Xen Tan Pop-up Event & Absolute Luxe Review

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to my first ever event as a blogger and just as lucky that it was for a brand I absolutely adore! Xen Tan had a pop-up boutique in the Selfridges' beauty hall, holding personal consultations to help you find your perfect tanning routine. Along with a number of other Bloggers, I was given the opportunity to have a consultation.





I was so nervous as it was the first thing I'd ever done as a 'Blogger', but the girls were so lovely and offered me a red velvet cupcake on arrival (yes please!). For the consultation I was asked a number of questions all about my skin, my fake tan routine and my fake tan preferences. After talking through all the products and which ones were best for me, I was given a list of the perfect Xen Tan products for my routine.





At the end, I was given a little goodie bag with a 'Little Book of Tanning', a Luxury Tanning Mitt and a product of choice to review. Unfortunately, they didn't have my coveted item in stock, but they were kind enough to send it me in the post.

I chose the Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe. I already use the Dark Lotion and am completely in love with it but I've been considering the Absolute Luxe for a while now, and it didn't disappoint!





I've heard a few not so brilliant reviews on the product before, which was the main reason I never went out and purchased it (plus it's not the cheapest of fake tans if it didn't work!). But I can hand on heart honestly say, it blows the Dark Lotion out of the water!


Colour Pay Off

The colour pay off I get from the Absolute Luxe is almost twice as much as I get with the Dark Lotion. When using the Dark Lotion, I've always 'double dipped' (used two applications) and so being able the have a product that gives the same pay off in one application is a definite plus.






Application

I've heard a few comment about the Absolute Luxe that it isn't the easiest of fake tans to apply and that it takes a bit more effort than most, but I didn't find this at all. The only possible down side is that there is no colour guide (I totally freaked out the first time I started applying it) but if like me you usually go into autopilot when applying fake tan this shouldn't cause too much of a problem. For the first couple of seconds when applying the tan, it does go a very faint white colour so I find that helpful when trying the gage where I've already applied the product.





Streaks/Clinging to dry skin?

Definitely not. This fake tan is a lot more luxurious and moisturising than the Dark Lotion and I have had no steaks or darker patches where my skin is slightly drier.


Does is break you out?

No. Granted this isn't the most glamourous subject to talk about, but in reality a LOT of people suffer from break outs on there back, shoulders or chest and I have a friend who avoids fake tanning purely for this reason. I'm not someone who suffers from breakouts in those areas all the time but I definitely steer clear of using body lotions in those areas because if I use something too moisturising I can get the odd blocked pore or spot on my back. Thankfully this product doesn't give me any problems.


Does it smell of mouldy biscuits?

Not as bad as most! Xen Tan products have something which they call Scent Secure, an ingredient within the products that wraps around the DHA (what makes fake tan go brown) to avoid that awful biscuity smell. In reality, it does smell very faintly, but by no means as bad as most fake tans on the market. To anyone with a less sensitive nose, it's probably undetectable.


Is it worth the price tag?

In my opinion, yes! Granted, it's by no means cheap, coming in at £39.99. But it can be bought off discount websites such as www.feelunique.com if your not willing to pay so much. As I said, the colour pay off is almost double that of the Dark Lotion so for £10 extra, it's something I'm willing to pay for.


Hope you've found this review helpful. What are your favourite Xen Tan products?


♥x♥