I've been meaning to put this up for ages.
It all started when I realized I would get red blotches which looked a bit like clotting blood (for example, if u squeeze your skin between something and you get a nice dark red mark that stays for a long time...weeks even). They appeared on my face in sort of uneven blotches of tiny red dots anytime I was in the sun for too long or the sun was burning a bit much. I began to look into self tanner, though I was immensely scared by the horror stories people give about them and the streaks and the colour etc. I came across St Tropez self tanner but it is really too expensive. We had now come back from holidays and my parents were going to TX so I asked my mum to get me L'oreal Sublime Bronze One Day self tanner....she came back with 2 L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self Tanning Lotions (in Medium Natural Tan). Not what I asked for exactly but I wasn't phased. :) They cost about $8-$10 usd each in CVS or any drug store really so it's really affordable. Now I'm so pleased with it!!!!
REVIEW:
SMELL:
I must say it smells quite good from the tube. It has a kind of perfume scent with a beachy undertone. I can't particularly describe it but it doesn't smell bad and that's the bottom line.
It looks super scary coming out of the bottle/tube as it's a dark bronze/brown with shimmer, but when blended in it won't be scary! It has a very liquidy consistency and is not as thick as a lotion but this allows for really smooth and easy blending. It glides on really well and is very easy to rub in. It dries in minutes!! So be quick!! The tint makes it very easy to see where you've left a glob or a thick streak so you can buff it in. It also has lots and lots of shimmer in it (which is what I look at to see if there are any spots I have left out). The shimmer may bother many people but it doesn't matter to me because I apply this at night a few hours before I go to sleep so I'm not going anywhere and why freak out if the glitter/shimmer washes right off when you go to bathe leaving a beautiful tan. It does feel a little sticky when it's drying but you're not supposed to touch yourself or anything in the first place!! When it is completely dry it isn't sticky at all.
TAN COLOUR:
My biggest worry with any self tanner was whether it was going to turn me orange. I can tell you for sure, this self tanner did not turn me orange at all. The trick is not to apply too much or too thick a layer of the self tanner as you should really rub it into your skin (the spots that are thick are a little bit orange so make sure to buff it in). It gave my skin a lovely tan, not too dark but just enough to look like I was in the sun for the day. If you want a deeper tan just apply it again the night after. It's not orange at all, but more bronze/brown. Gorgeous gorgeous tan. Your tan will fade naturally, but it will fade quicker if you use anything abrasive on your skin like a scrub or a loofah. |
| Leg Before Application of Self Tanner |
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| Shimmer on arm |
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| Shimmer on leg |
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| After 3 hours or so...The botch near my right knee is nailpolish..oops! |
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| The next day without the shimmer |
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| Tan in dim light |
TIPS:
You've made a mistake (streak or dark spot):
Either scrub the area which isn't very effective as it usually just makes the area red, or take a half of a lime/lemon and rub gently on the spot (take care not to let the juice drip too much anywhere else as the acids from the lime/lemon remove the colour. Rub the lime/lemon on the spot and quickly use a damp tissue or damp (old) cloth to wipe away the lime/lemon juice from the area. The colour will shed layer by layer as you continue so not all will come off at once which is good because you may end up with a white patch instead! This is the most effective and easy way to correct any mistake without making another!
Exfoliate!!:
It's advisable you shave and exfoliate with a body scrub before applying the self tanner so you can achieve a more even application as you would have removed the top layer of dead skin cells and allowed for your skin to show through.
Moisturize!!:
Before applying the self tanner moisturize your elbows, knees, ankles, feet, behind your knees and your face!! as these are the places that absorb self tanner like a sponge and usually turn out 10 times darker than the rest of your body which, let's face it, looks retarded. The moisturizer acts as a kind of barrier, only allowing a little bit to be absorbed so you wouldn't have dark patches. Remember though, to let the moisturizer sit for a few minutes because if it is fresh it usually doesn't allow any self tanner to be absorbed and then you'll end up with pale spots!
So you think you didn't apply it evenly?:
Before the tanner dries completely, use the palm of your hands and buff (in circular motions) your skin which will held to spread and even out any uneven areas. You can apply a tiny TINY bit of moisturizer (rub it into your hands and let sit for a few seconds) and buff away.
When to apply?:
Self tanner is best to apply in the night. You'll be in your pajamas or sleeping clothes/home clothes. If at all the self tanner rubs off on your clothes it wouldn't be your good casual clothes or short etc (but this self tanner doesn't rub off on clothes). Also, because of the shimmer in this one it's best to apply at night if you hate the shimmer so you wake up with a nice tan and the shimmer will wash off in the shower.
Hope this helps :)
xoxo
