I’ve Tried Every Fake Tan Going And These Are The Ones I Swear By

Take it from someone who was tangerine throughout their teens …
Get your glow on with these top fake tans
Mixed Retailers
Get your glow on with these top fake tans

We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

When it comes to fake tans, I’ve well and truly been around the block. From overnight oils and tinted moisturisers, to more hardcore mousses that leave your skin an alarming shade of dark green until you wash off the guide colour – I’ve tried them all!

These are some of my favourites to take a look at if, like me, you’re keen to get your legs at least a little bit bronzed before you opt for wearing a skirt sans tights.

1
A foam that’s friendly to sensitive skin
Rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids, this is the world’s first coconut water-based self-tan. Wash the all-natural foam off after as little as an hour for a slight bronze, or leave on for up to four for a deeper tan.
2
These drops for building your own tailor-made tan
Designed to work with your existing skincare regime, mix anywhere between two and twelve drops into your body moisturiser depending on how much of a glow you’re after. Plus, it’s enriched with a clever caffeine-rich complex that stimulates skin firmness.
3
A spray tan experience you can have from home
Designed for use with Tanologist's Self-Tan Water, this spray tan mister will help you get a salon-worthy glow at home. The 360-spray nozzle produces an ultra-fine and continuous mist that will easily give you that bronzed look.
4
This daily moisturiser for gradually building your bronze
Not bothered about doing a full-blown fake tan? Super creamy, this lotion is made with cocoa butter and vitamin E, and enriched with a touch of self-tanner, so you can work getting a sunkissed glow into your daily routine.
5
A dark and deep mousse that’ll transform light skin tones
A cult favourite among lovers of a really dark tan, this sleek tan glides on streak-free, and will leave you smelling of aloe vera and exotic coconut. Just make sure you don’t go to sleep wearing it, because the guide colour will wreak havoc on your sheets!
6
This temporary tan for quickly bronzing your body
Perfect for when sudden sunshine has you reaching for a skirt over jeans, apply this bronzing glow like body butter to any exposed areas of skin for an instant sheen. More like body make-up than fake tan, simply shower with warm soapy water to wash it off.
7
This medium mist that also colour corrects
Boasting green pigment colour-correcting actives that counteract any redness, this tanning water will leave you with hydrated skin that has a natural-looking bronze sheen. It’s also infused with coconut, chia seed & avocado oils for added nourishment.
8
This dry oil that gives a liquid gold glow
If you’re more about golden and glowing skin than a seriously dark bronze, this dry oil is what you need. Infused with hydrating argan oil, it absorbs quickly into the skin, doesn’t need to be washed off, and will develop into a natural, golden tan that lasts up to a week.
9
A water-to-foam formula that won’t turn your sheets tango
If I’m honest, this mousse is my personal go-to. It’s transparent so there’s no need to worry about sleeping in it – but you can wear it for as little as even two hours for a subtle glow. Plus, it lasts up to a week and fades evenly like a natural tan.
10
An express mousse for tanning in a hurry
Short on time, but still need to squeeze in a full blown tan-transformation? Use a mitt to evenly apply this award-winning mousse, and leave it on for just one hour for a light glow, two for a golden bronze, and three for a fully developed deep and dark tan.
11
This natural serum made specifically for the face
Using standard fake tan on your face can clog the pores, so be sure to also use specific facial tanners like this that are filled with good-for-skin ingredients. Enriched with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and D boosters, and the St. Tropez ‘Sunshine Complex’, this serum ticks all the boxes.
12
This mousse that leaves skin sun-kissed and supple
This golden-toned mousse has been developed with a green-grey base to ensure skin always ends up tanned, rather than tangoed. The 100% natural formula also blurs uneven pigmentation, reduces cellulite, and leaves skin feeling firm.
Close