Vita Liberata pHenomenal 2-3 Week Tan Dark Review - does it really last 2-3 weeks?!

I'm sure I've said this before but I love the look of being tanned but I'm so lazy when it comes to a beauty routine that I can't be bothered with the whole fake tanning rigmarole every week or more.  So when I heard about Vita Liberata's pHenomenal tan which promises to last 2-3 weeks a little while ago I was very interested!  I prefer to use up one product before moving on to the next one so I waited until I used up my existing tanning products before splashing out on this.  It isn't cheap at all but if it does actually last two weeks or so then I'm happy to pay that.

This tan was really easy to apply with a tanning mitt, it's a mousse formula which I find the easiest to use anyway, and I actually felt like it was really quick.  Be warned that this also dries very very quickly which is a good thing as it means you're not hanging around for ages but it also means that any mistakes you make will show up so be careful - the guide colour does help with this though!  The tan comes with really comprehensive guide of how to apply it so if you're not confident about tanning then this would probably be helpful.  It smells pretty nice too but has an undertone of tan smell to it.

To extend the length of our tan you need to wash it off 3-24 hours after applying with just water and then reapply the tan, apparently one application will last 5 days, 2 applications will last 7 days and 3 applications will last 10 days approx.  Not sure what I make of this, would this not work if you did it with any tan? In my head - and because I didn't do that much research I just assumed you applied it as normal and it lasted for 2 weeks but never mind!

I have to say, considering I used the dark version, I was surprised at how not dark it was when I washed the first coat off (I feel like a fence) - I'm not into the Ronseal/Oompa Loompah look but this was a nice, natural glow rather than what I'd call a dark tan.  The second coat definitely looked darker but unfortunately was a lot patchier too - I wasn't happy with how the tan looked on the backs of my hands or on my ankles/feet at all.  I don't think it was my application either as I never have these problems with tan ordinarily.  Also, because everything specifically says not to apply moisturiser beforehand I found that it really clung to my knees and elbows.

This tan didn't really last the recommended week for 2 applications (I couldn't be bothered subjecting myself to a third coat), it was kind of patchy and faded by about day 4 or 5.  I wouldn't buy this again but I'll still use it up (one coat only) until it's finished before going back to my usual Xen Tan*.  This didn't really live up to the hype for me, which is a bit disappointing.

If you want to try this out and see if it works for you, it's available from feelunique.com* for £37.