Xen Tan Absolute Luxe Review

Now I want to preface this review with an important statement. I love Xen Tan dark Lotion with a passion. This is my go to, HG tanner - the one I would recommend without delay to any of my friends. Add to this the fact I have been tanning for years. I am no self tan virgin. I have my routine down pat and it works for me.

So, having got that out of the way, I was beyond excited when I saw a YouTube video by Pixi2woo mentioning a new Xen Tan. An improved ultra dark Luxe version that didn't have such a fake tan smell and didn't transfer so much onto sheets? Sounded like fake tan heaven to me! So I was on the Xen Tan website like a flash. Got a little shock to see the price - £35!! But I have never been one to be put off by the cost if I really REALLY need something! Anyway - it took almost a week to arrive so by the time it reached me I was beyond excitement! And here's a little piccie of the item in question!

Lovely packaging I thought. Nice to have a squeezy tube and not a pump I thought. Bit frickin' small for 35 quid I thought. Let me get that on me I thought! When I had stopped thinking I started applying. And that's where the problems started.

Firstly - it went on quite light in my opinion, certainly not as good a colour as I get from the Xen Tan dark lotion immediately. It did smell better, and dried quickly. Two hours later the colour had developped more and I was starting to feel more positive. I noticed some streaks (which I never get with dark lotion) but assumed this was the formulation and would even out when I showered the next morning. I went to bed like a 5 year old on Christmas Eve - full of excitement and wonder. The next morning I jumped into the shower, did my usual two washes to ensure no fake tan residue, watching the guide colour wash away with much joy. I got out, dried off, and admired my handiwork. At this point I felt like someone had just told the 5 year old that Santa didnt exist. The tan looked horrible. It was more orange than brown, and streaky. Now I dont get fake tan streaks. Ever. Even when I come home drunk and decide to tan up - at no point does my tan streak. DISASTER!

I ended up trying to fix it with a mild exfoliation and another layer of my usual dark lotion - and this did a reasonable job but I still clearly had some areas of patchiness and this was a huge disappointment. It might work for some people, and I will give it one more try as 35 pounds is a lot to waste on fake tan, but it wasn't the dream product I was hoping for.

until next time....

Fabulous Felines??

Yesterday something happened in the MAC Pro Store in Carnaby Street that almost made me explode with joy. No ladies I didn't find a back up Stereo Rose MSF. One of the make up artists asked me what I had on my eyes as they looked "cute".

I nearly fell over.

And what was the eyeshadow combo in question?? Yes well guessed, it was in fact Leopard Luxe from the Fabulous Felines (FF) collection. In my quest for the ultimate smokey eye I leave no stone unturned and felt impelled to purchase this quad despite having my doubts. Sadly the rest of the collection left me uninspired and, amazingly, not compelled to purchase.

Why? Well I'm a superficial girl and the packaging was just so MEH. When I first read of FF on Temptalia I was excited beyond belief. I envisaged gorgeous animal print quad cases, potentially in blinging metal casings. Imagine my disappointment. Second; and this is pretty key, the colours just didn't seem "must have". And I am a true MAC addict. In a collection this vast there will always be some repromotes but really, Show Stopper? Again? I love Show Stopper (as much as you can love a matte brown) but enough already!

However a bit of obsessive Youtubing later and I had been persuaded that LL and the pigments Bloodline and Mauvement were destined to be mine.

LL is a dichotomy - two amazing colours (Notoriety and Furiously Fabulous) and the others seem like fillers in the pan. However on the eye its a different matter. These 4 colours combine to create an amazingly soft and multi functional smokey eye. Perfect for travelling (or just chucking in your work bag) the colours can be built up for a full on sultry smoked out eye for the evening, or lightly applied for a low key romantic daytime eye (altho this has never been my thing!). The new quad style, though dull beyond belief in a minimalistic MAC way, is extremely sturdy and secure. How it irks me to find a positive in the dullness!

So, despite my reservations, I'm loving it. I'm sure I'll go back to my Urban Decay Naked Palette for variety but the words of the MAC Pro artist are ringing in my ears - this baby sure is "cute".

Let me know your thoughts on Leopard Luxe, and your Fabulous Felines purchases!

until next time....