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Review: St Tropez Auto Bronzant self-tanning lotion

A self-tanner that delivers a flawless tan

Author: Jane Cooper September 6 2007

Since I live in a country where the sun seldom shines, the best thing to do is fake a tan! They say that film stars use St Tropez, and it is reputed to be the best tanning product on the market, so I took the plunge and decided to try it out at home, making sure my husband was there to help do the bits that I could not reach by myself.

Product Details

• Manufacturer: St Tropez
• Body Polish (240ml) £15.50
• Body Moisturiser (240ml) £12.00
• Auto Bronzant (240ml) £26.00

Procedure

There are three steps to applying a St Tropez tan:

Step one: the Body Polish is the first stage of preparation and probably the most important part of the tan. You scrub off all your skin imperfections with this aqua coloured polish, which contains large round beads that St Tropez claim do not damage the skin, but rather make it “smooth, soft and fragrant”. This step is important because the skin replaces itself every 28 days, and exfoliating slows down that process, meaning that the Auto Bronzant effect will last longer.

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Step two: The Body Moisturiser just looks like any other moisturiser and is used on elbows and knees prior to the application of the Auto Bronzant, because they are the driest areas of the body. It has the effect of toning down the colour of the Auto Bronzant for the different areas of the body such as the face, hands and feet. The Body Moisturizer also contains L-Tyrosine, a “tan accelerator” that enhances the body’s own production of melanin, which helps maintains the tan after application.

Step three: The Auto Bronzant has a pump action lid, meaning that the right amount of tanning solution comes out every time, so there is no guesswork involved. The Bronzant itself looks very scary, with its very dark brown, almost black, colour. I was brave enough not to be put off, but it must be said that applying the tan is very messy, and help will be needed to put it on the bits that cannot be reached. Picture me standing in my paper panties applying my tan, getting my husband to fill in the gaps, looking less than glamorous, and perhaps more like a monster from 40,000 fathoms.

The wonderful thing about this product is that it works naturally with the bacteria and amino acids of the skin; it is Aloe Vera based, has a slight green pigment so there will be no orange colour, and as long as the skin is covered there will be no streaks; it also dries quickly and is not greasy.

Once the Auto Bronzant has been applied and buffed, there is a 4 hour “development time span”, or it can be left on overnight if applied in the evening. St Tropez says that the tanner has an aromatic scent, but I would disagree; I think it smells like rotting plants, but despite this the odour is not too overpowering or unbearable.

When my development time had passed and I showered, a flawless, non-streaky natural coloured tan was left. I no longer looked like a monster or smelled like a rotten plant - so the product delivered!

How dark the tan goes does depends on individual skin colouring; I’m fair-skinned, so my tan was light, but I liked it. To make it darker, I could have reapplied the tanner again. Having made sure I used the moisturiser (step two above), the tan lasts 7-10 days.

Overall I am very pleased with this product. It is not a slap-on, quick-fix tanner (there are other products within the range that are), but the quality of tan delivered is excellent, and whenever people ask me if I have been on holiday, and am able to smile and reply ‘St Tropez’!

About the Author

Jane is a qualified beauty therapist, and owner of the 'Tooty Beauty' salon in the West Midlands.

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