Want to Look Stunning? Discover the Secret to a Golden Glow and Silky-Smooth Skin

Imagine slipping into your favourite dress, looking in the mirror and thinking, "I look beautiful!"

Your complexion has a warm golden tone, your shoulders look smooth and beautifully cared for, and your skin catches the light with a delicate satin sheen. You smile at your reflection, feeling confident and completely yourself.

Sounds lovely, doesn't it?

The festive season is approaching, bringing special gatherings, beautiful outfits and memorable evenings. We think about our hair, make-up and what to wear, but one of the loveliest finishing touches is skin that looks radiant and feels beautifully soft.

Perhaps now is the perfect time to give yourself a little extra attention.

Meet two ONYX products designed for different needs:

• Sunl’essence Facial Self Tanning Drops gradually create golden-looking colour on your face without sunlight or sunbeds.
• La Playa Dry Tanning Oil-Gel conditions body skin, leaves a soft satin finish and is intended for use during UV tanning.

One gives your skin sunless colour. The other offers a lightweight, oil-inspired body care experience but does not produce a tan on its own.

Here's how they can complement each other in a personalised face-and-body routine.

What Actually Tans Your Skin, and What Gives It a Satin Glow?

These two products work differently, and understanding that difference makes choosing the right formula much easier.

Sunl’essence - Golden Facial Colour Without the Sun

Picture a chilly morning. The sky is grey, summer feels far away, yet your complexion has a subtle sun-kissed warmth.

That is exactly the kind of look you can create with ONYX Sunl’essence Facial Self Tanning Drops.

The formula contains two self-tanning ingredients called DHA and erythrulose. They react with the outer layer of the skin, gradually creating a bronzed appearance without UV exposure.

In other words, the drops actually develop cosmetic colour, even when you haven't spent any time in the sun.

Mix them with a suitable moisturiser, serum or cream according to the product directions. You can choose a delicate golden touch or gradually build a deeper-looking shade.

Aloe vera and hyaluronic acid are also included in the formula, making the drops an appealing addition to a skincare-focused routine.

La Playa - Seven Botanical Oils for Silky Body Skin

There is something wonderfully indulgent about skin that feels soft and smooth.

ONYX La Playa Dry Tanning Oil-Gel combines seven botanical oils, including coconut, argan and macadamia, in a lightweight formula with a gel-like consistency.

Imagine the glide of a body oil without the heavy, greasy feeling. Your skin feels conditioned, while the satin finish adds a subtle, elegant sheen.

• Silky softness: Botanical oils help condition and smooth the skin.
• A delicate sheen: A satin appearance rather than an excessively oily finish.
• Lightweight comfort: The formula spreads easily and absorbs quickly.
• A tropical fragrance: An enjoyable touch that makes application feel like a little beauty ritual.

La Playa is classified as a tanning accelerator for body use during indoor or outdoor UV tanning.

It is not a self-tanner. Applying the oil-gel alone will not develop a brown tan. Natural tanning requires UV exposure, while La Playa provides its own skin-conditioning benefits. Its accelerator positioning does not guarantee faster tanning or make UV exposure safe.

For a closer look at different textures, read our tanning oil vs tanning gel guide.

Switch Off the Facial Lamps on a Sunbed? Here's Why This Pairing May Appeal to You

Some women who use sunbeds choose to switch off the dedicated facial lamps when the equipment allows it.

They may prefer a lighter complexion or simply want to avoid additional direct UV exposure to the face.

But this can leave a noticeable difference in colour.

Your shoulders and décolletage look bronzed, while your face remains much lighter.

Sunl’essence offers a way to adjust that appearance without seeking extra facial UV exposure. You can gradually build cosmetic colour on your face while keeping La Playa as a separate body product within your existing tanning routine.

The advantage is control: your facial shade does not have to depend on how you tan your body.

However, turning off facial lamps does not completely protect your face from UV radiation. Other lamps may still expose it, and sunbeds increase the risk of skin damage and skin cancer.

If you prefer a completely UV-free tanning approach, Sunl’essence can also be used on the body.

For a comparison of different facial options, see our guide to facial tanning products.

Four Reasons to Use Tanning Oil and Self-Tanning Drops in One Routine

1. A More Harmonious Face-and-Body Appearance

Picture your favourite off-the-shoulder dress. Your neckline has a warm bronze tone, but your face looks noticeably lighter.

With Sunl’essence, you can gradually introduce warmth to your complexion without changing the products you use on your body.

The result may not be an exact shade match, since skin and application vary, but you gain more freedom to coordinate your overall look.

Sometimes those little finishing touches make getting ready feel even more special.

2. More Freedom to Choose Your Facial Shade

A barely-there golden tint for everyday beauty? Something warmer for a festive evening?

The amount of Sunl’essence you use can be adjusted gradually, within the product instructions, to suit the look you prefer.

Rather than trying to achieve the same result through extra facial UV exposure, you can choose a dedicated sunless formula.

Your complexion, your favourite shade, your choice.

3. Soft, Satin-Finished Body Skin

A beautiful appearance is not only about tanning colour.

Think of the way light gently catches your shoulders or how lovely it feels to run your hand along smooth, conditioned skin.

La Playa's seven-oil formula is designed to leave that soft, satin feel during its intended body-tanning use.

Sunl’essence, meanwhile, handles cosmetic colour development. Each has a distinct purpose, so you do not have to expect a single product to do everything.

4. A Golden-Looking Complexion Beyond Summer

Autumn and winter bring plenty of reasons to dress up: cosy dinners, festive gatherings and evenings you want to remember.

Because Sunl’essence develops colour without sunlight, you can enjoy a warmer-looking complexion throughout the year.

La Playa remains a separate product for its intended tanning use. It is not required for Sunl’essence to create or maintain its cosmetic colour.

How to Build Your Face-and-Body Beauty Routine

Step 1: Create Your Facial Glow With Sunl’essence

Start with clean skin and a suitable facial moisturiser, serum or cream.

Mix in the recommended amount of Sunl’essence and apply evenly, avoiding the eyes, lips and mucous membranes. Wash your hands afterwards.

Allow several hours for the colour to develop before deciding whether you would like a deeper shade.

It is a small addition to your routine, but seeing that gentle golden warmth in the mirror can make getting ready feel particularly enjoyable.

Step 2: Use La Playa on Your Body as Directed

If La Playa is part of your existing tanning routine, shake the bottle and dispense the oil-gel with its controlled pump.

Spread the formula evenly over the body according to the product instructions. The pump releases a stream of oil-gel rather than a fine mist, so the product needs to be distributed by hand.

The botanical oils condition the skin and leave a smooth satin finish.

La Playa is not intended for facial application, and it is neither a sunless self-tanner nor a sunscreen.

Step 3: Find the Shade That Feels Right for You

Once your Sunl’essence colour has fully developed, check your face, neck and shoulders in natural daylight.

Happy with the result? Keep your routine as it is. Want a slightly warmer complexion? Adjust your next application gradually.

The goal isn't to copy someone else's perfect tan. It's to find a look you enjoy wearing.

Pro Tip: Have a special occasion coming up? Try Sunl’essence several days beforehand. Begin with a modest amount according to the instructions, allow the colour to develop and assess it in daylight before increasing your next application.

Step 4: Remember Sun Protection

Neither La Playa nor Sunl’essence provides SPF protection.

Sunless cosmetic colour does not prevent sunburn, and tanning accelerators do not make UV exposure safe. Sunbeds cause skin damage and increase skin cancer risk.

Use appropriate broad-spectrum sunscreen and other sun-protection measures outdoors. If your goal is simply a bronzed appearance, self-tanning offers a way to create colour without UV exposure.

Who Might Enjoy This Two-Product Routine?

Women who switch off facial lamps: Sunl’essence offers independent facial colour development without deliberately increasing facial UV exposure.

People who love lightweight body oils: La Playa provides the conditioning feel of botanical oils without the heavy texture of some traditional oil products.

Beauty lovers who value flexibility: Adjust your facial shade without changing your preferred body-product texture.

Anyone considering sunless tanning: Sunl’essence can be used on both face and body, so you do not need La Playa if you prefer to avoid UV tanning altogether.

Two Different Formulas, One Routine That's Yours

The festive season is almost here. There will be favourite outfits, special plans and moments you'll want to remember.

But before all the celebrations begin, remember that you deserve a little time for yourself, too.

Perhaps it's the pleasure of soft skin, a delicate satin finish on your shoulders or a warmer facial complexion that makes you smile at your reflection.

Sunl’essence lets you customise sunless colour. La Playa brings the feel of seven botanical oils to its separate body-tanning role.

This season, care for your skin, enjoy those little beauty rituals and choose the look that makes you feel your best.

Discover La Playa Dry Tanning Oil-Gel

Customise Your Glow With Sunl’essence Drops

FAQ: Tanning Oil and Self-Tanning Drops

Does La Playa tanning oil create colour without the sun?

No. La Playa does not contain self-tanning ingredients. It is a body tanning accelerator for UV tanning routines and does not develop a sunless tan by itself.

Can I use Sunl’essence if I tan my body on a sunbed?

Yes. Sunl’essence allows you to create facial colour separately without increasing UV exposure for that purpose.

Does switching off facial lamps completely protect my face?

No. UV from other lamps may still reach the face. Switching off dedicated facial lamps does not make indoor tanning safe.

How quickly do Sunl’essence self-tanning drops work?

A subtle change may appear within several hours. The final colour depends on the amount applied, the selected shade and your skin.

Can I use Sunl’essence on my body?

Yes. The drops can be used on the face and body when mixed with suitable skincare according to the instructions.

Can I mix Sunl’essence directly with La Playa?

No. Mix Sunl’essence with a suitable moisturiser, serum or cream as directed. Keep it separate from La Playa.

Do either of these products protect against sunburn?

No. Neither provides SPF protection. A cosmetic tan does not protect your skin against UV damage.