9 Tropical Beauty Products To Help You Fake A Summer Holiday

Because life's a beach when you smell like one.
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If the closest you’ll get to a vacation this year is al fresco dining while cry-scrolling through the holiday snaps on your Instagram feed, you’re not alone.

A recent study revealed that the number of Brits taking breaks has been on the decline for the past few years. Not to mention we’ve just had one of the “dullest and wettest” Junes on record.

It’s enough to make anyone want to drown their sorrows in a piña colada. But why just drown your sorrows when you could douse your whole body in one?

Thanks to the beauty powers that be, there are a whole host of tropical-scented products ready to banish those no-holiday blues.

From the most beachy perfume, to a shower gel that essentially turns you into a human Solero, we’ve picked out the nine best buys to whisk your senses away to somewhere more exotic.

The Body Shop Piñita Colada Body Scrub
The Body Shop
£15 from thebodyshop.co.uk

"Turn your shower into a beach party": it's a pretty grandiose claim from a humble body scrub, but - by George - The Body Shop's delivered on this one.

The shredded coconut-as-exfoliant makes you feel all 'Castaway', in a good way.
Nars Monoï Body Glow II
Nars
£45 from narscosmetics.co.uk

Transport yourself to the shores of French Polynesia with this bordering-on-bougie body oil (so luxe, so Tahitian).

Nars' second Body Glow, this sheer version was released to complement the tinted original (but before you get any ideas, read our guide to shimmer body lotions here).
Clean Beauty Co. Coconut Dreaming
Clean Beauty Co.
£25 from cleanbeautyco.com

This creamy, dreamy bath soak essentially transforms your tub into a giant tropical cocktail. And not the kind you get at an all-inclusive hotel bar.

We're talking silky coconut milk, skin-firming citrus oil, soothing honey and a light frothy foam.
Korres Mango Shower Gel
Korres
£8 from liberty.co.uk

You can skip the moisturiser with Korres shower gels and their ingenious ingredients.

This one smells just like a ripe, juicy mango, which - when melded with the creamy formula - is equivalent to 'Solero in a bottle', and what's more summery than that?
Coqui Coqui Coco Coco Linen Spray
Coqui Coqui
£45 from net-a-porter.com

Mist through your home, mist around yourself, mist over your sheets as you lay in bed watching Netflix for the third night in a row.

At least this way you can binge-watch box sets smelling like the Mexican coast of Yucatan Peninsula. Plus, it looks uber chic on your dressing table.
Lee Stafford Coco Loco Coconut Spritz
Lee Stafford
£3.99 from boots.com

This milk-to-oil spray is the way to do coconut oil without the greasy aftermath.

Spritz over wet or dry hair to detangle and add shine. Inhale that delicious coconut scent. Repeat until not sad.
Bobbi Brown Beach Eau De Parfum
Bobbi Brown
£51 from bobbibrown.co.uk

Inspired by makeup artist Bobbi Brown's favourite place (the beach, duh) this classic scent blends sea spray, jasmine and mandarin.

This perfume has stood the test of time for a reason - it's light, fresh, and perfect for layering with other beachy-scented products.
Coola Piña Colada Sunscreen Spray
Coola
£29 from cultbeauty.co.uk

Just because you're in Britain, doesn't mean you don't need to up the sun protection this summer.

Coola's sweet smelling spray boasts SPF 30 and a hassle-free application thanks to the continuous-misting nozzle.
Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun
Hawaiian Tropic
£4.99 from fragrancedirect.co.uk

Nothing says vacation like Hawaiian Tropic - but you don't have to be on one to use it.

This rich, coconut-papaya scented lotion calms shaving rash as well as sunburn with soothing aloe vera.
Best Fake Tans
Fake Tans With SPF(01 of04)
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When it comes to staying safe in the sun, these skin-friendly formulations are a godsend - especially for fake tanners in a hurry, or those who like to 'glow as they go'.

The luxurious Vita Liberata Marula Dry Oil Self Tan SPF 50 (£39.00) is the first of its kind (oil-based with SPF) to hit the market, while Bondi Sands has given its coconut-scented Every Day Gradual Tanning Milk (£10.99) a makeover with an added SPF 15.
(credit:Vita Liberata/Bondi Sands)
Next-Gen Face Tanners(02 of04)
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Gone are the days of breakout inducing facial fake tanners or forgoing your three-step routine for a bronzed visage.

For an anti-ageing effect, try Madame LA LA West Coast (£25) - a bronzing serum with added retinoids. Or spritz on the rosewater-infused James Read H20 Tan Mist (£20) to calm and hydrate skin.
(credit:Madame LA LA/James Read Tan)
Oil-Infused Products(03 of04)
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The beauty industry is still all about oil, so it's no surprise the stuff is popping up in our fake tan.

Fake Bake Flawless Coconut Tanning Serum (£29.95), harnesses the skin-softening power of - you guessed it - 'superfood' coconut oil, and can be used on both face and body. Xen-Tan Transformation Ultra (£49.99) gives an ultra-smooth finish with broccoli seed and Moroccan oils.
(credit:Fake Bake/Xen Tan)
DHA-Free Fake Tan(04 of04)
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DHA, a colorless chemical derived from glycerin, is the main active ingredient in most fake tans on the market - but some claim the 'browning reaction' can damage skin.

The jury's still officially out on that one (it only affects the already-dead skin layer), but those looking for a DHA-free tanner are in luck thanks to Hand Chemistry Glow Oil and Hylamide Booster Glow Serum (both £20) which use raspberry keto-sugar to stain the skin.
(credit:Hand Chemistry/Hylamide)

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