Bondi Sands has rapidly won favour in the hearts of self-tanners everywhere for their easy to use products which always deliver a deep but natural looking tan. And now they’ve just released their darkest tan to date, the Ultra Dark Self Tanning Foam. I attended the launch of the new Ultra Dark at The Seafarers Club in Britomart and had a chat to some of the team about the new foam as well as the rest of the range.
I’ve been an avid fan of the regular Dark Self Tanning Foam for a while now and wasn’t sure if I needed to go any darker than that but was willing to give it a go. The application was exactly the same and I used the tanning mitt to apply the foam which makes things really easy. You can also use disposable gloves but the mitt is more environmentally friendly. I did find it took slightly longer to dry but that didn’t bother me because I wear it overnight while I sleep. Now, just a word of warning - if you do sleep in it you will wake up to what looks like a crime scene on your sheets; however, don’t be scared because it washes out completely and I’ve never once had issues with it staining my white linens.
Before tanning / After tanning with Bondi Sands Ultra Dark Self Tanning Mousse
When I washed it off the next morning my skin was a perfect rich golden brown, almost the same result as applying two coats of the Dark mousse though perhaps slightly more golden on me. As always I used it on my face and didn’t have any issues but for those of you who do have extremely sensitive skin, they also make a Gradual Face Tanner which is designed specifically for the face. A great one to have really as I find it always wears off my face a lot faster than the rest of my body because of my addiction to thorough facial cleansing.
As with all Bondi Sands products the Ultra Dark has the signature coconut scent but it comes in a new luxe black and gold packaging. You need to leave it on for six hours and it’s best to moisturise dry areas like hands, face and elbows before application. Also, one the team gave me the best tip for tanning hands and feet: don’t apply any fresh product here but just use what’s left on the mitt to rub over these areas (pre-treated with moisturiser) and then if you still get a little too much tan there, use a drop of moisturiser to blend it out.
Because this is quite dark and therefore quite a jump from your natural skin tone, I’d recommend this more for a seasoned self-tanner or for those with light/medium skin tones. If it’s your first time self tanning or you are very pale, maybe try out their light/Medium tone first to get the hang of it as any application mistakes won’t be as obvious.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget about your ears, underarms and the back of the neck. So many people miss these areas! Again, just use what's left on your mitt to even out these areas.
You can find Bondi Sands at most pharmacies and if you want to check out there full range, visit there website