L-R: Palmers, Dove & St Tropez
So, I have spent the last several winters trying to do the whole “pale chic” look but unfortunately I just don’t have the time to do it to perfection hence my return to the gradual tanner this winter. Time is a luxury for most people these days and to pull of the über pale/white look you need to be dedicated, and I just was not. I didn’t have time to apply Mac face and body to the bits of my arms that might peek out, I wasn’t religious enough in my use of Spf and the constant worry of finding a foundation to match my pale, blotchy skin just all became too much.
I returned to the world of self tanning with a bang and I have the lowdown on quite a few tanning products coming your way soon; today I have reviewed three of the most popular gradual tanners on the market. With each product I have opted for the darkest option available; I feel the light shades in gradual tanners do nothing but give you a nice jaundiced look (and if that’s what you are into,that’s cool with me!).
- So getting the coveted number one spot today is the extremely smelly but easy to use Palmers Cocoa Butter Natural Bronze Body Lotion with Vitamin E. I was introduced to this baby after reading that the cast of TOWIE were fans; not the greatest of advertisers you might add (most of the cast have a curious orange glow about them) but it piqued my interest none the less. I picked up a bottle in my local Shaws and paid €6.99 for a 250ml pump bottle. (Pump bottles for the win etc). I applied this as I do my body moisturiser; in extreme haste. The one precaution I did use was latex gloves (you will see later on why this is always a good idea). I literally pumped the product into my hand and awoke with a lovely light tan. Result! Its my go to gradual tanner of choice now and you can choose to use it everyday for a deep tan or just once or twice a week which is my preferred option. A couple of uses a week will give you a nice sun kissed glow and as an added bonus I am finding it really great at moisturising my skin. The only gripe I have with this product (and it may be a deal breaker for some of you lot) is the smell. It reeks of Cocoa; and when I say reek I mean it really does stink; himself even commented on it (strangely enough he likes it). The smell fades over the course of 24hrs but if you have a sensitive nose then this product might not be for you; its a shame really as you do not even need to be careful when applying this. I just slap it on and go! Rating: 4/5 with a point dropped for the smell!
- Hot on the heels of Palmers offering is my second favorite gradual tanner – Doves Summer Glow for normal to dark skin. Doves offering comes in a squeezy 250ml bottle and will cost you in and around the €5.99 mark in local supermarkets and chemists. This tan also only takes one go to give a nice sun-kissed glow but it is more prone to streaking than the Palmers. So you need to take your time with this one, make sure you have no dry patches and definitely wear gloves when applying. The reason I’m not loving this as much as the Palmers is that whilst it is also quite stinky it takes ages to dry too. Not so great if you wanted to apply in the morning as it will simply stick to your clothes. I recommend using this at night and you shouldn’t have too many issues then. Its a decent product and one I would say is worth having as backup for the summer months. Rating: 3/5
- Last and certainly least is St Tropez Everday in Medium Dark. Its the most expensive of the gradual tanners I have tried to date with a 200ml squeezy bottle costing roughly around €15 – €17 depending where you purchase from. I’ve never really been a fan of the original St Tropez tan so I’m not sure why I thought I might like their gradual tanner offering. Needless to say me and the gradual tan didn’t work out. In order to justify the price St Tropez claim their nourishing body moisturiser cleverly combines serious skin care benefits with a healthy touch of bronze. I say “St Tropez you big fat liars!” This stuff is seriously difficult to apply; I have tried four or five times now and never have I managed an even tan, and just look what it did to my hands (see pic of streaky tan hand below) Not only that but the colour payoff is pretty poor for a tanner aimed at medium dark skin and it definitely does a very poor job of keeping skin moisturised. Its a big massive thumbs down for me! Rating: 1/5, a point given for the fact it does not smell.
St Tropez Everyday Streaky Hand
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- Fake Tan – a must read! (lipstick-and-pearls.blogspot.com)
