St Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse

When it comes to fake tan, I'm pretty much a novice. I've dabbled in gradual tanners and tanning moisturisers but when it comes to the longer lasting tanners, usually those you have to wash off, I'm a total beginner but after craving a long lasting summer glow I finally decided to give in and give some of them a go. First up is the St Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse in dark. I opted for the dark shade because if you're going to tan, why not just get the best tan shade you can - I also heard that there really isn't much difference between the medium and dark. 

So I began with the usual steps of showering, exfoliating and moisturising and then after a few hours I applied the tan using a mitt (Primark does a few cheap and cheerful options). This tan actually comes with a colour guard, which is super helpful as it makes it obvious if you've missed any spots and you can see what the tan is going to look like pretty much the second you apply it. Now when I first applied this I was a little bit shocked just how dark it actually was and this only developed over time to an even more defined tan that left me feeling slightly oompa loompa-ish. However, after the recommended 6 hours came along I washed off the top layer of tan and was left with a much more natural looking glow that looked like I've just come home from a two week beach holiday!

As for the lasting power, I applied this on a Sunday and after each shower it did start to fade slightly but overall it lasted the whole week before I noticed as slight patches around my wrists and knees. For me, applying a tan once a week isn't really an issue and if you moisturise daily and look after it you could probably even get a few more days out of it. Now as you can see from the photos, I was quite pale beforehand so anything would have been a great result but I'm actually over the moon with how this tan turned out and I think I'm forever going to be choosing tanning mousses over anything else now. Goodbye gradual tanners.

A few points to note with this tanner; it does have that slight biscuit tanning smell and although that doesn't bother me at all, I know some people find it really annoying so maybe steer clear of this if that is the case. Also, when doing your hands and feet, I'd suggest that you use the product still left on the mitt rather than another pump of product as this will help to avoid the dreaded orange knuckles and patches. If you're going to buy this tan I'd suggest avoid the usual Boots and Superdrug as it tends to be more expensive there at around £4.99, whereas on Amazon or in Primark etc it's around £2.99.

Overall I am so pleased with the results this self tanner gave me and even for a novice like myself, it was super easy to apply and left me with a natural but noticeable bronzed tan afterwards. I would highly recommend this tanner and for the price, it is such a good product and well worth a try. Have you tried any of the St Moriz tanners? 

Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze

When it comes to fake tanning, I'm usually the one too scared to try out heavy duty wash off tans and too uncoordinated to get gradual tans to look not streaky. That being said, I received the Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze tan in a goodie bag from a blogger event a few weeks ago and thought I'd give it a try, what's the worst that could have happened?

Handbag Raincoats & A Run With A View

It's time for my weekly roundup including beauty, fitness, television and the odd random thing thrown in for good measure! This week (like last week) I only have a few things but all are great...

On a daily basis I'm definitely a nude lip kind of girl, opting for the typical 'my lips but better' shades over bolds any day and I have been reaching mainly for Charlotte T|ilbury's lipstick in Nude Kate, which is the perfect beige/mauve nude. I've either been wearing this on its own or over a slightly darker lip pencil. 

So the biggest discovery for me this week had to be the Handbag Raincoat. Yes you read that right, an actual raincoat for your favourite handbags! While browsing ShopBop I came across this and it's honestly something I always hoped existed but never actually thought it was something someone would have actually created, never mind something that would be sold on a store like shopbop. I have a couple of leather/suede bags that really aren't rain proof and with living in the UK, you just never know when you are going to get caught in the rain and it becomes a tough call deciding whether to keep your hair/outfit dry or your bag. Now a coat for your handbag isn't exactly something that should be on the top of everyones to buy lists but I'm definitely going to buy one! 

Never have I loved a fake tan as much as I love the Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze. I have got a post going up next week on this so I won't give too much away but i just had to mention it as I've been wearing it non-stop since getting it a few weeks back. So much so that I picked up another two tubes for when I run out! It's subtle but still noticeable and it's super easy to apply, which is the struggle I usually have with fake tans. Enough said, keep a look out for the post next week. 

I started running. Sort of. I actually only went for one run (which took me an hour may I add), but I thought it was about time I took advantage of the place where I live and the scenic views it holds. With that though comes hills, lots of hills and for a novice runner like myself, trying to run up a super steep hill probably isn't the best place to start but that being said, I felt rather rejuvenated afterwards. I also have neon trainers so that's of course a motivation to go out and run!