I’ve now discovered 2 great self tanners thanks to wedding clients. The first was Bondi Sands, and now, motivated by Amanda, a bride I worked with last month, I’m trying what I just call the Ashley Graham self tanner.
While St. Tropez has multiple self tanner formulas, Ashley Graham collaborated with them to create this new “whipped creme mousse.” This specific tanning formula is only available in the Ulimate Glow Kit set, with the included mitt.
Graham has professed her love for self tanning and seems like a genuine collaborator. She appears in several videos for the brand, showing how to best apply her tanner.
Price
$55 for the set.
As of now, the self tanner is not sold separately.
I find this to be a high price point, considering the set is the only way to purchase it and the mitt is absolutely nothing special. It doesn’t feel particularly high quality, nor does it feel cheap. It’s similar to any other velvet texture self tanning mitt and it doesn’t beat my favorite, which is this one.
Where to find it
I purchased the St. Tropez x Ashley Graham Ultimate Glow Mousse Kit from Sephora and did in-store pickup. Actually, my husband did the in-store pick up.😏
Sephora | Ulta | St. Tropez | Amazon
Packaging
The mousse comes in an aerosol can with a small nozzle. I found it dispensed best with the can fully upright. When I turned the can to the side, it spurted out air.
Scent
This is not a coconut, sunscreen, or vanilla scent, but a vague fruity scent I can’t distinguish. To be real, I don’t particularly like it?
It says it was inspired by Ashley’s favorite scents, but I’m curious about what exactly those are. It doesn’t smell bad, it just doesn’t smell “delicious” or “amazing” and I have to wonder if the reviewers saying these things have smelled other smells.
Formula
As the name says, it is a mousse. It feels very hydrating, thanks to ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid Complex, Rosehip Oil and Vitamin E.
Because it’s a whipped, aerated mousse, if you aren’t careful, it will fall off the mitt, onto your bedroom carpet, or white bathroom tile…
I’ve found that the super fluffy mousse self tanners just aren’t my preferred formula due to the possible mess factor. Despite them being whipped up with air, they don’t always feel light on the skin as a result.
Color
While all self tanners use the ingredient DHA to produce the chemical reaction that causes skin to darken, the tone they produce does vary, and I’ve never really known why.
The St. Tropez x Ashley Graham self tanner produces a warm bronze, with a bit of red undertone. It is definitely not a golden or olive tan as I’ve seen with Bondi Sands Liquid Gold, for example.
The tone is darker than I expected, especially considering that the longest I’ve left this on is 6 hours. Make no mistake; it’s a very good color and appears quite natural.
I was extremely impressed with the absence of streaks, dark patches or missed spots. I don’t feel that I applied it flawlessly, yet it appears that I did.
Wear Time
The first time I applied this, it lasted a solid week. I was pretty impressed by that as most self tanners I’ve used don’t usually make it to the full week mark.
I have left it on for 6 hours, then 4 hours the next time. I found that 6 hours produces a darker tan so if you want dark, leave it on at least 6 hours if you can.
Pros
- Color is a very flattering and believable bronze
- Long lasting color
- Hydrating for dry skin
- Fairly quick dry time
- No smudges, streaks or missed spots.
Cons
- Don’t love the scent
- Mousse can be messy if it falls off the mitt onto carpet or tile
- Price is higher than some other faves
- Included glove is nothing special
- Limited edition
Do I recommend the St. Tropez x Ashley Graham Self Tanner?
Yes. It’s an excellent tanner, for a pretty penny. I have realized that I prefer no guide color, and the less aerated foams, but if you need a guide color to evenly apply and you don’t mind spending $55, you’ll have good results.
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