Sunbeds are not my thing, I'm putting that out there right from the get go. I have been on a sunbed once in my entire 22 years of living and it was for 3 minutes and it was the worst experience of my life.
Then I decided to try fake tan.
I am not an expert with fake tan but I feel like the more I use it the better I get, as goes with everything, practice makes perfect. In the past few months I've been experimenting with different fake tans and different formulas and I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what tans suit me and which don't now.
I recently purchased this gradual tan kit from Debenhams as a good friend of mine suggested it to me for days where you don't want to properly fake tan and you just want a subtle tan colour that comes off without the exfoliating heavily rigmarole.
Colour Payoff and development time
St. Tropez Gradual Tan comes out clear and dries clear then after a few hours/overnight it will develop into a natural looking tan. The medium/dark colour comes out quite dark on me as I'm very fair, but this is something I knew when purchasing and also a reason why I purchased it. If you're looking something that is truly gradual and you are fair skinned like me
(Ivory or lighter in most foundations for a quick reference) the light/medium may be better for you.
Scent
All the lotions smell incredible, no fake tan smell, but it is strongly perfumed. I personally don't mind the smell but I have read a few reviews, before I bought it, where some people have said they didn't like the smell so I think it is down to personal preference. The fake tan smell does seep through maybe a day or two after, but I could only smell it if I pressed my nose to my skin, so nothing obnoxious or obvious to people around you, which is always a good thing as some fake tans do ten to get a bit whiffy!
Application
I do all the normal fake tan preparation when applying this tan, I will shower, exfoliate and then put non scented moisturiser on my dry areas as even though these are moisturising fake tanners, they still are exactly that, fake tan, so a little preparation goes a long way. The only thing I find is a little annoying is the fact this lotion comes out clear, but you get that with most, if not all, gradual tans. Something to bare in mind if you're going for the darker version like I did is that you need to really concentrate on where you're applying this lotion, as my skin is fair if I miss a spot then I do get streaks when the tan has developed but this is easily avoided with extra care and concentration whilst applying, I'm jut a little bit impatient and want to get it on and over with. There is a little bit of fake tan dancing after application as it can tend to stay sticky for 20-30 minutes but it is to be expected with a lotion.
The face lotion is a perfect colour match to the body lotion, of course, and applies just as easily, it is very thick and very hydrating on the skin and didn't break me out whatsoever (for reference I have combination/oily skin and its not sensitive.) The only thing I will say is take care around the hair line, ears and eyebrows, I missed a bit of skin around the edges of my face on first application and it was completely obvious but nothing I couldn't fix with foundation, however on days I didn't want to wear foundation I looked a little strange. Also, when applying it I rubbed it all over the face, including over the eyebrows, and when it developed I had ginger looking eyebrows so just don't be too generous over that area or apply a smidge of Vaseline/petroleum jelly on that area before applying the lotion to the face.
Bronzer
This is probably my favourite product from the whole kit, it's a little scary looking in the pan but I apply mine to my face and decolletage area with a Real Techniques Duo Fibre Brush and it apply little by little and I can build it up as much as I need. It's really natural looking, really easy to use and blends like a dream into the skin, it's nice to add to the areas the sun would naturally hit the face such as the nose, forehead, shoulders etc for that extra sun kissed look.
Removal
I find there's no need for harsh exfoliation or anything like that with this product, it goes onto the skin gradually and also fades gradually with just my normal showering routine, I do keep my body moisturised with my normal Vaseline spray on moisturiser in between applications but I would do that regardless of if I was fake tanning or not!
This kit, in my opinion, is really good value for money at £25 as the bronzer alone is around the £20 mark to buy so there's a saving in itself! I would definitely repurchase this kit in the future!
If you'd like any further advice on tanning, please check out Beauty Resource. They are a beauty information website which connects individuals with qualified professionals.
What do you think of this kit? Have you tried it, do you have any application tips for me?
Love Alicia x
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