St Tropez Dark Lotion

EDIT; I had originally slated this, but now, after applying two coats, I eat my words!!!! Despite my previous hatred of the product, I applied a second coat and love the colour, its a much deeper brown.  I still maintain that its a nightmare to work in though which is a pain! But, it wore off really well, much better than Xen Tan, and I found that it lasted a lot longer! I think this may be my new favourite!

I loved the normal version of St Tropez, but I found that even after 2 coats it just wasn't dark enough for me! So I discovered Xen Tan dark lotion, fell in love, and moved on. But a tanning emergency prompted me to leg it to Boots Friday lunchtime to purchase, and I was ASTOUNDED by the price. It cost me £33!!!!!! £33, for a fake tan. In hindsight though, it lasts me 3 coats ish, so actually 3 coats of this is much cheaper than 3 spray tans! (hope you like my justification...!).

 I actually wanted to buy a smaller size, maybe the usual 120ml, because I was only testing it out, but this is actually the only size available.I do like the packaging, I find the black really sleek, although not a fan of the blue lid, but obviously being a moaner I had to find something I wasn't happy with!

So application... when I first put this onto my mitt it was DARK - I mean almost black! But as soon as I rubbed it into my skin it turned an awful green colour which actually worried me a bit! To quote my mum; "it looks like slurry!" (farming reference there as we live in wales!). Basically it is a really greeny / brown colour, sorry to gross you out but a bit like diarrhoea?! But I understand this is a guide colour to help! I found this lotion surprisingly hard to get into the skin, and really difficult to work with. It settles really quickly, so you have to work it in so fast! I really struggled even though I had exfoliated etc the night before.

So, the final result?

Despite being the colour of slurry when I went to bed, I woke up a lovely golden brown. Brilliant I thought, exactly the colour I want. Went into the shower, and guess what... The ENTIRE lot went down the drain! I had the water lukewarm too as I read somewhere that hot water breaks down the tan. I couldn't believe it!
I was left with a tiny bit on my skin, but no where near the colour I was expecting, I was so disappointed! I was basically my usual shade of natural pale, not the lovely brown colour I was expecting!

BUT, after two coats I was a lovely colour... actually the same colour as my friend from work who had just returned from a week in Greece! WIN!  So, in a nutshell, this gets a massive thumbs up from me! 100% recommend.