Late Summer / Holiday Essentials: Balance Me Super Toning Body Oil & St.Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan Mousse

All of my social media feeds are full of people getting ready to jet off and enjoy a late summer holiday abroad, so I thought I'd do a quick review post of two beauty essentials for those lucky people.  Plus, I think these products would be great for the rest of us stuck in grey old Blighty too!

Balance Me Super Toning Body Oil* (200ml, £20, link)

Although I don't believe any product on this planet can give you legs and a bum like a supermodel's, I do believe that there are some out there that can help you cheat your way to skin that looks more toned than what it actually is.  Balance Me's Super Toning Body Oil can definitely help smooth out those wobbly areas.  The 100% natural formula is dubbed their 'Shangri-La' and after trying it out for a month, I can see why.  It features a unique blend of Juniper, Bergamot, Geranium and Lavender essential oils to encourage good circulation and improve the overall tone of skin.  You've also got Jojoba, Macadamia, Sweet Almond and Wheat Germ oils which are packed full of fatty acids to help keep the visible signs of ageing at bay.  No wonder it's won an Anti Aging Award from the Beauty Bible!

It's recommended to apply this after dry body brushing which is how I've been using it.  I just use a little of the oil warmed up between my palms and then thoroughly massage it into any 'problem' areas such as upper arms, bum, hips and thighs.  It absorbs nicely, and the scent is lovely (Lavender & Geranium notes are quite dominant).  I've noticed that my skin looks more toned and feels much smoother than it was before.

St. Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan Mousse* (120ml, £13.99, link)

I was looking for a good gradual tanner recently as I feel my HG tan product of choice, He-Shi Express Liquid Tan, is going to look too 'full on' now that we're heading into A/W.  I wanted something more subtle looking and was recommended to pick up this.  Now, I have used a number of St Tropez products in the past and whilst I've liked all of them, I haven't loved them as such.  Their Gradual Tan Body Moisturiser always feels too sticky for my liking, so a mousse formula sounded much more appeasing.  And you know what?  It definitely is!

With the mousse there's zero stickiness, it feels weightless on the skin and it's virtually effortless to apply.  All you need is a tanning mitt, pump put some of the mousse and then blend it into your skin.  It dries within 2-3 minutes and I didn't have any streak or transfer issues.  The colour develops after a couple of hours and I was left with a natural, healthy looking tan that wasn't orange in the slightest.  The first application is quite subtle so I think it would be suitable for paler skins, with medium skintones just needing a few more applications to deepen the colour, with it lasting around 2 days before fading.  I found the formula a little drying, but nothing a decent body moisturiser can't handle.

Balance Me products are now available at Debenhams (and with a triple beauty points offer on too - hooray!).

St. Tropez products are available for bargain prices (i.e much cheaper than Boots!) at Hairtrade.com

Have you tried any of these?

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