Hi lovelies! If you know me at all, you'll know I'm a huge lover of having a tan, however the British weather isn't the best for a year round natural glow, so unless you're constantly away on Holiday, faking it is the only way (as there's no way I'm frazzling my skin on sunbeds!!). So, any opportunity to give a new fake tan a go and I'm there. The tan in question today is Beauty Lab's Peptide Tanning Lotion.
What had me instantly hooked was the descriptions, 'Quick, easy, non-tinted, non-streaky, extremely hydrating self tanning lotion', who doesn't love quick and easy?! Non-tinted is fab as it means you don't stain your sheets if you apply before bed (my boyfriend will be thrilled!) and non-streaky and hydrating speak for themselves. It contains organic extracts, peptides and has skin firming and anti-ageing properties, which I think is a huge bonus from a fake tan. Many tans are just that, a tan, you then need to apply a separate facial tanner as well as all your moisturising products to keep the skin your face and body soft after tanning, but this tan does it all in one, face and body, tanning, softening and firming - how easy is that?
The first time I used this tan, I put it on an hour or so before bed to give it plenty of time to dry and on first application, I was blown away by just how hydrating this really was. I've had gradual tanners before that claim to moisturise, but this felt like a very light, but very luxurious body moisturiser more than a tan, I actually had to remind myself not to start massaging it into my hands! It actually says you only need to allow 2-3 minute to dry, which I do think you could do, as it is very light, so it'd be great if you wanted to apply in the morning before going out. My skin felt great when I got into bed, literally like I'd just applied a moisturiser all over. I was a little bit nervous about applying to my face as I generally wouldn't do that with a body tanner, but the instructions said I could, so I did!
I don't have a before and after because I never remember to do so with tanners, but let me tell you, I woke up the next morning looking like I'd applied an instant tan, but without the dodgy guide colour. I was genuinely so impressed with the colour this gave off in just a few hours and without the need to shower off a dirty looking guide colour and questionable bedsheets in the morning! I can't say this gave an instant super dark tan and if that is what you're after, this isn't the product for you, but it did give a very noticeable and very natural looking glow. I can't explain just how natural the colour this gives off was on me, it was a gorgeous brown tan with not a hint of orange or red in sight!
This can be built up and I used this twice, two nights in a row and it built up to a deeper tan, it would have definitely been quite a dark tan with a third night, which I do love but I perhaps wouldn't use this every single day, as it does seem to build up and up! It doesn't seem to go patchy with more than one application and has faded very evenly (although it hasn't completely faded yet after 5 days of wear!), however it has been 5 days after my first application and while the colour I got after two applications has faded slightly, I haven't yet felt the need to reapply, so I would perhaps use this once or twice a week in place of my regular body moisturiser for a fab, lasting tan. I love that this seems to last a long time, as I find with most gradual tanners, I have to apply pretty much daily to keep a decent colour and then of course you face the dreaded build up.
At £20, this isn't the cheapest tan on the market, but it is by no means the most expensive either. I would absolutely buy this again for three main reasons, the colour is seriously natural looking and even, application is dead easy and feels very moisturising and luxurious and finally, the colour lasts. So, if you'd like to pick up a bottle you can purchase it from Beauty Lab here - give it a go, I promise you won't regret it!
