Does Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's Self-Tanning Face Mist Actually Work?

Fingers crossed

By Taylor Stephan Oct 17, 2016 5:10 PMTags
ESC: Rosie Huntington-WhiteleyVenturelli/Getty Images for BVLGARI

Beauty addicts are pros at recounting the products they love most. No matter who you ask, self-tanner and face mist are two staples that always make the list.

Usually you wouldn't think to use the two together, but thanks to self-tanning guru James Read, that's about to change. If you're an avid tanner (spray, self, bed or natural), you know all too well how irritating it can be to keep the tan on your face consistent with the color of the rest of your body. So in theory, James Read H2O Tan Mist, which is part skin care, part self-tanner, sounds like a dream. But the big looming question, of course, is: Does it work?

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With a hefty celeb fan base—Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a regular user along with Ellie Goulding (who likes to keep hers in the fridge)—we decided to give it a go.

At first glance, it looks like your average post-cleanse face mist. The bottle's the same size as you'd expect of any facial spray and the contents are crystal clear. The only differentiating factor is it's labeled with the phrase "gradual tan." In fact, it's the first of its kind: a rosewater spray with DHA, the active bronzing ingredient in self-tanners.

In terms of smell, it's faintly rosy but not perfume-y or cheap—it smells expensive and natural. It can be used as a makeup primer or setting spray, but to get the most bang for your buck we suggest you think of it as skin care and not makeup. After all, it's chock-full of good-for-your-face ingredients like zinc, which banishes acne and flower oil and rosewater, which both hydrate effectively. Day and night, just follow your usual skin-care steps and finish it all off with a few spritz of this stuff. By the time you wake up you'll have an even, subtle glow. Bonus: The transparent color won't stain your sheets while you snooze.

Just a note: Even though it's quote-unquote gradual, don't mix this up with that face mist you keep handy at your desk (and subsequently spritz on every hour, on the hour). The color will build, so reel it in and regulate yourself—once in the morning and once at night is plenty.

As a face mist, it's pretty top-notch. And you're someone who tans on the regular, too? You'd be hard-pressed to find another facial tanning product that works this good.

Bring on the bronze, baby.

James Read's H2O Tan Mist, $31

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