I don't think I'm alone when I say that the winter months brings out a whole new level of ghostliness to my skin-tone. Without the suns rays touching my face on a daily basis, I'm left with a pale complexion that doesn't inspire my confidence or my mood. So, without having to book an expensive holiday for every two weeks of my life, fake tanning is the next best thing.
Now, in my multiple year of fake tanning, I would like to say I have tried and tested easily 40 different brands ranging from gradual moisturisers through to 1 hour express tans. I've looked streaky like tiger bread, orange like an oompa loompa, green like something that's gone slightly moudly, and once purple like a bruise (the Bondi Sands purple based fake tan was not the one for me). Safe to say, I'm a little bit of an expert on fake tans.
My fake tan goal is to look like I've just spent a week in the sun, glowing and hydrated. I want a fake tan to look as natural as possible and for people you haven't seen in a while say things like "you are looking so healthy" and "oh have you been away recently?". So here is my roundup of fake tans - from most expensive to my ultimate go to tan that's under £10.
Tan-Luxe - Hydra Mousse Hydrating Tanning Mousse Light/Medium
This is my go to luxury fake tan - if I'm feeling like I want to treat myself - this is what I'll use. It is one of the most natural looking tans I've used and if you prefer a slightly darker tan that light/medium is is 100% buildable. No other tanning brand has left my skin so hydrated after application. It creates such a lovely colour and fades beautifully which is super important to me. My only issue is the price which I sadly can't justify as a weekly tanning option. But, if you are looking for a luxury tan, this is the one I will recommend to you.
Filter by Molly-Mae - Dark Mousse
I do love myself a Filter tan. Controversial opinion: I prefer the dark shade to the ultra dark. There is just something about that shade that didn't look good on me. However, what Molly-Mae has put in her dark fake tan mousse is addictive as hell because this is one of my holy grails. The colour, the longevity, the smell - all brilliant. Such a good fake tan if you are a beginner because of the guide colour and a hydrating formula thats super easy to apply. If you haven't already tried this, go get yourself a bottle!
Bondi Sands - Liquid Gold Self Tan Foam
My absolute favourite thing about this specific tan is that you don't have to wash it off. Let me just repeat that: you don't have to wash it off! Sometimes the only thing that puts me off fake tanning is having to wake up earlier that I want to in order to wash off a tan. It's so much more effort than what I am willing to give in the mornings. That's when I reach for this tan, which saves me precious sleeping time in the mornings. It's one of the main reasons I keep going back to it as the Liquid Gold range is the only non-wash off that isn't outrageously priced that also has a good colour. I'm not asking for much, yet it is so hard to find but this tan delivers on everything.
Dove Dermaspa - Gradual Tan Lotion Medium To Dark
This was the first fake tanning product that I ever used because it was my mum's and I took it out of her section of the bathroom cabinet and turned my the palms of my hands bright orange. Since then I've learned how to use this product correctly and it is part of my tanning routine every week. It's an oldie but a goodie, and for the right reasons. Now, in adding it to this list I want to make perfectly clear that this is not a 'use on it's own' products for me. I treat it as more of a mid-week tan top up. I find that once you've tanned using a self tanner mousse and you moisturise everyday to keep the tan progressing nicely, around half way through the week the colour fades slightly. To combat this, instead of applying a classic lotion, use this and reignite your tan back to it's original fresh glow. And as a bonus tip, once you've accumulated a natural tan in the summer, this gradual lotion every other night helps to prolong that glow quite a bit.
Solait by Superdrug - Tan Express Mousse Medium
This is my ultimate affordable go-to self tanner. I use this weekly, its affordable coming to under £6 for a bottle. The application, the colour, the way it naturally fades is everything I look for in a fake tan and more! I do prefer the 1 Hour Express Tanning Mousse to the classics however, I do leave it on overnight to get the full application of the colour. Overall I find across brands that most 1 hour fake tans need to be left on a lot longer than that and this one is no exception. I love the medium shade more than the dark as I feel like it gives me a more natural glowing tan that I can build up if I need to. If you only try one tan on this list, make it be this one. I promise you, you won't regret it.
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