Saturday, July 02, 2016

Recent Tanning Loves... (Skinny Tan & Bondi Sands)


Hey, summer! Where for art thou?! Seriously though, where's the sun gone? I went into instant down mode earlier this week when my timehop showed me tweets from this time last year of me moaning about it was too hot and my clothes were sticking to me skin. Yeah, moaning. Ohh what I'd give for some stickiness right now!

I used to be really into my fake tan when I was at uni and thought I rocked it well. Looking back now, I'll be honest my St Moriz was looking less than perky! Fake tan still freaks me out though no matter how many times I've applied it I'm worried it'll look streaky or orangey or smell really, really bad! The struggle is real. But here I am with three - yeah, THREE - pretty awesome suggestions and a few tips thrown in for good measure for anyone in the same boat as me.

First up is my new favourite prep and it's only going to set you back a measly pound. Exfoliating gloves are life to a fake tan junkie. I get mine from Primark where it's 2 for £1 - win. It's such a simple process and don't get me wrong, I still love my body exfoliators but nothing tops prepping the skin for fake tan quite like an exfoliating glove. pop a little of your favourite shower gel on one hand, rub together then get scrubbing. Really go hard in circular motions focusing on elbows, knees, ankles and wrists to get a smooth base and rid of any nasty texture. I go all over the body before shaving as it helps soften the hairs to get a closer shave. Then, shave. Simple. And you're done. Apply your favourite moisturiser to the elbows, knees and wrists only - trust me, this works wonders. Now onto the good bit... your weapon of choice!

I like both mousse and lotion formulas for tanning, literally just depends on my mood. The most recent addition for me is Skinny Tan Mousse (£21.99). A huge hit on Instagram - you've probably seen a bunch of posts on this deep, olive toned tan already - it definitely lived up to the expectations. It goes on so smoothly and blends really well. Plus, it doesn't smell half bad! I leave this one on overnight and wash it off the following morning to allow for a deeply developed colour. It really is a great little product that I know I'll be reaching for over the summer with ease. My only gripe is it fades a tad patchy but if you go in with an exfoliator after 5 days or so to gradually fade it evenly, there's not a problem.

Now on to the brand of the moment... I've not stopped hearing about Bondi Sands since the Aussie brand hit UK stores and I had really, really high hopes for it. It's a really affordable brand which I've spotted in Boots, Superdrug and online on ASOS so it's really accessible. First let's talk the Bondi Sands Self Tanning Mousse in Dark (£14.99). I used to get freaked out by "dark" claims from tans but I always go for them now to get the most out of all this effort. No need to worry with this one as it doesn't go unnaturally dark, just a good week or so on the beach kind of colour. It's a real sunkissed tone, no orangeyness and I absolutely love it. I assure you, you will not be disappointed! Easy application, not patchiness and it develops overnight with little to no fake tan scent. When you apply it though - it smells like coconut! Yum!

My favourite of the moment though goes to Bondi Sands Self Tan Oil Liquid Gold (£14.99). Ohhh baby, this stuff is good! No, GREAT. I was a little unsure about how an oil would apply and settle on the skin but it's actually the best I've ever used. There's a little colour detection as you apply so you can see where you've applied it and it smells delicious as it goes. Just blend, blend, blend like you would with an eyeshadow especially over those areas you've put moisturiser on to make sure it ends up looking as natural as possible. The great thing about this is you wait a minute or two and you can get dressed and go! No overnight development, this'll deepen as the day goes on but doesn't need that top layer washing off like a normal tan would. It's so worth the money - although you get less in the bottle than the other two - and I think it's super affordable. The colour is gorgeous. Deep, bronzed, non-orange and glowy - an epic formula that I've been recommending to everyone!

Oh and just a note on application tools... the standard ones from Boots and Superdrug are great but if you want an epic finish? The Skinny Tan Luxury Mitt (£4.99) is amazing! Super soft, double sided, thick - plus, you can throw it in the washing machine so it's actually possible to use it over and over again! 

So spill - what's your favourite fake tan? Or give me some more tips for applying the good stuff!

Ax

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