When I think of fake tan I think of a fear of stripey legs, carrot hands and stained bed sheets. The vision my mind conjures isn’t the glow of a long summer spent in the sun. But, that all changed one day at Fenwicks when I dutifully fulfilled my role as Beauty Editor and tried out Madame LA LA’s new Diamond Dust Spray Tan.
Inspired by Kim Kardashian who was rumoured to have sprayed herself with St Tropez and diamond dust before her nuptials to Kanye, tanning company Madame La La have created a Hollywood-worthy fake tan for mere mortals. In partnership with The Walnut Club, it’s essentially a luxury spray tan that’s finished with a sprinkling of fine diamond dust, which washes off after 24-hours. As someone whose skin tone is only a shade away from translucent, I went in convinced that this treatment wasn’t for me. But, 20 minutes later I was hooked.
How Does It Work?
There’s no sugarcoating it – the process starts with you getting nearly naked in a brightly lit room in a department store on Bond Street. You’re gifted a paper thong to wear, but otherwise, it’s birthday suit and lights on all the way. Not ideal. My therapist did her best to make me feel comfortable about by turning the heating up to high, but I won’t lie it was traumatic. Like any spray tan, every corner and crevice of your body gets hosed in a tango-coloured shower. Then, before you’ve had a chance to dry, a fine layer of diamond dust is sprayed on. Before you get dressed you have to dry out, which quite literally means standing stark naked with your arms splayed until you’re touch-dry.
How’d It Look?
At first glance, I was dazzled. The diamond dust isn’t subtle, it’s the very definition of bling. But, it’s also very flattering as it catches and reflects the light. It really did make me look a million dollars. As the days went by the diamond dust washed off but the nut-brown tan lasted for a full 10-days. Between the sparkling glow and the sun-drenched hue, I didn’t have to wear make-up for days as my skin was radiant.
What’s The Aftercare Like?
Be warned: your clothes will sparkle. For the first 24-hours your skin glistens with the luminesce of diamonds, but it also washes off pretty quickly. However, the tan doesn’t. After 10 days and a little exfoliating it eventually wore off, but until that point, it gave a warm healthy full-body glow.
Is It Worth It?
At £95 this isn’t a bargain basement fake tan, but surprisingly it lived up to its price tag. One can’t knock the brilliance of real ultra-fine diamond dust when applied with The Walnut Club’s enviably realistic spray tan as it made The Debrief girls remark that I looked like I’d just come back from a two-week vacation.
Is There An At-Home Alternative?
You can get your hands on at-home tans that give a rich toffee glow like The Walnut Clubs. But, you’d have to be a fake tan wizard to apply it as flawlessly. If it’s the diamond glow you’re after Frank Body’s Shimmer Scrub has a similar effect at a fraction of the price.
The Walnut Club x Madame LA LA at Fenwicks Bond Street Tanning Studio, £95