I am definitely a girl who likes to have a golden glow at all times. I don't think there's anything wrong with that in the winter months as long as you keep it on the lighter side to avoid looking too tanned. During the cold months I tend to stick to gradual tanners to get the colour I want and then use St Tropez or Xen Tan if I have a night out. You can always get away with a little bit more colour at night time.
I have heard alot about Rodial's self tanner in the press and on blogs and since I received a sample of this a while ago, I decided to give it a bash. I wouldn't normally choose to apply "the darkest tan on the market" given my penchant for airing on the lighter side. But purely for experimental purposes, I went ahead and tried it out last night so you guys can see how it worked out. This product is paraben free, contains no chemical colours and will apparently help to tighten and tone the skin. It contains Bergamont and Coconut Oil and is scented with Gardenia. It has loads of celebrity fans including Cheryl Cole, Jessica Simpson, Gisele, Eva Longoria and Eva Mendes.
Now first of all, to give you some background, I am a very experienced self tanner and I have been bronzing it up since I was about 16, so around 11 years now. Self tan has come along way since my teenage, amateur endeavours! I always exfoliate thoroughly, moisturise, wait around half an hour and THEN apply the self tan wearing surgical gloves to avoid staining my hands. The bottle has a pump for ease of application and the formulation is a tinted cream/gel with a light texture. So on applying the Rodial Brazilian Tan Dark, the tint makes it easy to see where the product is and if you have missed any bits. It did take slightly longer than normal to blend it into the skin as I'm used to mousse formulas that blend/dry within 30 seconds. The cream/gel smells slightly of Coconut and Gardenia so it's quite pleasant. I would say that I very much prefer mousse formulas for the simple fact that they are easier to apply, you use less product and they dry alot quicker so there's no hanging around for ages.
I applied the Rodial self tanner right before bed and left it on overnight to develop. I always find that's the most full proof way of making sure you get an even, streakless tan. I woke up in the morning and quickly checked my reflection to see how dark the tan actually was and it's definitely a shade or two darker than St Tropez or Xen Tan. I must admit that it's just too dark for my liking...there's only so much you can get away with in Aberdeen!
I didn't notice the usual biscuity fake tan smell the morning after so that was a bonus. All was going well until I discovered the streaks and uneven patches on my hands....
I don't know how this happened because I wore gloves to apply the self tan and then when I took them off, I ran the gloves over the backs of my hands and blended it all in with moisturiser...exactly how I normally do. I never ever end up with streaks or uneven bits normally and I kind of pride myself on that! So I was shocked to see the state of my hands/wrists....
The only thing I can think of is that the formula is harder to blend in so once it makes contact with your skin, you can't really blend it out like you can with mousse formulas. This is a big set back! Being a perfectionist, it really annoys me that I will have to put up with these fake tan stains on my hands and wrists until it fades. The product is marketed as being the longest lasting self tan on the market because it lasts for 10 days. I may have to try scrubbing my hands over the next couple of days!
So in conclusion, this self tan would be good for anyone who is searching for a really dark tan and someone who doesn't mind paying £39.00 for a 150ml bottle. Please just bear in mind that you have to be super careful and meticulous with the application! However, if like me, you prefer a more subtle glow and prefer a fuss free application process, then I would give this product a miss. I guess I just prefer a self tanner that I can apply quickly and not have to worry about whether it will look good or not. I don't want to gamble the day before I have to go to something important. I have used St Tropez Mousse and Xen Tan Mousse for a couple of years now and I will be sticking to them to get the shade that's right for me.
