New Look and
Fake Bake have joined forces to offer an affordable paraben-free self tanning range specifically designed for younger users and also first-time tanners who are a bit iffy about using stronger formulations. The 'Lovingly Formulated By The Boffins At Fake Bake For Fair Maidens' self tan contains less DHA to give a more subtle and natural tan. I was sent all four of the products in the range to test out:
Rough To Buff Perfectly Smooth Body Polish (£5)
Dull To Delicious Soft 'n' Juicy Oil Free Moisturiser (£5)
Bland To Tanned Sun Kissed Self-Tan (£10)
Pasty To Tasty Wash Off Instant Tan (£6)
The packaging is simple and quite obviously geared towards appealing to younger girls. That said, it looks fun and does the job so no complaints there. The range is called FanTANista but it doesn't feature this brand name on the packaging for some reason and the 'Lovingly Formulated..' bit is a mouthful! Click
here to see all the current info and competitions on their Facebook page.
The 236ml bottle of Body Polish contains tiny granules of pumice, Aloe Vera, Chamomile, Elderflower, Sage, Fennel and Yarrow. The scent is slightly tropical and very pleasant but I am aware that not everyone likes the same fragrances. This one is definitely not offensive though. Because the 'loofah' particles are so small, the Body Polish is very gentle on the skin and doesn't scratch or irritate. Therefore, this would be a good gentle exfoliator for delicate or sensitive skin however I preferred to use my exfoliating gloves with this product to get the best result.
The moisturiser contains Green Tea and Ginger to retain moisture instead of oils which can lead to your tan fading a lot faster. I am not a massive fan of the fragrance but that wouldn't stop me from using it because it's surprisingly substantial for an oil-free moisturiser. It sinks in quickly leaving no residue and left my skin soft and smooth, ready for the self tan.
The tinted Self Tan cream is quite dark in appearance and you have to take care to make sure it has been blended in properly. I was really happy with the natural result though and my skin looked even and sun-kissed as promised on the tube. I would say that I would prefer self-tanning products without tints because otherwise they make a mess of my bed sheets! This product was easy to use and can be built up to get a a slightly darker tan when applied on consecutive days. I wouldn't apply this product to my face though as I prefer to use self-tanning creams especially formulated for the face. Given that your body is a large area, it's great to have a self-tan cream that doesn't break the bank.
The instant wash-off tanning cream doesn't contain any shimmering particles so it gives a nice sun-kissed and natural look. I applied it swiftly with my bare hands and then washed them immediately with soap and warm water. The cream didn't stain my hands which is a big bonus! It also sets nicely and doesn't leave your skin tacky or greasy so it doesn't transfer onto your clothes either. It's very similar to the Rimmel wash off tans however they are much worse when it comes to staining your palms! Also, you get 133ml in this tube for £6 whereas you get 125ml for £5.99 so that's a little bit more for your money.
So in conclusion, it's a good cheap range that performs well for it's price range. It doesn't compare to St Tropez, Xen Tan or Clarins BUT it's not trying to. It's a self tanning range for a whole different market and taking in mind what they were trying to achieve, I think it's a valiant effort.
Next up, the wedge heel ballet pumps I picked up in
A Wear...
I can't tell you how long I have been looking for shoes like this! Basically, here's the deal...I can't wear completely flat shoes because I have flat feet and although that should be a match made in heaven...it's not. I find it uncomfortable to wear totally flat shoes, they make my size 7 feet look huge and I also walk funny. It must be the years of high heel trauma I have put my tootsies through but now they refuse to be housed in flat shoes!
For longer than I can remember, I have been looking for cute ballet pumps with a small wedge heel but I never seemed to find what I was looking for. Then I spotted these babies!
Reasons why I love these shoes:
1) They come in Black, Monochrome and Metallic Pewter (two massive trends this season)
2) They have a 1 inch wedge that's comfortable and easy to walk in
3) They have black patent detailing on the back and toe
4) They have a gorgeous bow detail on the toe with laser cut design and chaining
5) They are made from leather and can be easily wiped clean
Finally a sensible shoe that actually looks good on me! I will get so much wear out of these and they are smart enough to wear when I'm working too.
Random music moment...this cover song is featured on the Twinings ad at the moment and I love it!
Have a wonderful Friday everyone!
