James Read Express Mask Face Tan Review

Hey Beautiful People!

As the winter is approaching, and our tans are fading I felt it was only right to do a review on the incredible James Read Express Mask Face Tan!

For those of you who don’t know, James Read is the UK’s leading self-tanning expert (fact!) with over thirteen years experience in the industry. James has an unrivalled A-list clientele that includes Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Ellie Goulding, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Lara Stone, Jessie J, Rita Ora, Gemma Arterton, Clive Owen, Conor Maynard and many more.

Gone are the days when it was socially acceptable to walk around looking like a satsuma #guilty, which is where James Read’s range comes in – His products are all aimed towards providing a natural looking skin.

I had been on the look-out for a tan like the express mask for years!

I am lazy when it comes to tanning and 9/10 I don’t even bother tanning my arms and legs as it’s a rarity that they make an appearance.

After all the rave reviews, I could no longer resist so I purchased this product via Marks & Spencers online (I had a discount code – meaning I didn’t pay for delivery!).

Previously I was using the St Tropez Mousse and I loved the finish on this product but hated the effort and inconvenience of applying it! If anybody has used St Tropez Mousse, you will know that whilst the tan is developing the guide colour is horrendous until you shower it off meaning you can not leave the house for at least 4hours!

The James Read range is a modern take on tanning, its quick, convenient, incredibly good for the skin, and it smells clean (as opposed to your standard digestive biscuit smell!)

I was really impressed with the simple yet incredibly sophisticated packaging, the tan also comes with a pump - that pumps out just the right amount of product which is super-convenient!

The express mask is not only a self-tanner, its skincare too – The formula contains Hylauronic Acid, Jojoba Sed Oil, Extracts of Aloe Vera and Algae, plus antioxidant Vitamin E, helping skin to feel firm & smooth.

The formula is a clear liquid, however although it’s clear you can still see and feel where you are putting the tan – I much prefer this concept because I can go out and about getting on with my normal daily activities without having to go into hiding whilst I’m developing.

This hydrating mask will leave you with a light glow after 30 minutes, or you can achieve a deeper colour if you leave this on for 60 minutes. I find 30 minutes is plenty for me, as it will continue to develop even after the mask has washed off.

It’s perfect if you haven’t had time to tan before a party/special occasion/or even a trip to the shops, you can just slap your James Read on, wait 30 minutes, wash it off, apply your make up and then as the day/night goes on it will keep developing under your foundation! Amazing.

If you are going to tan your arms and legs, you can purchase the Express Mask Tan for your body! I have not tried this product yet, however I assume it will do exactly the same as the face mask does but for your body instead.

The express face mask retails at £25.00 and can be purchased from M&S, Harvey Nicholls, Selfridges, QVS, John Lewis, Net-a-Porter, BeautyMART and One2One Studio’s Canada.

Overall, I think this product is incredible and I believe that every guy and girl needs a bottle of this magic handy!

Finally I will leave you with James Read’s top tips to the perfect tan:

·         Exfoliate the night before tanning

·         Wax & Shave 24 hours prior to tanning

·         Prep the skin – use a Nivea wipe all over the areas where the tan would gather just before you’re going to tan, because that will get rid of the tan if it's invisible to the naked eye as when you go over old tan it shows up more so using the wipes will stop that happening.

Thanks for reading!

Big hugs

Jake-Jamie xx