Worth the hype? St Tropez Purity Water Gel

I have worn fake tan for years. It's a weekly ritual for me and I have tried so many different brands and types - lotion, mousse, gradual tanners, ones with guide colours and others without a guide colour. Until recently, I had never tried a gel tan but that changed when curiosity got the better of me and I bought a bottle of St Tropez Purity Water Gel.  I was curious about whether the claims of no fake tan smell and transfer proof tan could be true.  I know that people often say that they apply tan, then get dressed and leave the house and these claims baffle me because I'm old school and prefer to apply my tan at night, then wear baggy clothes to prevent streaking and wash it off the next morning. I could think of little worse than getting dressed after applying tan as most tans would stain clothes but also,  tans might smell nice in the tube or when initially applied but usually after a few hours, they get that biscuity smell.  I digress but you can understand why I was skeptical about the claims of this new tan.....

For years, I was loyal to St Tropez and used the Classic Bronzing Lotion on a weekly basis. After around five years, curiosity made me try other brands and I found some that I loved but almost always had a bottle of St Tropez on the go too as it worked so well. Like I said earlier, gel was probably the only type of tan that I hadn't tried but I knew that if any brand was going to do it well, it would be St. Tropez. 

I assumed that gel tans might be quite drying on the skin but when I read that the Purity Water Gel contained hyaluronic acid, I knew that it would be anything but drying! I was also hesitant because this tan doesn't have a guide colour, which is what usually helps me to achieve a streak-free tan. That being said, I've been tanning for years so if I don't have the method down by now, will I ever? The good thing about this tan is that it gives the skin a little sheen when applied so it is possible to see if you have missed an area - assuming you have pretty good eyesight.

The scent really surprised me - it smells like blackberries or a tropical fruit juice. I've never smelt a tan like it! It's uplifting and refreshing and, to my surprise, I would be happy to get dressed and leave the house after applying this tan.

It takes a good 3/4 hours after application to see any colour with the best tan being achieved after around 8/9 hours. It gives a nice golden tan rather than a deep bronze but it looks very natural and works particularly well on hands/ankles/elbows/knees - all of the usual tricky areas. I assume this is due to the inclusion of hyaluronic acid, as it does feel hydrating on the skin.

What I also really like about this tan is that it doesn't feel sticky or uncomfortable and what i really didn't expect is that it is actually transfer proof, although I'm unsure if that would be the case if you applied it before a workout where you'd get sweaty.

The colour lasts for around 3 days, in my experience, but it fades very evenly. As with all tans, it's important that you exfoliate well 24 hours prior to use and moisturise feet, ankles, knees, wrists, hands etc. I haven't used it on my face but they do also have a facial tanner in this line that I am tempted to try.

Overall, this tan is definitely worth the hype.  It doesn't have the traditional fake tan smell, doesn't transfer, gives a beautiful golden tan, fades evenly and is easy to apply. It doesn't last as long (on me) as other tan types (lotion/mousse) but I can forgive that because it's easy to re-apply.

Have you tried this tan? Do you like fake tan in general?

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All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated.  Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.