Looking for a self tanner for your face that won’t turn your skin orange, smell weird, make your skin look crusty, streak or damage your skin? We’ve got you covered. Check out Maya Chia’s WATER | COLOR which gives you a subtle, yet buildable, tan. And unlike most self tanners, it’s also LOADED with antioxidants to help counteract free radical damage and provide maximum hydration. Come see what this looks like applied in my before + after pics! 

By: Lisa Fennessy

IN THIS POST:

• Here’s what I love…
• Maya Chia WATER | COLOR before + after pics
• How to apply Maya Chia’s WATER | COLOR
• Will WATER | COLOR turn my skin orange?
• How dark is the WATER | COLOR face tanner?
• How long does the WATER | COLOR tan last?
• Is the DHA in WATER | COLOR safe for use on your face?
• Maya Chia’s WATER | COLOR pros + cons

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OMG I just used a self tanner on my face. WHAT?! Never say never LOL.

I’ve been a beauty blogger for over a decade and swore I would NEVER use self tanner on my face. Why? Because the active ingredient in most self tanners is DHA. DHA (a sugar made from fermentation of glycerin) that temporarily tans/colors skin by staining dead skin cells.

It isn’t anything to freak out about BUT when you use DHA on your skin, it speeds up free radical generation, especially if you don’t use sunscreen. This can mean attacks on cell structures, collagen and more.

So the major takeaway of this post is if you are using ANY self tanner on your face, for crying out loud, LAYER IT WITH A SUNSCREEN.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way…Maya Chia is bringing down the house with their WATER | COLOR Tinted Hydrating Sunless Tanner.

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Here’s what I love…

WATER | COLOR is a gradual face self-tanner powered by DHA and erythrulose (a sugar in some tanning formulas that prevents skin from turning orange) that’s LOADED with antioxidants like chebula, astaxanthin and chia seed oil to help counteract free radical damage and provide maximum hydration.

This is radical (pun intended) because we haven’t seen any other face self tanners that counteract themselves or balance out the effects of DHA like this one does.

The combination of COSMOS/ECOCERT-approved DHA and erythrulose (both derived from fermented keto-sugars) builds a natural tan gradually with a streak-free finish. Love that this serum also hydrates while blending effortlessly onto the skin—without an off-putting scent or concerns of color transfer. 

WATER | COLOR actually has a very light scent of orange and vanilla which means you aren’t giving off that obvious fake tanner smell wherever you go…IYKYK.

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Maya Chia WATER | COLOR before + after pics

Here you can see WATER | COLOR applied on my face👆. This is one application and these pics were taken a couple hours apart. You can see how subtle the color development is. It delivers a beautiful glow that looks natural and slightly sunkissed. 

I personally find this product super easy to use. I would even go as far as saying it’s practically fool proof. One application gives you a subtle glow like the above and you want more you can apply daily until you find your personal sweet spot. 

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How to apply Maya Chia’s WATER | COLOR

This is a water-based gel serum so it goes on “wet” and soaks right in. I like using this in the morning before my makeup as an added product in addition to my regular skincare routine. So I do my routine per usual (cleanse, mist, serum, moisturizer) and then layer this on top. The formula itself is tinted a light caramel color but it turns pretty clear when you apply it. You won’t see any immediate change but the color will gradually develop over the next 2-5 hours. 

If you have dry skin I would advise keeping your skincare routine the same as it is now (whatever is currently working for you) and then layer this on top as an additional benefit. 

Bonus: this formula doesn’t cause any pillingl It’s so light, easy to layer and plays well with both makeup and skincare.

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Will WATER | COLOR turn my skin orange?

No! Maya Chia WATER | COLOR will not turn your skin orange. Thankfully most self tanners have gotten their act together since the early aughts and we don’t have to stress about looking like a splotchy carrot. This gentle formula creates a super realistic and buildable glow.

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How dark is the WATER | COLOR face tanner?

Like I mentioned, WATER | COLOR pumps out a caramel color which is helpful because the color helps act like a guide when you are applying it to make sure you don’t miss any spots. 

But as far as how deep of a tan it will give you? I have olive skin and I saw results the same day but for more perspective I asked Maya Chia founder / formulator Susanne Norwitz for clarification and she said “Given the intended gradual nature of the tan, lighter skin tones will notice a change in coloration first. The color is buildable over time, but it may take a few days for deeper skin tones to see a marked change.” 

Again, if you want a light tan, one application may suffice. If you want a deeper tan, you can continue to layer daily until you find your desired shade. 

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How long does the WATER | COLOR tan last?

DHA stains the top layer of dead skin cells on your skin so like any self tanner it depends on your washing, exfoliating and shaving schedule. I exfoliate 1X a week and wash my face 2X a day (and I don’t shave my entire face) so I would expect using this 2-3X a week would give me a consistent glow.

Overall this looks like a very slight tinting on my skin that fades with natural shedding and washing. There is not enough pigment there to cause any streaking or uneven fading.

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Is the DHA in WATER | COLOR safe for use on your face?

For more context, we did a deep dive on DHA but for WATER | COLOR specifics we asked Susanne Norwitz to add some color. She says, “DHA speeds up free radical generation according to one study in which DHA was used at over 5%. Our DHA is well below this amount. Plus, we have taken the added assurance to add all the super antioxidants we could muster. Additionally, it’s also a fair point that DHA (below 5%) is far less damaging than the free radicals for the skin that one would experience from a tan if they were so inclined to sunbathe. We wanted to provide a safe option.”

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Maya Chia’s WATER | COLOR pros + cons

PROS:

• It works…and looks natural
• Streak free
• True tan color—no orangey hue here
• Doesn’t smell like self tanner
• Actually smells good (like a hint of vanilla and orange)
• COSMOS/ECOCERT approved DHA and erythrulose
• Gel serum, so you can easily layer under or over your skincare routine
• Sinks in quickly
• Delivered in a base of skin supporting ingredients
• Fades naturally

CONS:

• Doesn’t replace a serum in your skincare routine—it’s in addition to your current routine.
• A higher price point
• Need to use 2-3x per week for consistent tan
• May not be noticeable enough for darker skin tones
• Does not contain an SPF

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Have you tried Maya Chia’s WATER | COLOR? Or do you have a fave face self tanner?

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