it does its magic.  They also make one for deeper skin tones, and that works beautifully as well -- I used it when I lived in the desert, and it kept me very, very dark.

Vita Liberata: Slightly newer to my tan collection, but does a fantstic job at bronzing.  This is a mousse texture identical to the St. Tropez.  The only difference that I find with Vita Liberata is it has a slightly more browny-olive undertone.  It is quite expensive, but I love it.
Bold Sunless Self Tan Mist: This is the newest to my favorites.  I love how easy it is to apply, and it has the most natural, brown color.  I get compliments on my skin tone every time I use this product.  A tip that I like is to spray some on your face before applying your makeup -- It will process throughout the day, and you'll be left with a natural glow when you remove your makeup!  I like to spray this all over after the shower and rub it in with my mitt.
James Read Liquid Tan: I started using this while working in retail.  The line was new to the US, and I decided to take it home and experiment so that I had feedback for customers.  I ended up loving the liquid tan the best out of all of his formulas.  This has more of a green undertone, and it can be quite messy if not used properly.  I apply this directly to my self tanning mit and then apply it to my body.  This builds very quickly and leaves you with a deep tan.  If you are more fair, go for the "Light" shade.

And here's my adorable pup, Patches, who insisted on sunbathing while I was taking photos!  She's naturally bronzed.