Bondi Sands | Self Tanning Foam DARK | Review

I'm a huge lover of false tan, more so in the past when I used to go out clubbing than now but I do love a bit of healthy colour to my skin. I'm definitely not pale. I have light-medium asian skin colour with yellow undertones and can look quite tanned, and I can get tanned quite easily. I was a huge fan of St. Tropez back in the day but that stuff ain't cheap, and I soon started using a cheaper, similar version St. Moriz, which did the job just as well, in my opinion. 

For a long time, I used false tanning creams, then I moved on to tanning mousse because it was easier and less messy. If i was going out and just wanted colour on my legs (my legs are the palest...they just don't tan at all!), I would use a wash-off tan and my favourite was by Rimmel. I always have a tube of that stuff, just in case because it's quick and easy to use, and dries really fast. 

So long-story short, the reason why I bought new self-tan was because on bank holiday weekend, as I was enjoying some family with my better half, I accidentally managed to get a sun tan from spending 3 hours in the garden. Not really an issue when I get a tan, like I said, I love a bit of colour. But I didn't exactly dress for the weather. It was extremely sunny that day and I was wearing black ankle boots, black leggings and a khaki green jumper from Topshop that had a stripe see-through pattern. As you can imagine, I was sweating (nice!) most of the day, and little did I know, the sun was tanning my chest and arms through the see-through striped parts of my jumper. So now I have a stripy patched tan on my chest and upper right-hand arm, and it looks weird.

I first seen Bondi Sands tan on Superdrug's Instagram and me being me, I love to try new products out, and the before and after photos of people using the tan looked really healthy and natural, I had to go buy it. 

As far as I'm aware, Bondi Sands is only available at Superdrugs (in the UK), because it is an Australian brand, I believe. It is enriched with Aloe Vera (known for soothing wounds and smoothing your skin) and Vitamin E (known for reducing wrinkles and smoothing skin), and is formulated with a coconut scent (YUM) making it all dry quick, last longer, and look more natural - what more could you ask for in a non-harming natural self-tan?

The results:

My natural skin colour on the top and with the Bondi Sands self tanning foam (dark) on the bottom:

Both these photos were taking in natural daylight. I actually don't look as orange in the bottom photo, but it definitely added colour. I feel that I don't look too dark, and just look like I have some healthy colour to my skin. I know some people like to look quite tanned and some girls like just a sun-kissed glow but each to their own, everyone's taste is different. The upper half of my body tans much better than my legs, for some reason. I probably would re-apply another coat on my legs next time. AND as you may have noticed, my stripey tan from my jumper story - it didn't cover very well, sadly! As for the smell, you can still smell the tan even after you wash it all off and my bed/clothing smelt strong of coconut, which wasn't a huge problem, but I felt the need to change my bed sheets. 

My Self-Tanning Process

• I first like to take a shower and scrub/exfoliate all my dead skin cells off my body with a loofah/exfoliating gloves. This makes sure that I get the self-tanning product evenly across my skin. 
• I'm guilty of not moisturising as much as I should do after bathing, so I praised the lord when Nivea brought out their 'In Shower Lotion'. My word, this stuff is the SHIT. If you're sometimes lazy (ahem...), I lather this stuff on my skin after I've used my shower gel, then rinse it off and my skin is so smooth and soft. Seriously, try it, if you haven't. 
• Then with a self-tan mitt (very important, you don't want orange palms), I pump the foam directly into the mitt and start on my feet and work my way up. Then I pump some of the foam directly on the back of my hand and rub it against the back of my other hand and between my fingers. TIP: Apply liberally and generously to elbows and knees, where you get the most movement, to make sure you get every little nook and cranny.  
• I usually 'air-dry', as in just walk around naked until it sets but I find with any foam/mousse tanning product, it dries pretty quickly. For modesty purposes, I usually wear a silk robe because it doesn't stick to my skin.
• If i know I want to be tanned on a certain day, I will usually do it the night before so I can sleep with the product on overnight (that's just my preference), Bondi Sands says you can wash it off after 1 hour, but recommends 6 hours for a darker/longer-lasting result. The next day I just have a quick 5-minute warm shower, pat dry with a towel and ta-dah, healthy looking tan which usually lasts me a week. 

This product is not cheap, but not as expensive as St. Tropez, which can retail around £20.00. I bought this product for it's full-price at £14.99 for 200ml but Superdrug currently have an offer of £5 off Bondi Sands products so definitely check it out here. 

Have you tried Bondi Sands products before? 

What's your favourite formula of self-tan, and any tips you'd like to share?