Rimmel Sun Shimmer Self Tan Mousse in Medium

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to receive the Rimmel Sun Shimmer Self Tan Mousse to trial from Beautyheaven and even though it was the middle of winter I must admit that I really enjoyed using it.

The Sun Shimmer Self Tan Mousse claims to be a lightweight, velvety mousse that dries within 2 minutes, gives up to 24hrs of moisture and develops into a natural looking, streak free tan within 1 hour that lasts for up to 7 days. 

The mousse is definitely easy to apply from the pump applicator onto a tanning mitt and did distribute nice and evenly over the skin.

The shade I received was Medium and as you can see in the below photo the mousse has a slight tint to it and in over an hour or so it developed into a really lovely, natural looking tan. The tint in the mousse made it really easy to know where I had applied it which helped to ensure an even application and it also gave my skin a nice glow straight away until it fully developed.

One thing I really love about this self tan is the scent. I didn't seem to get any of the usual tell-tale tan smell after application and instead it had a lovely, fresh, floral scent to it that wasn't too overpowering and was actually quite pleasant in my opinion.

When applied the mousse felt weightless on my skin and didn't leave any dryness or greasiness behind. It dried really fast and definitely left my skin feeling moisturised.  

The only issue I have is that I was sent the medium shade to review when I am very pale and normally only use a light shade of self tan. I found the medium just a tad too dark for my skin and it did streak a little bit if I wasn't very careful because there was such a large contrast against my normal skin tone once it developed.

Left - bare leg prior to tanning, Right - an hour after application

I'm certainly going to get some good use out of this self tan once the weather starts to warm up again though and will be keen to try the light shade next time which might not be so scary and need such precise application on my pale skin.

Has anyone else tried this self tan as yet? What does everyone prefer, a mousse, cream or spray for their self tan?

Have a great week!

Michelle xx

Mission to Tan - Le Tan Jet Dry Instant Tanning Spray - My Mission May Finally Be Over!

Yay! I think I have finally found the perfect self tanner for me. Le Tan Jet Dry Instant Spray Tanner in the colour Bronze.

I bought this a little while ago when I saw it on sale at Priceline and had it sitting on my bathroom cabinet for ages constantly teasing me to use it. My apprehension was that I'd never used a spray on tanner before and so I was scared to finally try it because I was so used to using gels and creams instead.

Oh boy! I wish I hadn't taken so long to take the plunge and give it a go. I must admit, the first use was a little bit awkward and I ended up spraying way too much in some spots which resulted in rivulets of tan running down my legs, but I found that if you quickly just rub it in then the problem is solved.

The second use was a lot more controlled as I finally worked out how much pressure to put on the spray nozzle to achieve the desired spray level and I learnt a nifty technique where you kind of sweep the can from side to side (like you see guys doing when they spray a car, seriously!) and this meant that there were no overspray patches and a lot more of a nicer, even coverage and colour. I also find that if you start the spray away from your skin and then sweep it over once the product is coming out you won't end up with darker patches where the initial spray hits.

Now, I am obsessed with this tanner. The bronze colour is perfect for me and my lily white skin and gives me a really nice tanned glow without being over the top or orange. It fades nice and evenly too and I find that it can last up to 5 days on me as long as I don't scrub too hard in the shower or when towel drying.

It dries super quick once applied and doesn't feel tacky at all. I also haven't noticed any staining on my pj's or clothes after using this.

And the smell? Well, it's got a pleasant vanilla scent when first sprayed on and I could not find a hint of that awful self tanner scent that seems to just overtake any other product I've tried. I've been using it at night after showering and in the morning it doesn't seem to have any smell at all.

And an added bonus? My shower now has a lovely tan. Well, it certainly did the first time I used this until I scrubbed the hell out of it the next day. I'd recommend doing this outside if at all possible as the overspray can get on everything in range. I'm lucky enough that we have an enclosed back deck so I've taken to applying it out there so that my bathroom doesn't end up being more brown than it already is (you've gotta love 80's mission brown shower screen and tiles!)

Anyway, there you have it. Finally, my mission to tan can end. I'm surprised I found one I like so soon as I never though any self tanner would actually work on my translucent skin. Oh well, time to relax now and enjoy my new faux glow!

Has anyone else ever used this tanner? If so, what did you think of it?

My Mission to Tan - Naked Tan Goddess Bronze Self Tanner

My latest toe-dip into the world of self tanning was with Naked Tan Goddess Bronze Self Tanner cream.

What the packaging claims:

'Naked Tan Goddess Bronze Instant Tan is a self tan that ensures skin is radiant and bronzed. The fake tan contains organic shea butter and aloe vera for their moisturising properties and washes off in 2 hours.
Top tip: Wear gloves to apply the Goddess Bronze to avoid tanned palms.'

Well, firstly I must sheepishly admit that I failed to see that last little line there that recommends wearing gloves to apply, ooopsie! This resulted in me being super panic stricken when I finished tanning and my hands were a lovely chocolate brown that WOULD NOT come off!! Oh boy!! I was so embarrassed to go anywhere the next day with my brown palms. I can laugh at it now but at the time it was definitely not funny!

Anyway, moving on from this silly little bout of stupidity, I can truthfully say that I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this tanner.

LOVE:
I love the colour it gave me because being a pale girl I'm always scared I'll either turn out orange or some ridiculous shade of brown but this was actually a lot milder in colour that I thought it would be. I was actually contemplating each time I used this to apply another coat the next day just to see how that would result but just never got around to it.

I also love the fact that the cream is a dark bronze kind of colour so you can see exactly where you've applied it and can therefore make sure you've got an even coverage all over.

It's also not too offensive scent wise which is nice as this is something that seems to be a major problem with a lot of other tanners.

HATE:
I hate the fact that you supposedly have to wash it off two hours after applying. Truth be told, I never did this. I usually just put it on at night after my shower and washed it off the next day. I don't think this made any difference to the colour as I certainly didn't go too dark for not washing it off and I didn't really notice any stains on my clothes or sheets by not washing it off either. I just don't see the point in needing to so this. If anyone knows the real reason as to why this is suggested it would be great if you could let me know :-)

I also obviously hated the fact that I had beautiful chocolate hands after applying. The colour does not budge at all once it dries and no amount of scrubbing, pumicing, exfoliating my hands would do any good. This tan does not come off until it's good and ready to. Fair enough it warned me to wear gloves but hey, I have never worn gloves when applying a tanner before and have never had any issues like this. Still, I learnt a valuable lesson on making sure I read instructions in full no matter what they are for from now on.

So, has anyone else used this tanner and want to share any major likes/dislikes they have about it?

My Mission to Tan - Garnier Ambre Solaire Natural Bronzer

My second attempt at finding the perfect tan was with Garnier Ambre Solaire Natural Bronzer in Light.

This is marketed as a 'Velvet Touch Bronzing Gel with naturally derived tranning agents plus apricot extract. It is said to give a natural and uniform tan with reinforced moisturising power.'

I have really liked using this tanning gel and it seems to be virtually impossible to stuff up the application of this product. I am not the most patient person and have a tendency to just slap on my moisturiser and tanning products hastily after showering without taking much heed to perfect application and I have not seen one streak or dark/patchy areas appear anywhere.

I really love the consistency of the gel and it's so easy to blend it into the skin and ensure even coverage over your whole body. Being that this is the 'Light' version of this product I tend to apply it two days in a row to get the depth of colour I think looks good and it seems to last without needing extra applications for at least three days as long as I religiously moisturise every day, something I'm trying to stay in the habit of doing now after being naughty for so long and only moisturising every second or third day. I know, shocking isn't it?

The gel is quite moisturising itself as well so I don't need to use a separate moisturiser on the days this product is applied.

The smell isn't too bad either. It's not exactly great, but it's certainly not too unpleasant and tends to be practically unoticeable by the next morning which I like.

This tanner is so good I'm almost tempted to finish my mission to find the perfect tanner right now. But, for the sake of curiosity and also because ending this mission so early is just plain old boring, I am going to be on the hunt for an even better tanning product instead. I'm sure there has to be one out there.

Has anyone else used this tanner and found it as good as I did?

Michelle

My Mission If I Choose To Accept It - Find The Perfect Self Tanner

Ok, here's the deal. I am 1/4 Irish and have the whitest skin in the world, almost bordering in being transparent. This genetic 'gift' of mine has meant that a tan has always been an unreacheable dream. Something I lust after whenever I see others with gorgeous glowing bronzed skin. Ten minutes in the sun for me without sun protection equals red sunburnt skin (plus a zillion more freckles). Awesome hey?

Well, I've now decided to properly start a search for a self tanner which works with my skintone, not against it. Previously I've half-heartedly tried self tanners here and there whenever they've been on special or I've just felt like trying (and failing) again. Now, I've made it my mission to find one that I can call my holy grail of self tanners.

My first product guinea pig is the Neutrogena Build-A-Tan Gradual Sunless Lotion.

I have had this sitting in my bathroom cupboard for quite a while as I bought some on a whim and never really bothered to use it properly. A couple of weeks ago I found it and decided to give it a proper go now the weather is getting warmer and have been applying it regularly ever since.

This tanner claims to give a hint of colour that builds a healthy glow with each application. It also claims to have a light, fresh scent and dries in 5 minutes.

This lotion is supposed to be applied as you would a daily moisturiser. For the first application I did it every night after my shower for about three days, then after that I've been just topping it up every second or third day and using a different moisturiser in between.

The verdict:
Unfortunately I don't like this product at all. I feel as if I've got jaundice as my skin seems to be an awful dark shade of yellow rather than what I would consider tanned.
On the plus side it's a nice, smooth consistency and very easy to apply without streaking, and being so light in tan colour it's almost impossible to go wrong with applying it and ending up with awful over-tanned areas which can happen very easily with some other tanning products. It's a lightweight white lotion which is surprisingly moisturing too once applied.
Another negative I have to report is the smell. The claims that it has a 'light, fresh scent' are not very valid with this lotion as far as my opinion goes. It's got a very heavy smell that I really dislike and it seems to permeate into everything such as my pj's, sheets, towels, etc. I can still smell it almost 24 hours later after applying and I find it very unpleasant. The smell actually makes me very self conscious when around other people and I've been applying extra moisturiser over the top after a couple of hours lately in an attempt to mask it. My husband has even commented on how strong it is when we go to bed!

So, I can now cross that one off my list as one that has failed and move on to the next. The quest continues.......

Does anyone have any suggestions for self-tanners I should try or ones I should particularly avoid? Is there anyone with transparent skin like me who has found the perfect product??