Best fake tan 2024: Our favourite self tan for a sun-kissed glow from just £6

A golden tan may look great, but there’s nothing great about the skin damage and accelerated ageing of UV rays, so a good fake or self-tan is unquestionably the better, safer option. And thanks to the new technologies in these products, we’ve never been so spoilt in our choice of self-tanners. Long gone are the orange, one-hue-suits-all formulas of the past; now there are fast-drying mousses, overnight masks and gradual tanning moisturisers – to name just a few – that give a natural glow to any and all skin types and lifestyles.

Which one should you choose? Which ones leave the most natural finish? Are there specific tanners that won’t streak, or that don’t have that tell-tale fake tan smell? And which tanners will leave you less sticky and more hydrated? We’ve done a deep dive into the best fake tans on the market right now, so read on to discover the ones we think are worth investing in, or scroll to the bottom for our fake tan buying guide.

Best fake tan: At a glance

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How we test fake tan products

We’ve personally tested all of the fake tanning products in the roundup below, on clean, exfoliated skin, following the directions on the packaging.

As applicable, we note the shade of the product (light, medium or dark), the product formula (cream, gel or spray), and the recommended area of usage (face or body). We use the tanning product exactly as directed and note the results after 1, 3 and 5 days. We also consider how easy the product is to apply, we examine any patchiness or streaks that occur when used according to the instructions, and we note the tanning product’s scent – whether pleasant or otherwise – and how skin feels both immediately after use and with regular use. Finally, we note how much product is required for a single, even application.

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The best fake tans you can buy in 2024

1. James Read Sleep Mask Tan: Best gradual tanner for faces

Price when reviewed: £27 | Check price at Amazon

• Great for… a subtle facial glow
• Not so great for… reliable/long-lasting pump action

There’s a huge trend right now for adding skincare benefits to cosmetic products. This clever formula is a perfect example: it’s a hydrating, soothing overnight face mask which also tans your skin while you sleep. Over time, it creates a natural glow that doesn’t look contrived or over the top, but it’s colourless, so your bedsheets will remain tan-free.

Although it claims to be “fragrance-free”, we found it does have a slightly clinical smell; however, you can easily cleanse that scent off the next morning. We love how simple it is to use: just apply it with your fingers like your normal night cream, then go to sleep.

2. He-Shi Express Liquid Tan: Best for an all-over golden glow

Price when reviewed: £22 | Check price at Amazon

• Great for… easy tanning mitt application
• Not so great for… those in a hurry as you need to wait 8 hours before showering

This liquid tan is runny and stains easily, so it’s definitely not one for applying with your bare hands. However, with a little help from a tanning mitt and some moisturiser, it delivers an amazing colour. Rest assured, it’s not orange, but it’s not exactly understated either – it’s golden, just like the tan you’d imagine getting after a week sunbathing in Spain. It even has a guide colour, so you can see where and how heavily you’re applying it, and it leaves a subtle skin sheen.

Some tanners require two layers but one generous coating of this is quite enough – you should note that there’s a standard eight-hour waiting time after application. It’s the perfect tan to apply the night before your summer holiday to get a head start on everyone else.

3. Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs: Best self tan for legs

Price when reviewed: £13 | Check price at Boots

• Great for… fans of a spray applicator
• Not so great for… fuss-free application as it needs washing off with soap

Legs can be difficult to tan evenly using a liquid or a mousse, thanks to their tricky shapes and those hard-to-reach areas. This apply-at-home spray makes it a whole lot easier, coating legs in an even veil of colour – almost like spray-on tights – then washing off as needed.

There are four shades to choose from, depending on how deep you want to go with your tan, but whichever you choose will leave a natural, unsuspicious finish. Our one tip: stand in the shower or bath while you apply it, as the tanning mist tends to spread.

4. St Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse: Best all-over self tan

Price when reviewed: £32 | Check price at LookFantastic

• Great for… near-instant drying for a week-long tan
• Not so great for… natural shades, as some users say the colour is artificial

This mousse tanner is completely drip-free, so it’s hard to make a mess using it. It smells better than most other tans and dries almost instantly, without leaving a sticky feel or transferring onto clothes or bed sheets. The pump dispenser is slick – there’s no messing around waiting for the product to come out – and you only need two pumps per body area.

The guide colour is strong, but don’t be put off as we found it soon fades into an even, streak-free tan that really can’t be beaten. The best bit? It lasts for at least a week without needing a top-up.

5. Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion: Best-value gradual tanner

Price when reviewed: £6 | Check price at Boots

• Great for… a gradual tan buildup with a natural appearance and a fruity fragrance
• Not so great for… those in desperate need of a last-minute tan

Garnier has the ultimate high-street gradual tanner, thanks to its non-greasy finish and inoffensive chamomile and apricot scent. Not only does it build up a natural-looking tan, it’s a decent body cream too. So treat it as you would your usual body cream and you won’t notice any difference in your daily routine except for the subtle glow that will grow over time – and the fact that you’ll need to wash your hands after each application.

Keep up the exfoliation twice weekly and it will stay even and perfectly passable. Just remember that gradual tanning tends to be slower on bodies than faces so, if you want to build up a glow for a special event, you might need to start applying it earlier than you might think.

6. Isle of Paradise self-tanning water: Best liquid self tan

Price when reviewed: £9.47 | Check price at Amazon

• Great for… fans of hydrating spritzing bottles
• Not so great for… first-time or nervous tanners

When you think of self-tanners you might think of thick, sometimes tricky-to-apply creams, but the Isle of Paradise tanning water does away with all that stickiness. Instead, it comes in a liquid form in a bottle that has a spritzing head so, to apply, you simply spray the desired area until ‘saturated’ and then leave for four to six hours to develop.

Though this sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, the whole process is actually very risk-free, and the product includes colour-correcting ingredients to help ensure an even skin tone. It’s also available in light, medium and dark shades so that you can pick the right one for your skin tone.

How to choose the best fake tan for you

What type of fake tan should I buy?

The first thing to think about is whether you want to tan your face or body. Body tanners are usually too deep for the face, so you really need a separate product for each.

Consider how you want to apply it too. If you want to build up your glow slowly, choose a gradual tanning moisturiser which provides a gentle transition with daily hydration. If you’re looking for a one-shot treatment, you might prefer to opt for a fast-dry mousse. Or, for an instant glow, you might try a spray or a more cosmetic wash-off formula.

Whichever type you choose, always check the instructions on the packaging so that you know how much time is required for both application and results.

How much should you spend?

Most modern tanning products should cost no more than £25. Products costing over £30 tend to be either high-end brands or fresh game-changers containing new ingredients. They might even offer a whole new formulation, such as the innovative tanning facial oil that few brands have yet cottoned onto.

What other products or accessories do I need to buy?

You’ll want to use a good exfoliator before you tan, to get rid of dead skin cells that may hinder a flawless finish or make it hard to apply smoothly. And you should also apply moisturiser to dry areas, such as knees, elbows, knuckles, ankles and toes, as this will prevent the tan from building up there and looking streaky and patchy.

Mousse and liquid tanners are normally then applied with a tanning mitt, which helps to buff the tan on evenly and with very little mess.

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