I know it's Winter but...I love fake tan!

I seem to be struggling to get back into normality this week after being away in Norway. You know that feeling when you’re always chasing your tail and not making any progress? Roll on the weekend! I’m in need of a good lie in I think.

Now I know it’s still winter and a lot of people are embracing the pale look which is great but unfortunately, I always seem to look a whole lot better with a slight tan. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Whenever I’m feeling too pasty and my skin needs a bit of a lift, I always find that applying a bit of fake tan makes me look and feel so much more polished and healthy. I guess it really depends on your colouring but because I have redness in my cheeks and around my nose, I find that when I have a little bit of a tan, my complexion evens out and I don’t need as much foundation. That’s the main reason why I am addicted to the stuff. I have tried many over the years so I definitely know how to avoid the Oompah Loompah look!

As I had mentioned in a previous post, I have been testing out different self tans recently to find the perfect product to use for my wedding day. So far I have used the following products...individual reviews will follow in the coming days:

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Golden Perfection Self Tanning Milk
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Radiant Perfection Firming Body Creme

Clinique Self Sun Body Tinted Lotion (Light/Medium)
Clinique Self Sun Body Daily Moisturiser (Light/Medium)

Vichy Lipidose Nutri Sun

He-Shi Day To Day Gradual Tan
I wanted to try out gradual self tans as well as the ‘one time’ products that give you a lot of colour in one go. My logic was that I could control the colour more if I used a product over a longer period of time. Although, as you will all be aware, gradual tans can go patchy quite easily especially in areas like elbows, knees and under the arms. If you are using any type of fake tan (especially gradual ones) then it’s a good idea to get a good exfoliating product for your body.

That leads me onto a quick rave I wanted to share with you with regards to Loreal Exfotonic. I used to use this product years and years ago and I remember being mega impressed by it back then. But for some reason, I stopped using it…either I was hit by the beauty junkie curse of always being curious of what else is out there or it became harder to get hold of. I think it was maybe the latter as I can remember the product used to be sold in big tubs and then it seemed to disappear for a while (don’t you just HATE it when they do that with your favourite products!).
I was interested to see if they had kept the same formula as I often find that when brands repackage products, they claim it’s a ‘new improved formula’ and more often than not, it ends up being rubbish (yes, I’m talking to you, Herbal Essences!). However, Loreal didn’t disappoint with this one and it’s the same amazing formula as before. Now I would say that this exfoliator is kind of ‘scratchy’ but that’s what I like about it. I have tried other ones that contain salt or sugar and it all seems to disintegrate before I get a chance to exfoliate anything! This exfoliator really scrubs the skin and removes any rough or dry skin but I have never found that it makes it red or sensitive. I would never use this product on my face though as the skin is too delicate. It contains AHA’s which really smooth the skin and make it soooo soft. My skin felt amazing after using this and now I’m well and truly hooked on it! Another thing is that I love the smell…it’s hard to describe…it almost reminds me of a very subtle aftershave scent...a woody musk smell…sounds weird but it smells gorgeous! I am definitely going to buy a few back up’s when I’m at Boots at the weekend because this exfoliator is a must have for my wedding day skin prep regime!
A fantastic exfoliator for the face that I have just discovered is Oskia Micro Exfoliator. This is a relatively new English brand that have some amazing products. I love this face exfoliator because it has tons of small particles that feel so invigorating and they smooth the skin in a really gentle but effective way. The consistency is like a super thick paste and you don’t need a lot to cover the whole face. I just apply it in gentle circular movements, avoiding my eye area and massage it in for a couple of minutes. I have been using this for the past couple of weeks, together with the Clinique Comfort on Call moisturiser and my skin feels amazing.
Another of the Oskia products I really like is the Eye Wonder serum. This stuff feels like it’s going to last forever. It’s a watery gel consistency and you only need a teensy amount to cover the eye area. It’s really refreshing to use and I’ve noticed that it has cleared up some dry skin that I had right under my right eye. It contains……. This product helps to de-puff my eye area although I’m not sure it does anything for my under eye circles. Despite that, it’s really pleasant to use and I love that it’s going to last me for months and months.
Another product I have found that is great if you have forgotten to tan your legs before a special occasion is the St Tropez Wash Off range. The product I love is the………. It’s basically an instant tan gel formula that adds a really natural looking colour to your legs. Be warned though, it’s best to wear some gloves to apply this as it can stain your hands! (never a good look). I think everyone has spent a day trying to keep the palms of their hands facing downwards at all times after a silly self tanning mistake. I know I have! This product dries really quickly and doesn’t leave any sticky feeling at all which means you don’t have to worry about it rubbing off on your clothes. I also really like the Rimmel wash off instant tan products…they are a great budget alternative! I also love that they offer a shimmer version or matte version depending on your preference.

Obviously I won’t be touching the stuff for my wedding day though as the last thing I want is marks on my ivory dress!

So what are your fail safe self tanning products? What exfoliators do you love to prep your skin with?