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When I was in high school, I was obsessed with getting a sun tan in the summer and would make an effort to lie out in the sun almost every day. The darkest I have ever seen myself was when I went to Italy for six weeks when I was 15. I think it was almost a competition between my friends and me who could get a better sun tan. Looking back I most definitely gave my skin some permanent damage, but when you are that young you don’t care about the consequences, and the idea of aging seems unfathomable. I had this one friend who would get so tanned compared to everyone else and she would go to Mexico every winter and would come back from the Christmas break so tanned. It made me so jealous because I was so pale so I would use self-tanner in the winter on my legs so I would look tanned as well. I remember in grade 11 I went to Austrailia for two weeks with my school and I used some self-tanner before I got back so people would think I got extra tanned. I am pretty sure a bunch of people called me out because it looked so fake and orange. After that, I told myself I wouldn’t use any more self-tanner because it was so embarrassing. Once I graduated from high school, I stopped lying out in the sun and didn’t care about being tanned mainly because I didn’t want to get sun damage or wrinkles and I am so glad I did. I have obviously gone to the beach and the sun bathed since then, but now I always make a conscious effort to wear a hat, sunscreen and seek shade during peak hours.
To be honest, I haven’t thought about using self-tanner since my high school days but since St. Tropez sent me a bunch of products to try I figured what the heck it is summer time and I am pretty pale. Before I used these products, I made sure that I exfoliated all of my skin with a sugar scrub and paid extra attention my elbows and feet. The first product I tried was the St.Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mouse with the Tan Applicator Mitt. I liked how the product came out as a dark mouse and applied evenly with the mitt making it easy to create a nice and even tan. I noticed an immediate bronzing effect, and the tan started to kick in within a few hours, and it lasted 3-4 days before it began to fade. I did miss a few spots on my arms the first time I applied it, but I went over it the second day with another application. In the past, I noticed that self-tanners and this awful toxic smell to them and I loved that this one smells fresh and citrus. Once I applied the tanner, I made sure that I washed the mitt with soap and water, so it doesn’t stain. I would say that I liked the look of the classic mouse on my skin tone and it looked very natural. I did a spot test of the darker shade, but it was way too dark for my skin tone.
After my tan had faded, I decided to try the gradual tan everyday body lotion and applied it with my hands when I got out of the shower. I found it hard to apply evenly because it has no color and it is hard to tell if you are applying it evenly. I noticed the next day my skin was streaking and the tan was super uneven and fake looking. I desperately tried to exfoliate my skin for days until it faded. Perhaps I am just not the best at applying it, but it was way too streaky and had more of a synthetic smell compared to the mousse. I would recommend trying the mousse versus the lotion if you are new to self-tanners. I was excited to about the face oil because it has a 100% natural tanning agent and fragrance. I was nervous about irritating my face with a synthetic self-tanner, so I felt relieved when I read that it was natural. The face oil is very lightweight with a nice citrus scent to it. I like to use it in the morning after I wash and tone my face. I honestly can’t notice much of a difference in my skin color, and maybe that is a good thing. I think if my face were super orange and streaky that would be awful so I don’t mind that this oil is super subtle and natural. I believe that it is an excellent subtle face oil to use in the summer and I would highly recommend it. If you are looking for a drastic tan on your face, then you will be disappointed.
These products were gifted to me by St. Tropez. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
