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The ten self-tans helping us cling on to summer
Our pick of the most natural-looking, easy to use, least biscuit-smelling fake tans currently available
Ah, summer… Not so much a season in the UK as a period of meteorological roulette. Will it have started by August (please, yes)? Has the best already happened? Did it happen at all? The only thing that’s certain is its uncertainty, in the face of which we say: if the summer will take its sweet time coming to us, we will go to it. And that means using one beauty product above all others: self tan.
Self-tan (as well as gradual tan and instant tan) is the swiftest and simplest way to cheat a little sunshine and manifest a summery mood. Plus, somewhat ironically, “This summer, the tan is definitely back,” says facialist and tanning expert Michaella Bolder. "We’re now so good at staying out of the sun, we’re increasingly reliant on self-tan and demanding more of it, which in turn means formulas and applications just keep getting better." This summer, there are no half measures: “You’re aiming for a healthy, rich, deep self-tan,” says Michaella.
The GH beauty team has tried pretty much every product on the market so we can tell you the very best fake tan to entrust with your summer skin glow-up. Head straight to our recommendations below, or read on for our expert tips on the perfect application.
How to prep your skin
Exfoliation is crucial ahead of self-tanning, but despite the raft of new skincare-grade body care out there, don’t be tempted to exfoliate with acids such as BHAs or AHAs. “They can unbalance the pH of the skin, which can affect the depth of the tan and how well it takes,” says Michaella. “Instead, first dry-brush your body to help stimulate circulation and then exfoliate in the shower with a tan remover mitt, which is more effective at removing dead skin than a regular exfoliating mitt and gives you that lovely, silky-smooth finish. Rinse off the skin with cold water to reduce any heat on its surface.”
Exfoliation should also be built into your post-tan aftercare. “Always exfoliate your skin on day three of a self-tan – this prevents any patchiness cropping up,” says Michaella
Directly after your shower, hydrate the skin but, "Along with acids, avoid oils at all costs before self-tanning – no body oils or oil-based moisturisers, and I’d even say make sure you have an oil-free shower gel," says Michaella, because oil can hinder self-tan absorption (she loves Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe, £6.50). Then, it’s all about quantity. "I am very, very generous with moisturiser, especially around the feet, ankles, knees, elbows and wrists. And then I’ll dust another 10p-sized amount on any areas that are particularly dry."
How to apply like a pro
"The longer you can leave between your shower and moisturiser and then applying your tan, the better (ideally a few hours), because it allows the pH of the skin to rebalance and its amino acids to settle down a bit," says Michaella. "Apply the product with a tanning mitt in fast, long, sweeping motions. And for this summer’s really deep tan, try leaving your product on for longer than recommended (if it says three hours, leave it on for six). This will take it one tone darker."
Self-tans loved by the GH beauty team
Tan-Luxe x Paris Hilton The Future Airbrush 360 Self-Tan Mist and Luxe Tanning Mitt
Senior beauty writer Florence Reeves-White trialled this self-tan at Glastonbury and couldn't quite believe how resilient and reliable it proved to be: Sweaty walks to camp, carrying bags, setting up tents, spilt drinks and dancing til dawn... and it didn’t budge from Wednesday to Monday. The manicured nails, bouncy blow dry and meticulously-planned outfits, however, had been left in the dust by day two...
The range from model and presenter Vogue Williams is universally excellent, from the fatigue-erasing facial serums to the clear waters, which are ideal when you don’t want to stain your bed sheets overnight. We couldn’t pick a favourite ourselves, so we’ve gone with the above-and-beyond dedication shown by one of our friends – a new mum who is so in thrall to the brilliance of the mousse that she finds the energy to apply it after the 10pm nightly feed. The reviving effect is that good.
St. Tropez Self Tan Express Bronzing Mousse
It’s the OG of speedy tanning, and it’s one we come back to time and again. (Although we might be diverted by St. Tropez’s also-excellent Luxe Crème Whipped Mousse, when we’ve got longer to marinate.) The Express Mousse is speedy to apply as well as quick to develop, and the colour is reliably even and convincing. So much so that we’re very happy to leave it on for the full three hours, and even longer, safe in the knowledge that we won’t go orange.
We weren’t quite sure what to expect when we saw the pearly-bronze liquid in the bottle – was this going to give us the bizarre, sparkly appearance of a Twilight vampire in the sunshine? Thankfully, not. It actually pumps up out as barely-tinted cloud, with just enough subtle iridescence to avoid any missed areas. The colour was one we had numerous compliments on, once people had established that yes, we were looking well, but no, we hadn’t been on holiday.
Vita Liberata Heavenly Tanning Elixir
Some guide colours are a muddy horror, best hidden from public view; this one gives a gorgeous glow from the moment you stroke it on. Unlike many self-tans, this product is a pleasure to use rather than a means to an end, thanks to a pleasing cocoa scent and an indulgent, silky texture that glides on, blends easily and never drags or clings to dry areas. The colour itself is wonderful and, best of all, it carries on developing for 72 hours. It’s expensive, but it looks it.
Sunless by Jimmy Coco ID4 Tinted Tan Souffle Medium Face & Body
Hollywood’s man with the golden gun has recently brought his LA glamour to our shores, meaning we pasty Brits can enjoy the same tanning expertise as the Kardashians, Ariana Grande, Miranda Kerr and many more. Jimmy's featherlight mousse formula floats over the body and delivers a starry glow plus skincare ingredients you can see and feel in the results. There are five shades, giving the effect of everything from a sunny al fresco lunch to a fortnight in five-star St Barts. It’s a luxe lifestyle in a can, and we’re impressed by how evenly it fades, too.
Word of warning: the guide colour probably isn’t one that you’d want to leave the house in, but we do think that the rich, even colour payoff is worth it. The tan you get from this is deep but we found it develops with a cool rather than orange-y tone, which keeps it in the believable camp. It’s one we’d definitely use before a holiday when we want to hit the beach with confidence.
Glow by James Read Self Sunrise to Sundown Tinted Tan Serum
A-list glow guru James is back with a new range that manages to be technically brilliant but also different from everything else on the market – no mean feat. Stand-outs include Dusk To Dawn Overnight Glow Facial, which feels like going to bed with a treatment mask on and waking up with gentle colour, and this lovely, skincare-first formula. The high level of hyaluronic acid creates a gel-serum texture that glides on weightlessly, giving great colour without dryness or streaking.
Bondi Sands Technocolor 1 Hour Express Self Tanning Foam
Designed to banish the no1 fake tan fear, this comes in four undertones to make different complexions orange-proof. Instead of the usual light, medium and dark options, you’ve got shade names which sound a bit off-putting but in reality they work very well. Sapphire is for fairer skin tones, Emerald balances olive skin, Magenta counteracts cool tones on deep skin, and Caramel gives darkest skin a gold-toned glow. Be reassured that the shade names refer to imperceptible undertones created by ‘laser skin tone analysis technology’. We tried Emerald and it did not turn us into Kermit. By the way, this might be called 1 Hour Express but the pack says that three hours gives best results (and in tiny writing you’d miss if you’re long-sighted). That amount of time worked perfectly for us.
Another day, another celebrity-developed fake tan. But Molly-Mae got it right with Filter; you can expect an even and natural-looking tan. Some extra dark mousses borderline on being muddy and grey, even after washing off the guide, but this one (after 4-6 hours) replicates a deep sun-kissed tan that you could easily mistake for spending a few days in the sun. And thanks to hydrating ingredients including aloe vera extract, it doesn’t cling to dry patches.
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