Xen Tan Dark Lotion Review!

Everyone's been talking about Xen Tan. I know its been out for quite a long time and if you are a beauty-a-holic you may have read about it countless times, but it seems that the masses are only just starting to use it. I have only recently started beauty blogging so I'm by no means an expert yet, and only started reading about Xen Tan when I started getting hooked on beauty blogs a couple of months ago.

I decided to take the plunge and bought it from www.feelunique.com for £17.99 free delivery. I thought this was a pretty good deal, and the free delivery definitely persuaded me. It arrived within a few days, and I tried it for the first time last night. I have been so excited to use it ever since I read about it as it is supposed to be better than St Tropez, which is saying something! Especially as it is quite a bit cheaper too.

I research how to applicate online before diving in. I didn't want anything to go wrong, especially as I have a weekend in London ahead with friends - I didn't want to be streaky or too dark! I assumed it would be the usual exfoliate and moisturise but I just wanted to check in case, and wanted to know how long is best to leave it for. A few hours or leave over night? I didn't want to wash it off too early and not have any effect, but I didn't want to leave for too ling and be 'tangoed'! I read a few people's blogs who said that they leave it on over night, and Xen Tan's website said it will start to develop after 3 hours, and will continue to develop into a darker tan after another 4 hours. So I came to the conclusion that over night would be best. I exfoliated well with my St Ives Apricot Body Scrub (blog about this product below) whilst wearing expoliating gloves, and then moisturised well. I waited until the moisteriser had dried and then started applicating with my hands. I never use mitts - I feel I can get more control over how much I'm using and how I am applicating without them. I also read that its best to wash your hands after each section of your body, so I made sure I did this as it stains your palms instantly. What a lot of people don't seem to know though is that washing up liquid removes colour from palms amazingly! Give a little scrub after you've finished applicating each body section and it all comes off! Just make sure you don't leave it until it has dried/developed because then it obviously won't work. It's a life saver. No need for expensive St Tropez tan remiover - £1 fairy liquid does the job just as well, if not better! I would suggest washing your hands with normal hand soap afterwards to put some moisture back in your skin as washing up liquid is harsh and leaves your hands dry.

Here is a swatch of the Xen Tan Dark Lotion I found online. (I am currently at work and was too disoragnised to take a photo at the time!) The lotion is dark coloured as a guide when applicating. I have gone for a fairly light application first time, and have had great results. I had a couple of comments at work this morning saying I look nice and tanned and one guy (!) asked if I had been on a sun bed! Plus my boyfriend who usually says I'm tangoed (as a partial joke, but Dove gradual tan which I usually use does have more of an orange tint) said that it looked good this morning! You may think that the swatch looks scarily dark, but is this colour because it has green undertones to bring you out in a nice natural looking olive brown, and not dreading orange that you get a with a lot of cheaper tanners!And also it is used as a guide colour so that you can see how much you are putting on, and if you want to be darker, add on a another layer. Be quick to do so before it starts to dry though as it rolls up into little dried up bits if you apply too late (I made this mistake on one little area of my body. Luckily I saw what had happened and wiped away with a towel).

Another amazing plus about this product is the fact that it smells nice! We all know a lot of tanners smell horrible. Its that henna/biscuit smell that makes your boyfriend run a mile! (Mine does anyway, he won't come near me if I have Dove on) But this smells of what I would and have read other's describe as a sweet marzipan scent. My boyfriend commented that it smelt nice which I was very pleased about - no more moaning! Today after it has developed and after showering it smells very slightly on my hands, but I don't think you'll ever have odour free hands after using any fake tan.

Over all I am so pleased with this product! A little goes a long way so I think it will last me a while. It says its a weekly tanner so hopefully it will last the full 7 days until the next application is due. I will keep you updated!