All the fake tans!

4 min read

Okay, that’s not strictly true, of course, because there are loads of fake tans out there. We all know the salon brands, St Tropez and Fake Bake, of course. They have great reputations and there is a reason for their popularity. But what about other fake tans out there – and all  the different formulas and formats!

Creams, lotions, mousses, liquids, sprays. Wash off, gradual, one-hour, regular, face, body. It’s a massive market – we all love to tan! Well, okay, most of us. I’m not the biggest tan fan in the world, but I do like to add a little bit of glow in the summer months.

So, I went out with my fabulous SunJellies bag (how 80s cool is that?) and picked out a few fake tans that I do love, and a few that I am keen to try!

fake tans in a bag

1. tanatomicals get a tan without looking like your gran body and face instant tan (£6.99, Superdrug). I loved this so much. Easy to use – use a tanning mitt for precision application, as you would with a regular self-tan. It gives a matte finish, a hint of colour, that s buildable, and it washes off in the shower. It also smells tropically brilliant! And how cool is the name.

2. Bioderma Moisturising Tanning Spray (£25, escentual.com) This is another one that gets top marks from me. It’s a gradual tanning self-tanning mist. You spray it, and leave it. It develops in time, doesn’t have that tell-take fake tan smell, and I think it’s a perfect addition to your holiday cosmetic bag. You could use this to top up when you get a bit of colour from the sun. Ideal for those of us not quite in the Geordie Shore school of tanning yet!

3. Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector (£6.99, Boots) This is a new addition to the Rimmel Sun Shimmer range that I have loved and used for years. It’s more of a makeup texture – seems a bit thickerm and less sheer than the origiinal sun shimmer products. It has the smoothing benefits of a BB cream, and claims to have 9-in-1 results: softens, smoothes, moisturises, gives an instant tan, creates healthy-looking glow, evens skin tone, covers, perfects and lasts 24 hours! Phew! It’s another goodie if you are a wash-off tan fan, or a fake tan newbie.

4. For All My Eternity gradual 10 gradual self tanner and tan extender (£17.99, forallmyeternity.com) Nine is nothing to this baby, though – Gradual 10, as the name suggests, helps transform and care for your skin in TEN different ways! It’s a gradual tanner with loads of benefits. It moisturises, nourishes, protects, softens, soothes, smoothes, improves skin elasticity and firmness, delay the effects of ageing, evens out skin tones, and gradually builds up a totally naturl looking tan. This product feels and smells lovely, and the brand is really nice – lovely subtle packaging, from a British brand which is paraben free, and uses natural and organic ingredients in their range. I’ve given this one to my mum to use before her holidays to see how it works over a few weeks.

Fake tans sunjellies bag

5. Clinique Self Sun Body Tinted Lotion (£19, clinique.co.uk) I had a bad experience with a fake tan from Clinique a few yeasrs ago before a wedding. Tocut a long story short, it ended in tights and a horrendous smell. That tan was a spray on self-tan, which Clinique seem to no longer do – no wonder! This is like night and day! it has a colour to it, so you can see where you are applying it – handy for streak avoidance – and it smells lovely. No fake tan biscuit smell here at all. I would definitely use this again. It develops in a few hours as per a lot of tans these days.

6. Sisley Self Tanning Hydrating Body Skin Care (£72, sisley-paris.com) The most expensive on the list, this has been recommended to me as the absolute king of self tans. And it is! It gives the loveliest light colour, and although it is white lotion, careful application, letting it dry and not being impatient in any way with it meant it worked for me! Hooray!

7. Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel (£19, clarins.co.uk) Gorgeous. In one word. THis light gel has the fruitiest, loveliest smell, and is easy to apply. It gives just a hint of colour with one application, but is buildable, and you don’t ever feel like you have been Tangoed!

8. Clinique Self Sun Face Bronzing Gel Tint (£18, clinique.co.uk) I am terrified of fake tan on my face. Years ago, I had a salon tan – full body and face, and I felt dirty. I really disliked the coverage on my face, and since then have approached all bronzing/tanning products for the face with caution. I can, howver, handle tinted bronzing gels. I’ve used a fantastic Sisley gel for the face in the past, and this Clinique one is right up there, and a fraction of the price. It’s dark – it looks dark when you squeeze the tube, but on the skin it’s not that dark at all. You can mix it with your moisturiser for a glow, winter or summer. This is in my holiday bag!

9. Bobbi Brown All Over Bronzing Gel SPF15 in Joe Brown (£23, bobbibrown.co.uk) Named after Bobbi’s dad (and he is a fan!). this has an SPF15 which is good, and it smells, as one reviewer on the Bobbi website pointed out, like shampoo! It really does! If you need something for the face, if you’ve had a body self-tan, then go for this. It gives excellent colour – maybe a wee bit too much for me, but it is s brilliant product.

So, there’s my round-up of a few alternative fake tans? Do you like to tan? What are your favourites?