I tested instant self tanners and the best one was only £7… friends thought I had been abroad
The sun is finally shining, but the unpredictable British weather has dashed any hopes of a beautifully tanned complexion.
The good news is that you don’t have to go abroad to get a glowing tan. You can get it from a bottle. And many Brits do.
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Sales of tanning products rose by 16 per cent in June, to a staggering £2.3 million a day.
While there are many expensive brands on the market, some cheap knock-offs are just as good.
Hayley Minn – often called ‘Casper’ by her friends because of her pale skin – headed to Boots to test eight self-tanners for less than £15.
Incredibly, she discovered that the best ones were also the cheapest…
Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tanning Mousse – 150ml, £7.99
While Cocoa Brown isn’t technically an instant tanner, it could be.
When I put it on my stomach I immediately saw a beautiful bronze color, which I was very happy with.
I was actually worried that it would be too dark, since the bottle states that it takes an hour for the mixture to develop, but I needn’t have worried.
What I really liked was that it was easy and even to apply thanks to the mousse-like consistency. I didn’t see any streaks anymore.
It’s also dark enough that I could see where I applied it, but light enough that I wasn’t afraid of it dripping onto my carpet.
It dried really quickly and wasn’t sticky at all. But the best part? There was no cookie smell!
5/5
St Moriz Advanced Pro Formula Express Tanning Foam Water – 200ml, £7.33
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Although this product bills itself as a fast self-tanner, it is more of a gradual tan.
After more than two hours I saw very little difference in color, but I probably would have noticed if I had been a little more patient before washing it off.
I also found it difficult to apply as it was a clear liquid and I wasn’t sure if I had applied too much or too little and if it would be streaky.
After a while I noticed that it stuck more to my dry elbow than to the rest of my arm, but maybe I should have exfoliated more.
What I liked about this St Moriz tan was that it had no scent, even after I applied it.
2/5
Garnier Ambre Solaire Natural Bronzer Fast Drying Dark Self Tanning Body Mist – 150ml, £8.33
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Garnier promises a golden glow with this body mist without streaks or orange tones, but for me the opposite was the case.
Because it’s a spray, which you don’t have to apply with a glove like you do with regular self-tanner, I had absolutely no idea what parts of my body I had already covered when I applied it.
It also says that you will see results within an hour and that the tan will last for a week. However, it took me much longer to see any difference.
I can confirm that it lasts a long time. I really had to scrub to get it off when I realized how streaky I was!
1/5
Bondi Sands GLO Matte One Day Tan Mist – 97ml, £10.99
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At first I was very confused and worried when I tried Bondi Sands because it seemed very thick and dark and it made my arm green instead of brown.
But then I realized I accidentally got the Bondi Sands self-tanner on. I thought it was an instant tan, but in the pictures I’m wearing it on my right arm.
Nevertheless, I washed it off after an hour and my arm finally had a beautiful tan, without streaks.
Later I bought the instant version to try and I was even more impressed.
It is easy and even to apply with a mitt and has the same bronze color, without a hint of orange.
4/5
Rimmel Sunshimmer Instant Self Tanner – 125ml, £6.99
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Considering this bottle only cost £6.99, I didn’t really have high expectations for Rimmel’s self-tanner, but honestly the results were amazing, especially for the price.
It was so easy to apply and it didn’t streak or go too dark, it just gave a nice bronzed glow.
It looked so natural that I got all kinds of comments at the office from people asking where I had been on holiday!
Plus, the smell of the fake tan was really nice even after it dried. If you’re looking for a one day tan, this is the perfect bottle.
Don’t wear it when it’s raining though, as it will wash right off in the shower!
5/5
No7 Perfectly Bronzed Self Tan Quick Dry Tinted Lotion – 200ml, £11.96
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No7 tanning lotion was very easy to apply due to its colour and liquid consistency. It did not leave streaks and did not smell like biscuits.
It developed really nicely and gave me a natural golden tint, but I did have to apply more than some cheaper products to get a nice color payoff.
What struck me most about this fake tan was that it didn’t come off when I showered and it even stayed on for several days without even getting on my sheets.
I really liked this lotion. I just think there are others I’ve tried that I liked just as much but were much cheaper.
4/5
Olivia Bowen’s tanning tips
Former Love Island star and Cocoa Brown ambassador Olivia Bowen shares her top tanning tips…
- Exfoliate 48 hours before you start self-tanning.
- If you want to shave, do so 24 hours before you want to use a self-tanner.
- Don’t rub too hard with the tanning mitt. Make sure you use enough product and rub gently. Try not to scrape it into the skin.
- Apply Vaseline or moisturizer to your knees, ankles and wrists before you begin self-tanning, as self-tanners like to stick to dry skin.
Vita Liberata Body Blur – 100ml, £15
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Considering Vita Liberata was the most expensive self-tanner I tried, I was very disappointed.
The first thing I noticed when I applied it was how bad it smelled – almost like yogurt and coffee had been mixed together and I had to rub it on my thigh. It was very unpleasant.
Once I applied it, it was one of the best color-wise on my skin, but after a while it started to smell like your typical self-tanner.
It also got on my sheets, turning them yellow, which my partner wasn’t too happy about.
2/5
Skinny Tan 1 Day Instant Tanner – 100ml, £7
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This was by far the most disappointing self tanner I’ve tried because it just didn’t work for me.
My body didn’t even change color with it on. I was still as pale as a ghost and might as well not have worn a shirt at all.
I even tried it three times before I gave up.
The smell was also quite overpowering as it had that classic fake tan smell which also made it unpleasant to use. Skinny Tan unfortunately had a bit of a Tango-no here.
1/5
