The original, the best?? (Johnson's Holiday Skin Body Lotion)

Member Name: cerys82

Product:	Johnson's Holiday Skin Body Lotion
Date:	29/07/09 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nice subtle tan effect

Disadvantages: Can go streaky if put on repeatedly over a few days

Holiday Skin was amongst the first of current craze of 'gradual tanning creams', when it came out a few years ago. The notion is that you apply this cream as you would a body lotion - on the places of your body that you would like a tanned effect whether that be all over, or just on your legs and arms. Then over a period of time a subtle tan effect appears which deepens in colour the more you use it - rather than getting the full on whammy that you get with just one application of fake tan.
I have used this regularly since it came out, so you can guess that I really like it.
In general, I'm not a fan of regular fake tan, finding it difficult to apply and then ultimately correct it when I inevitably cock it up. I have very pale skin naturally, so anything more than subtle looks awful. In a number of ways, however, I would advise that you treat it like regular fake tan in order to get the best possible result from it. For starters, exfoliate like you would with fake tan, particularly on dry areas like knees and elbows. Moisturisation, however, isn't as important as the lotion itself is a moisturiser. However, if for any reason you do feel that you need to, I would advise that you leave it to soak in for a while before applying the Holiday Skin so it doesn't get too diluted, therefore streaky.
The cream needs to be applied evenly and take care not to apply too heavily to the aforementioned dry areas. Also, don't make the same mistake that I did and assume that just because it gives a subtle result that you don't need to concentrate on washing your hands too thoroughly immediately afterwards; once after applying I woke up the next day to find dark patches of skin between my fingers!
As with fake tan, it takes a few hours to truly show but unlike fake tan the effect is subtle so you may not notice the difference until you wake up afresh the next morning. Another thing to be aware of is that it does still have that 'burnt cookies' smell on application as regular fake tan. I personally don't have an issue with it, but I know that some people do.
It is also worth noting that Holiday Skin comes in a variety of styles and shades. Aside from the regular variety there is a 'firming' one. I currently use the latter but can't really vouch for its specialist properties as I do not use it on a regular enough basis to really get this benefit ( I also have to be quite honest and say that, in general, I am quite unconvinced about the skin firming properties of any low-to-mid range moisturiser.) You can also choose a shade to match your skin colour; fair to normal or normal to dark.
I personally have never used it on my face, as I have very sensitive skin which is uneven in colour and I don't want to risk making it any worse, I feel that it is perfectly possible to get this same effect from the daily use of bronzing products alongside your own personal cosmetic routine.
When applied correctly it gives a lovely, subtle hint of colour. However, it is not perfect. I would personally not recommend it being applied any more frequently than once a day over 2 -3 days, as it can have a tendency to get streaky if too much is piled on over a period of time.
I think that the RRP is reasonable, but opt to stock up on it when it is on Buy One Get One Free offers which normally come about from early to mid summer.

I have also found that as long as you let it soak in properly before dressing any colour development shouldn't transfer onto your clothes.
In conclusion, I love the subtle, natural effect that it gives with regular ease - this is especially prevalent if you only want to use it in winter to give a nice hint of colour without wanting to look like you've been tango'd!

Summary: An essential part of my bathroom cupboard collection