St Tropez Express is the most advanced no-fuss self tanner yet, it’s quick drying and lightweight with a natural-looking tinted guide color to help you apply evenly. You can shower after one hour for a light sunkissed glow, two hours for medium golden bronze or three hours for a deep dark tan to suit your skin tone.
How to apply
St Tropez Express Self Tanning Mousse is a fast-drying formula that offers a natural-looking, streak-free finish. It features a mood-boosting fragrance that eliminates fake tan smells and hydrating ingredients for a smooth fade. It is available in classic, dark and sensitive shades to suit every skin tone.
Start by exfoliating well 24 hours before applying the mousse. Then moisturize dry areas such as elbows, knees and ankles before applying. This helps the tan absorb evenly, preventing patchy spots. Moisturizers also help the tan last longer by protecting the top layer of your skin.
Apply the st tropez self tan express using a mitt, making sure to cover all areas. Wait 1-3 hours before showering to allow the tan to develop and darken to your desired shade. The tinted guide color shows where you have applied the product and helps to avoid missed patches. After rinsing off, your tan continues to develop for up to 8 hours into your chosen shade.
How long to wait before showering
Most self tanners will need 6 to 10 hours to develop fully. During that time, you shouldn’t shower, sweat or get wet in any way.
If you do, it will wash off some of the tan and make it look patchy or uneven. To avoid that, you should exfoliate before applying – use a homemade scrub made of coffee grounds and sugar or a body scrub from the store.
The St Tropez mousses are thick and foamy, making them easy to spread on. They’re tinted so you can see exactly where the tan is going and what areas need more. The tint also helps you to cover up creases and joints, which is great if you have sensitive skin. The self tanners both have a pleasant smell, which is a huge plus. All the testers were pleased with how quickly they developed and how easily they blended. They also lasted longer than our top pick, Loving Tan’s dark formula.
How long the tan lasts
Most self tanners take 1 to 12 hours to fully develop, but St Tropez’s Express formula works in just one hour. The lightweight mousse glides on smoothly and sets in seconds without streaking or transferring to clothes. It’s formulated with Aloe Vera to hydrate skin and Aromaguard technology for a pleasant, fresh scent.
The Express product is the fastest-acting of St Tropez’s sunless tanning products, delivering a natural-looking, streak-free bronze that lasts for days. It’s also safe for sensitive skin and contains no parabens, phthalates, or alcohol.
To get the best results, exfoliate 24 hours prior to use and moisturize dry areas before application. Apply the mousse with a mitt and rinse off after 1, 2, or 3 hours depending on your desired shade. The tinted guide color washes off with warm water, but the self-tan actives continue to work for up to 8 hours, developing and deepening into your chosen shade of tan that lasts for days.
Final Words
The St. Tropez Self Tan Express Bronzing Mousse is the top pick in my larger best self tanner review and one of the most recommended products from a diverse panel of testers. It’s easy to apply and blend for a streak-free finish. Its mousse texture makes it super lightweight and quick to dry.
I also love that it comes with a velvet mitt and brush to help you get a great, even application every time. It’s a little more pricey than some of the other options on my list, but you’re getting an excellent quality product here.
It gave my testers darker color in a single application than my top self tanner for beginners, the Vita Liberata Tanning Mousse, and it worked in a fraction of the time (one hour versus six to eight hours). If you’re looking for that coveted sunkissed, just-left-the-beach glow, I definitely recommend trying this product!