Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Good gradual tan, easy application |
| Disadvantages: |
strong lingering smell, can be a bit streaky if poorly applied |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
So, Spring is upon us and the urge to rid ourselves of that white pastiness (or in my case a transparent blueness) has taken hold. My skin is pale, paler than pale so I am always on the lookout for something that will give my skin that natural glow. I don't want to be a golden goddess or a bronzed beauty, I certainly don't want to be a tangerine temptress...i just want to not be talcum powder white. So, I've decided to try Johnson's Holiday Skin Body Lotion.
Now, sit back and let me regale you with my yarn...(although given the product, it probably won't be as entertaining as i lead you to believe!)
THE PRODUCT AND ITS CLAIM
Johnson's presents this body lotion designed to
moisturise all day and simultaneously build a gradual tan. Johnson's have added a small amount of tanning ingredient into their 'best body lotion' (they claim) in order to give the wearer a light tan all year round as well as leaving the skin moisturised and soft all day.
JOHNSON'S HOLIDAY SKIN AND ME
I bought this because i wanted to shed some of the whiteness, particularly as i'm heading off on holiday soon. I should say at this point, before continuing with the review, that i have extremely sensitive skin. I have had severe atopic eczema since birth which has recently developed into discoid eczema. Sounds worse than it is - i'm certainly not dying, but as a result i'm on a continual prescription of steroid creams, hydrocortisone and various other intensive moisturisers. Anyway, the point is I have to be very careful with this kind of thing and i tell the reader my medical background so that anyone with similar skin can use my experience more effectively. I decided to go with a Johnson's product because they tend to be fairly gentle as they're a renowned baby brand and if i'm going to take the risk, i might as well take as much precaution as possible (i that a bit of a contradiction in terms? - comments on a postcard please).
PACKAGING AND RANGE
As you can see from the picture, it comes in a bright yellow bottle with the manufacturer's brand and product title emblazoned on the front. The bottle has a flip top cap opening and the lotion squeezes out. Be careful when squeezing, as quite a lot does tend to come out. Also, be sure to wipe up the lotion from around the opening otherwise it will dry up and form a rather attractive
brown sticky crust. The bottle comes in a 250ml and a 400ml.
This particular range of johnson's holiday skin comes in light tan and medium tan and you choose according to the colour of your skin. I chose the 'normal to fair skin' i.e. the light tan version. Also included in this range are holiday skin night as well as a face lotion version.
THE SCENT - WASH YOUR HANDS SEVERAL TIMES!
When i first started using this product i found the smell to be very nice. It has a sweet caramalised smell with overtones of orange and jasmine. The problem is, the smell lingers and it lingers for a very long time. I used the lotion in the morning and even though i washed my hands several times after using and throughout the day, i could still smell the lotion on my hands come early evening. After 8 hours of smelling it everytime my hand passed in front of my face, believe me the smell wasn't so nice. It's also a very distinctive smell, and i've become a bit paranoid that it'll be all people can smell whenever i walk passed them. I'm a little bit concerned that regular useage will mean that the skin all over my body will gradually take on the smell and i won't be able to get rid of it - maybe i worry TOO much!
Anyway, be aware that the scent is very strong and can be extremely sickly after a while! Maybe consider wearing some latex gloves when applying.
TEXTURE AND COLOUR
The lotion is a nice consistency, not too runny and not too thick. It spreads over the skin very well, without clumping in one area, which makes it easy to apply over those tougher areas like the knees/ankles/wrists/elbows. It takes a couple of seonds to be absorbed into the skin, but keep on rubbing to ensure an even application.
The colour of the lotion is white, but if left to dry on the cap it goes an oak brown.
APPLICATION
The bottle says for best results apply daily and to wash hands after use. Because of the consistency, it is very easy to apply, so no complaints there. However, i wouldn't advise that you apply it daily. The smell problem aside, daily usage means a fairly quick build up of colour which can cause the colour to develop heavier in some places than others. I found it's best to apply daily for 3 days and then exfoliate gently in the shower, leave for a couple of days and then reapply, continuing in that cycle. PLease remember to wash your hands as the last thing you'll want are tanned palms - never a good look people!
THE RESULT
I really like the result of this lotion, especially on my legs. Obviously you have to be careful about even coverage but if you follow my 'apply for three days, exfoliate for two cycle' you should be fine. The colour i achieved wasn't orange (thankfully) and didn't really cause my friends to stop and exclaim "wow - have you been on holiday you look greeeeeaaaaaat!", but it did get rid of the paleness and give me a hint of colour all over my body, which was exactly what i wanted.
Even if you decide not to follow my recommended cycle for usage, i do recommend you exfoliate after using this product for a while, as it tends to build up in certain areas where too much may have been applied and it can get a bit sticky in those areas, causing a horrible sliminess in the shower - you have been warned!
LONGEVITY
Even after i stopped using it, the tan stayed for a week or so, but obviously it's dependent on how often you shower, what other products you use, how often you exfoliate. Gentle and regularl exfoliation in between applications will give you an even longer lasting colour, b getting rid of the dead skin cells that the lotion clings to and allowing you to apply to new, fresh skin underneath.
PRICE AND WHERE TO BUY
You can buy this from any department store, supermarket or pharmacy, It is widely available. A 250ml bottle will set you back around £4.25 - £4.99 and a 600ml bottle costs around £6.25 - £6.99. This is pretty good really, since a 250ml bottle has lasted me almost 3 months now.
INGREDIENTS
For all those who may be allergic to some ingredients, those involved in the making of this product are (this list means nothing to me i'm afraid):
aqua, ethylhexyl stearate, glycerine,
hydroxypropyl starch phosphate,
sorbitol, cyclohexasiloxane,
arachidyl, alcohol,
dihydroxyacetone, glyceryl caprylate,
behenyl alcohol, arachidyl gucoside,
PEG-100 Steasrate, Glyceryl stearate, cetyl alcohol,
p-Anisic Acid, Cyclopentasiloxane,
Tocophenyl acetate, sodium hydroxide,
parfum
OVERALL OPINION
The smell is the biggest problem for me, but overall i really liked this product and it does what it says on the bottle. I will continue to use it, although not on a daily basis.
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