Self-Tan Science Part 2 - Dove Gradual Tan, Dove Derma Spa Review

Hey Happys,

Today is part two to my UK Self Tanner series (although I know I've still got to try the St Moritz fake tan) .

If you missed part one, here it is.


I finally got round to trying out the Dove Self Tanners - There were two.

Dove Nourishing Body care Visible Glow Self Tanner

I found this to be the worst one. It gave me a yellow orange glow; it was visible alright. Not heavy - certainly only a light colour, but wow, I felt like I was straight out of The Simpsons. Maybe it just didn't suit my skin tone! It was even at least, not patchy at all. The consistency is thick, takes a while to dry off. You have to use loads to get an even coverage. but to be fair you get lots of product. 400ml and it lasts 12 months. It's normally £8, but I got mine on sale for about £5.
I went on a date with this on. There was nothing I could do tbh. Wouldn't scrub off. I just used make up and managed it somehow. Let me tell you now I had pre date anxiety like no other.
 Smells like the foam banana sweets. But not overpoweringly (haha). I have found people complain that a lot of these self tanners come out patchy when I don't seem to have that problem - in my opinion it seems to be more about the application.
Watch me eat my words now.

Dove Derma Spa Summer Revived Body Lotion Self Tanner

I like this one. It gives the right balance between orange and brown (okay, verging on more orange but doesn't look unnatural), so it looks like your skin has been sun kissed and gives you a light coverage of colour. Lovely and natural. Doesn't really smell like much to me at all, which is a bonus. You get 200ml and it lasts 12 months. It costs about £5 in Superdrug, you can get it for £3.50 in Asda. This is what the Garnier Summer Body one tries to do without killing you with an apricot to the nostrils.
Now, here's my issue. It takes a particularly difficult product to go patchy on me because I have the knack of applying it down to a T.  Yet, this went patchy on my arms, near the wrists. Was it me? Either way it's not THAT noticeable, just noticeable to me because I am a perfectionist. I will actually be using this again. It's a nice kiss of colour - for when you don't wanna go all out. I went one shade of Foundation darker with this. 

Nice and Sun Kissed

Thus concludes the Happy Beauty Palette's Self Tanner Journey! I have my two favourites, my UK winners that I will be using personally from now on: 

Palmers and Derma Spa!

I go two shades of foundation darker when I use Palmers:so I will use this when I'm wearing black or anything dark or I am on a night out - or just when I want to look like I've been on holiday. You can check my full review for Palmers in part one here . Honestly, you should treat this one like an actual fake tan - its the darkest of all of them but looks amazing.

Derma Spa I will be using if I want to go one shade of foundation darker. It's a natural, sun kissed glow, and both have an alright level of smell.  

I've enjoyed this little tan journey. I'm enjoying being all of these beautiful shades of foundation that I could never touch before. When you self tan, they don't look orange on you. At the moment I'm using Bourjois Paris's Healthy mix, I'm usually the palest No50 (Rose Ivory), in the winter and a mix of this and No51 (Light Vanilla) as the weather heats up. With Derma Spa, I'm a solid No51.
With Palmers, I'm a solid No52 (Vanilla) and I have to use a little bronzer too depending on the day. 

I wanna do a handbook of Foundation dupes soon. There's a reason I'm using Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix. ;) 

Take Care of Yourselves,

Em.