Back in the day gradual tan was definitely my beauty product of choice, I pinched a bit of my mums 'Johnson's Holiday Skin' lotion one summer when I was about thirteen and was hooked. This was before I discovered the joys of foundation, and so a product that made my pasty face look a bit more healthy was always going to be a hit! I loved the natural looking, subtle tan that it gave- but by the time I was eighteen and going to nightclubs every weekend I was after something that was quicker, darker and didn't require layers and layers of building up. Ever since then I've mainly used instant and mousse tans (perfect for last minute nights out and 'slap on some fake tan before leaving the house because I look like death' moments) but for the last couple of weeks I've been trying out a gradual tan which has changed my mind, and is by far my new favourite tanning product.
The thing about gradual tanners is that they usually need doing over the space of a few days to get the best effect. On the plus side, you get a light and natural looking tan (and don't look like you've taken an overnight trip to the equator) but on the downside they're often so light you can't see much of a difference until you've applied it for a couple of days. However I found this one to be different, and after just one use I looked significantly more tanned. I'm not sure if it's the result of using a 'medium' shade on my ghostly skin but I loved how it came out, the result was natural looking but it still made a noticeable difference without having to layer it up. This stuff smells really nice too, most fake tans smell like digestive biscuits gone wrong but this has a nice sweet scent. Over the next couple of days it built up to a gorgeous looking tan, and without any dodgy looking patches that mousses and instant tanners can sometimes give (I usually have to spend ages making everything look even with foundation if I use these kinds of products on my face, so this was a nice change!)
If you're pale and are looking for a natural looking fake tan I highly recommend giving this a go in the shade medium, it gives such a nice colour to the skin without being scary dark like most mousses but it's not so light that you're spending days getting a noticeable colour like most gradual tans. Just don't make the same mistake I did and remember to apply using a mitt- I stupidly thought that I'd just wash my hands after applying it with it only being a gradual tan, but ended up staining my hands and spending the next day with my hands in my pockets...smooth. Aside from that I love this, and at less than a fiver from Superdrug it's a bargain too!
Have you heard of Sunkissed gradual tanner? What's your favourite fake tan?
