15 best fake tans for a golden glow all year round

Even after testing around 40 tans for this round-up (no, we’re not exaggerating) we always come back to St Tropez, as its formulas remain unbeatable, despite fierce competition. While there are some budget formulas that do the job well, sometimes you simply get what you pay for, and this is certainly the case with St. Tropez’s recently reformulated gradual tanning lotion.

As avid tanners, we usually plump for an instant mousse for our glow, as we look for immediate pay-off and a deep colour. But this gradual lotion provides the best of both worlds: it’s tinted, so has a guide colour and instant colour pay-off, but it also develops for days after you apply it, giving you brilliant longevity.

The star of the show. though, is the natural colour and the ease of application: we could honestly apply this lightweight, gel-like lotion with our eyes closed. It buffs into the skin effortlessly and dries down near-instantly, leaving the skin feeling supple and hydrated with a deep yet natural-looking glow.

Our notoriously dry skin felt nourished thanks to ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and marine algae, plus the subtle shimmer that runs through the lotion adds the perfect summer-ready radiance to the skin (don’t worry, it’s not overly glittery). Instead of clinging to dry areas or going patchy after a few days, this tan fades beautifully too. Plus, it doesn’t transfer onto your bedsheets either.

This is hands down the most authentic fake tan colour we’ve found – we’ve had colleagues say that it looks as though we’ve just been abroad, it’s that good. This is the perfect all-rounder for both beginners and seasoned tanning pros. We just wish it came in an even bigger bottle.

Isle of Paradise has become a powerhouse tanning brand with innovative formulas, inclusive advertising campaigns and sustainable initiatives. This mousse contains colour correcting actives and a violet base which evens out your skin tone and gives a deep coloured tan without any orange in sight. It glided on smoothly and didn’t cling to dry areas – this is thanks to the inclusion of coconut oil which acts as a moisturiser without compromising on the tan’s colour.

A lot of ultra-dark tanning shades can come up ashy so we were sceptical of the purple undertone in this formula, but it develops into the most natural-looking tan we tried; giving us a deep-looking glow while still looking golden. This smells fresh and coconut-y and develops in four to six hours, but also stays perfect for around five days after applying. It dried within minutes and left no sticky residue.

Our only bugbear was that it was hard to tell what colour the tan would develop to after the initial application – it does go a lot darker so we wouldn’t recommend a double layer. The brand also sells refill pouches in a bid to cut down on plastic waste.

The Love Islander’s tanning brand broke the internet when it first launched, and for good reason. It’s quite a wet-feeling mousse on first application, but the soothing ingredients such as aloe and antioxidant-rich green tea make for a hydrating formula that blends easily and feels nourishing on the skin. The brand claims that the tan delivers an illuminating glow and we’d have to agree as it left our skin looking moisturised without feeling sticky or heavy.

The dark shade is a deep golden colour that isn’t at all ashy, but we’d say it’s closer to a medium colour, so go for the ultra-dark shade if you’re looking for something deeper. The sweet, fruity scent is fresh without being overpowering and the buildable formula dries down within 10 minutes without clinging to any dry areas. We love the minimalist packaging too. A real staple in our tanning arsenal.

There are two main issues when it comes to gradual tanners: they tend to have that tell-tale orange hue and they can be difficult to layer. Bali Body’s moisturiser defies these issues, with a deep bronze hue that looks more natural than any mousse formula. If you’re an avid tanner, this is a great option for topping up your tan in-between Fake Tan Thursdays (yes, they are a thing) as it hydrates the skin while giving an even glow that makes you look like you’ve just come back from the Bahamas.

Infused with nourishing coconut oil and cocoa butter, as well as coffee seed extract that helps to firm the skin, the subtly-scented lotion absorbs quickly and just feels like any other body moisturiser, and can be used as such, unlike other gradual tanners that turn you into an Oompa Loompa if you use them every day. Our only issue is that the tube runs out quickly if you are using it that often, we’d love to see a jumbo version and a wide range of shades.

We usually steer clear of lotion formulas as they have a reputation for being far streakier than their mousse counterparts. But this offering from beauty blogger Susanne Jackson’s brand has defied all of our expectations. Infused with shea butter, coconut oil and vitamin A and E, the hydrating lotion has a thick gel-like consistency that doesn’t leave any streaks at all. We actually found the product easier to control than a mousse, and the squeeze pump on the bottle makes application even simpler.

The lotion feels soothing and moisturising on the skin thanks to its nourishing ingredients – we didn’t experience any irritation and it didn’t cling to dry patches like other formulas tend to do. The dark shade delivered a gorgeous golden brown colour that is deep but still natural looking. If all that wasn’t enough, this is one of the best tans we’ve tried when it comes to longevity – rather than going patchy after a few days like other formulas, this lasts for a week, fading naturally into a subtle glow. We are fully converted to the lotion life.

Plus size model Ashley Graham has teamed up with the tanning stalwart to create a limited edition glow kit, which includes St Tropez’s new whipped tanning mousse and a tanning mitt, co-created by Graham herself. The hydrating formula is infused with hyaluronic acid, rosehip oil and vitamin E to nourish and protect the skin, and it delivers, leaving it supple and glowing.

We love the subtle floral fragrance, inspired by one of Graham’s favourite scents, and as with all of St Tropez’s products, this glides onto the skin without any streaks and delivers a natural, golden glow. It’s slightly darker than the brand’s gel formulas but still looks sun-kissed rather than orange.

If you have dry skin and struggle with traditional tanning formulas going patchy, this hydrating gel cream will be your new best friend. Dubbed as a gradual tanner, use this in replacement of your daily moisturiser for a natural golden glow. Unlike some gradual tanners that take a while to build up colour, the results are prominent the next day, imparting a natural bronze that’s perfect for summer.

The formula features green colour correcting actives to banish any orangeness and even out skin tone, and it is also infused with nourishing oils to deeply hydrate the skin. We loved the fresh scent (no biscuity smell here) and how quickly it absorbed into the skin. It builds easily too without any patchiness. If you’re a serial fake tanner, this is great to apply in between your next application.

This is the closest we’ve got to achieving a deep golden sun-kissed tan in minutes without hitting the beach. If you’re looking for a dark tan that is more on the warm side than cool-toned, we seriously recommend this. Bali Body’s tan applies effortlessly, we barely had to concentrate when putting this on as it’s easy to achieve an even, smooth coverage quickly.

The tell-tale fake tan smell is nowhere to be sniffed, and there’s no overpowering fragrance to mask it either, just a fresh cucumber scent. Infused with chamomile, coffee seed and pomegranate, this formula is nourishing and brightening, feeling hydrating upon application. It didn’t irritate our tester’s sensitive skin and we love the colour which lasts for a good five days or so. The only downside is that it does stay sticky for a while after applying but it’s totally worth the wait.

Do away with your preconceptions of St Moriz – the budget tanning brand has had a revamp, and with it comes more advanced formulas. Its latest colour correcting mousses aim to neutralise any unwanted tones to achieve an authentic-looking tan.

Each shade has a corresponding colour-correcting hue, and those shades counteract opposite tones; peach (light) brightens the skin, for example, while olive (medium) cancels redness. We were sceptical at first, but the technology does work, delivering a deep but natural-looking tan and evening skin tone in the process.

The formula blended well with minimal effort, but we did find that it can go patchy if you don’t exfoliate as it starts to fade. But as long as you moisturise daily and buff away any dead skin in the shower, you’re golden (literally).

Taking the mousse formula to new heights, this aerated foam from tanning heavyweight Bondi Sands is designed to absorb instantly into the skin. It has a strong smell, but if you like pina colada that shouldn’t be a problem, and it does live up to its claims of drying instantly, with vitamin E and jojoba adding to the hydrating, effortless feel of the formula.

What we liked most about this tan was that the colour was instant: a dark, deep brown that still had golden undertones which kept it looking natural. We also love how buildable this is as it doesn’t go patchy, so you can layer up. We found the applicator quite hard to use, the nozzle breaks easily and it’s hard to control how much product is dispersed, but with a bit of practice, it was fine. This long-lasting formula is definitely one of our favourites.

We love a gel formula, as they offer a more natural finish than a mousse and are less streaky than liquids. This express tan is easily customisable; wear for one hour for a light finish; two for a medium glow and three for a deep, dark tan. Many similar formulas claim to offer a one-hour glow but fail to deliver, but this one gives the most natural golden colour to the skin in just 60 minutes, allowing you to fake that holiday glow with ease.

The lightweight gel is non-sticky, blends effortlessly and, thanks to the hyaluronic acid in the formula, feels ultra-hydrating on the skin – particularly on drier types. We love how natural yet long-lasting the colour is and how beautifully it fades, just like a post-holiday glow would. Plus, we didn’t experience any transfer with this one. If you’re a fan of St Tropez water-based tanning gel but want something with a bit more colour-pay-off for the summer months, add this to your basket. It’s pricey but worth every penny.

We have no doubt that you’ll have seen this fake tan on your Instagram feed, and we’re pleased to say it lives up to the hype. The lightweight mousse is more watery than others we’ve tested, but it absorbs quickly and blends with minimal effort. The colour is on the warm side, but not orange. We’d recommend the light to medium shade for pale skin tones as it doesn’t have the purple undertone that some deeper tans have.

The mousse feels really kind to the skin, leaving it glowing and hydrated rather than patchy or irritated. We did find that the lightweight formula meant we had to apply a tad more product to achieve the colour and coverage we wanted, but it layers well so this wasn’t an issue. It dries down quickly too.

Another favourite from St Tropez, its water gel formula promises extra hydration for a more long-lasting, even tan. And it delivers. It’s quickly become our go-to for an effortlessly fast glow that feels more like a moisturiser than a fake tan. We’d especially recommend this for anyone with dry skin or for fake tan newbies, as its gel formula makes application totally fool-proof and instantly hydrating.

It feels soothing and cool on the skin, with the signature tropical scent that takes us straight to the beach. The colour is golden, natural and long-lasting and the formula makes this really easy to build. It does stay quite tacky on the skin for a while after applying but there was no colour transfer on our sheets and we love its hydrating properties.

This is another tan with a strong smell, but if you like cherry-flavoured sweets then you’ll love this; the scent isn’t chemical, rather fruity and fresh. Utan offers one of the most technical tanning formulas we found, with organic tanning agents that develop at different times to help all skin tones achieve an even, streak-free tan. The brand advises when to wash off based on what colour you want to achieve.

This produced one of the most instant and darkest colour payoffs of all we tried, with a deep purple undertone that still left us feeling golden rather than ashy. It does feel stickier than other tans when you first apply, but it dries within around 10 minutes and develops really nicely.

This tan had one of our favourite scents out of every formula we tested. The brand calls it a “rose marshmallow” fragrance, but we thought it smelt more like caramel or chocolate; either way, it’s divine and not too overpowering. Perhaps the most boujee ingredient to grace a fake tan formula, Doll Beauty infuses its tan with caviar extract which helps to nourish the skin.

The colour of this is on the warmer side of other tans we tried, but it isn’t at all orange, leaving a golden brown finish reminiscent of a post-holiday glow. It took a bit more time to work into the skin than other mousses we tried, but the instant colour payoff and coverage were worth it, drying quickly with no streaks. We preferred the colour of the light shade to the dark one and would suggest building this to achieve a darker tan. The colour lasts well for about a week but does need scrubbing off after.

This one is out of stock at the moment but the retailer promises it will be coming back soon.