A college student was left looking ‘like a mahogany dining table’ after a catastrophic fake tan fail.
Regular fake tanner Jessica Clarke, 23, of Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, used St Moriz’s ‘darker than dark’ fake tan for the first time ahead of a girls’ night out in the hope that it would make her look even more bronzed than normal.
But she turned a very dark shade of brown that only got worse overnight.
Despite her fake tan disaster, Jessica has vowed to use the same product again – because she was so pleased with how she looked after the colour had faded slightly.
Jessica Clarke, 23, turned from lightly bronzed to a dark shade of mahogany after a fake tan disaster
Nursing and midwifery student Jessica noticed she had turned a very dark shade of brown just 30 minutes after slapping on a layer of the £2.99 St Moriz product.
Despite trying to wash it off in a long, hot bath, the student was forced to attend college – and admits she got a few funny stares.
The self-confessed fake tan addict said: ‘When I looked in the mirror the next morning it looked terrible. I couldn’t see my face, I was just eyes and teeth.
‘I took a picture and sent it to friends who were pretty shocked but then laughed. I had a bath and thought I’d try and soak it off, it didn’t go well.
It was the first time Jessica had used St Moriz’s £2.99 ‘darker than dark’ fake tan product, which turned her skin very dark. She said her friends found it hilarious
‘The water went completely black, I was in there about half an hour trying to scrub it off.
‘I was due at college so I had to go in as I didn’t want to miss my classes. I was a bit nervous about going in and walking around college the colour I was.
‘I looked like a mahogany dining room table, it was terrible. My skin was just a really dark wood effect.’
When Jessica realised her beauty blunder after putting on just one layer of the £2.99 tan on earlier this year, she took a quick snap and sent it to pals who thought it was hilarious.
Jessica said: ‘I regularly fake tan, I’ve done it once a week for five years. I prefer it over sunbeds because of the health implications and the dangers of skin cancer.
Jessica says she will use the product again however because she loves the colour it has turned her skin after it had faded in the days that followed (pictured after the fail)
‘I usually use dark fake tan, this time I used darker than dark as I fancied going a little bit darker.
‘As soon as I put it on I realised it was very dark straight away. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing in the mirror.’
The mortified access to nursing and midwifery student had to endure a day at college with people staring at her while she walked to and from classes.
After braving the outside world, Jessica headed home for a second bath in a desperate bid to banish the extreme tan and finally reveal her golden glow.
Jessica said: ‘I had to go in to college as I didn’t want to miss my classes.
Jessica Clarke after using the ‘darker than dark’ fake tan
‘I was a bit nervous about going and worried about walking around the colour I was. I attracted some funny glances.
‘That night I got back in the bath and sat for another half an hour, the water was so mucky. After a while I started to gradually look normal again which made me very happy.
‘At the finish I was really pleased with how it turned out, so much so that I’ve bought another two bottles.
‘I’ll just need to do it a few days before I go out next time and make sure I’ve got no plans so I can hide inside.’
St. Moriz declined to comment.