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....