Fake Bake your Pins with St Tropez

www.sttropez.com.au

In summer I usually naturally gain some colour to my legs just from day to day fun in the sun, regardless of the generous lathering of sunscreen I wear anyway. My skin is pale but because of father being Dutch I can tan to the colour of many Euro backpackers in Bondi, which is not a cool look. Even though it has been really sunny some days, most days I have been very busy getting ready for Christmas finishing off bits and pieces for work and then when I have a spare hour to go for a swim suddenly clouds gather and it pours with rain. 

I picked up a bottle of St.Tropez Gradual Tan in Light /Medium because it is on offer at Skin Store (see link below!) usually I use the Garnier gradual tan in the orange bottle that smells like apricot biscuits. Feeling so posh with my fancy St.Tropez Gradual Tan, I didn't even hide it in a cupboard and I felt propelled to tell people about my St.Tropez legs for the next week....Yes a week, this stuff lasts. Self Tanning products are a bit daunting if you are very pale or you have never used one before, and they are all different so I have developed a ranking system to help all of us who preferr to Fake rather than Bake!

There are 4 criteria a fake bake can be judged: Smell, Colour, Lasting Power and Removal.

SMELL:

St.Tropez smells like a lovely sweet moisturizer when first applied, that smell lasts for about 2 hours then the fake tan smell does start lingering. My advice is to apply your gradual tan after a shower before bed so you can shower off the smell in the morning or apply when you have the morning at home so you can take a shower couple hours after application. Smell cannot be helped, every single tanning product has a distinct smell some more than others St. Tropez isn't that bad at all compared to some spray tans I have had.

COLOUR:

I used the Light/Medium shade and to be honest I was a bit shocked, it was very dark. I wouldn't recommend this to very pale ladies because it will look very unnatural and patchy on you. The colour was lovely it gave me a very sun kissed tan, it wasn't too orange at all and it wasn't patchy for the first three days anywhere, I did apply it to my whole body (after 3 days is when I start to exfoliate). It mimicked the colour I naturally go when I have been on a tropical holiday which is perfect.

LASTING POWER:

St. Tropez Gradual Tan lasted 3 days of perfect glowy tan, after the third day I started to notice patches starting to form and dry skin. The tan is most noticeable the day after application, so if you have an event you are tanning up especially for, then apply the day before. Also your tan will last longer if you exfoliate really well before applying your self tanner.

REMOVAL:

This stuff requires more than a loofer and a bit of body wash, you need a granulated exfoliatee and take time to scrub anywhere you have applied. I love Lush's Rub Rub Rub $12.95/250gm it is a slimey mess but I really notice a difference when I am out of the shower, there are no dry patches or splotchy tan on my legs.

Wearing Scanlan & Theodore Sandals and The Balm's Hot Ticket Nail polish in That's Red-iculous!

Buy St Tropez products from www.skinstore.com.au - Right now Skin Store has 20% off store wide and free shipping for orders over $50.00 - Sweet deals!

What are your favourite self tanning products? Let me know in the comments.

XOXO Nella