I bought Xen Tan Mousse Intense for £16.50 from http://www.feelunique.com/ and this was the cheapest price I could find online for the 118ml bottle. This product had been recommended by Nic from Pixiwoo who is a self confessed self tanning addict so I had to check it out. I much prefer mousse formulas for self tanning as it dries alot quicker and the tint in the product tends to be alot less noticeable! On first pumping it out onto my glove covered hand, I noticed that the tint in the product is alot lighter than the St Tropez Mousse. This is great as it means less transfer onto your bed covers and staining which is also gross. I always apply my fake tan before going to bed as it gives it the best chance of developing without getting wet etc. You just wake up in the morning and wash it off...easy! So...after being impressed by the colour of the product, I noticed that there was hardly any smell to it at all. It does claim to have a nice scent compared to other self tanners and I would whole heartedly agree. I didn't notice any usual biscuit kind of smell you get from other self tanners. I applied the product all over my body using gloves and the product dried within 1 minute, this really impressed me coz I hate waiting around for tan to dry...it was even faster than my usual favourite, St Tropez!
I woke up today and washed off the very slight tint and although the product has a name like Mousse Intense...the colour is actually quite light. I would say it's lighter than one application of St Tropez. BUT, you know something? I prefer it...because with St Tropez I only have the option of being really dark. But with this product, it gives you the option of whether you want a subtle medium glow or you can reapply another layer for a more intense bronzed look. I love that this product gives you an option as sometimes St Tropez can just be too dark for me at times when I want more colour than a gradual tanner can offer in one application but less than a darker tanner like St Tropez. I love this tanning product and I will definitely keep using it. I will be posting a FOTD tomorrow and you can then see what kind of colour it delivers. However, keep in mind that self tan works differently for everyone. I know people who get little or no colour at all from St Tropez. The best way to find out what works for you is to try some different brands for yourself. The good thing about Xen Tan is that the colour is buildable so if one application isn't enough for you, just get on and apply some more!
On a quick note, I just wanted to recommend a product that's great as a light moisturiser before you apply any self tanning product...
I was sent The Sanctuary Age Repair Hydrating Body Serum to test out and it's perfect to prep your skin gefore tanning. It really hydrates the skin but without leaving a sticky layer behind like some moisturisers do. You don't want anything too heavy coz otherwise the self tanner will take forever to dry. I will definitely be buying this when I run out as it's really improved the texture of the skin on my legs and arms. I love the smell of it too. Highly recommended!
