Color me surprised, but I really like this stuff! I prefer how my legs look with a bit of color, but as a reformed sun worshipper, that leaves self-tanners as my only option. I don't like how self-tanners smell, although I put up with them to get a bit of color.
St. Tropez Instant Glow is not a self-tanner, as it is free of typical tanning agents - so no self-tanner smell. It is transfer resistant, however, and gives me enough natural looking color that I've been wearing my summer skirts and dresses without feeling like I'm blinding people with my winter white legs. Win/win!
Other pluses with Instant Glow is that it doubles as a moisturizer, which I always apply when I get out of the shower. I see jojoba oil, panthenol, Vitamin E, glycerin, and some other interesting ingredients in the mix. So, the fact that this only lasts for a day doesn't bother me. I've been using the deluxe sample sized tube that I have for about 10 days and it's still half full, so I'd say a nickle to quarter size for each shin and thigh is sufficient. I just make sure to smooth thoroughly to avoid streaking, and the results have been pretty good!
The color difference it not extreme, but enough that I can tell. My hands are a dark brown after applying (which washes off with soap and water), so I'm guessing color could be built up in layers if desired. It's not cheap at $18 for 5 oz, but I'm guessing a tube would last several months, so not too bad. This may become my go to for the summer!
Ingredients: Water, Caramel, Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate,
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer,
Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycereth-26, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil,
Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit
E), Glycerin, Parfum, Mica, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium
Hydroxide, Opuntia Streptacantha (Cactus) Stem Extract, Coumarin,
Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, CI
77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 15985 (Yellow 6), CI 16035 (Red 40), CI 42090
(Blue 1)
Disclaimer: I purchased this.
So it doesn't rub off on your clothes? Wow, that's great. How apparent is it with perspiring? I love bronzers, but some are more streaky than others especially when you sweat or get splashed. Thanks for the review! When summer hits, I'm constantly on the look out for better smelling self-tanners and effective bronzers.
ReplyDeleteI have not noticed it rubbing off on my clothes, and I wore a white linen skirt just last week when I had it on. I don't think I've gotten wet while wearing it, however, so not sure how it does when it gets wet. The label does say to remove with soap and water, so I don't think it comes off with just water.
DeleteI have never used a self tanners before but I am shocked, in the first swatch the product looks like it's gonna make you look completely bronze-y and in the 3rd swatch it's like most of it just vanished :o That's crazy!
ReplyDeleteI know! It looks crazy pigmented, but sheers out nicely. I can tell I've got it on, but it's not super obvious. Rather natural looking, I think:-)
DeleteThe best actual self-tanner I've found is also by St. Tropez, their self-tanning mousse. It is nicely scented out of the bottle and has ZERO "stink" over time unless you are out in the heat for awhile. I guess the heat cooks it up or something, LOL. My biggest complaint with self-tanners is the smell that develops over the day but with this stuff, unless I spend a lot of time in the sun or just generally heat up somewhere stuffy (at work sometimes) I have no complaints. I apply it with the mitt, that makes it a lot easier. It has a bronzer, too, so you see where it is going and can avoid the streaks. I'm definitely going to try this bronzer, I like that it is also a mousturizer, one step and go! Thanks!
ReplyDelete