I’m a huge fan of gradual tans. In my opinion, they provide a much more natural glow than a full blown self tan does, especially on my pale, pale skin. I was hugely excited to try out the new St. Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion as I figured this would appeal to my lazy side – wash and tan in one go.
The product instructions are as follows:
Step 1:
Fully cleanse and wash in a warm shower.
Step 2:
With the shower off, generously apply the product in circular
motions with your hands to wet skin to create an even coverage. Wash
palms after application.
Step 3:
Wait three minutes.
Step 4:
Fully rinse off with warm water only.
Step 5:
Gently dry yourself, before getting dressed. After showering,
the self-tan will naturally start to work, developing
gradually and deepening with regular reapplication within the shower.
It’s taken me a while to get to grips with how to effectively use this product. At the start, I didn’t use a timer – I counted three minutes in my head. I probably counted too fast, which meant I didn’t leave it on long enough and saw absolutely no colour result whatsoever the next day. My first lesson? Time those three minutes on your phone or watch. I always struggle with the word ‘generously’. How much product is a generous amount? I never know. And, because of this I ended using up my full bottle in six applications. That can’t be right, can it? Next time, I’m going to try to apply less to see if it has the same effect. I suspect it will.
The finish is so subtle, and the glow is as close to a natural looking tan as it gets; more bronze than yellow.
Anyway, other than those application problems, I found it really easy to use. I wasn’t concerned about streaks or patches, as it’s just so easy to apply a product to wet skin, especially to those hard to reach areas – it smoothes on so easily! I had no problem waiting those three minutes for the product to develop either.
I’d heard some people complain about this, but I found ways to keep myself occupied. I’d given myself a three-minute face mask one of the times, and a hair mask another. Other times, I just stood there and sang a few songs (the acoustics are great in the shower). I also loved that I could apply this in the morning, and then confidently get dressed, knowing that the product had sank in and nothing was going to ruin my application or rub off on my clothes.
Now, onto the results. Well, in a nutshell, I absolutely loved them. The finish is so subtle, and the glow is as close to a natural looking tan as it gets; more bronze than yellow. It took me one application a day for three consecutive days to get my desired finish, and then every second day, I’d apply another layer. I’m off to get my next bottle, €19.99 at Boots.