The exact fake tan Ryan Gosling is using to channel his inner Ken

Never at our age did we think we’d be excited about Barbie again. But, throw in Margot Robbie, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu, America Ferrera, Ryan Gosling and top it off with Greta Gerwig directing and we’ll be using our Barbie-sharp elbows to get ourselves to the front of the cinema queue.

A lot about the film has been kept under lock and key, with only a few images being released. So far we’ve seen a first glimpse of Margot Robbie as Barbie in a pink Chevrolet Corvet – no other car would’ve been acceptable. And then came Ryan Gosling as Ken.

It’s safe to say the internet went a bit wild for both, but Ken really did get people talking. There was a lot going on in the snap after all – bleach blonde hair, Calvin Kleins, a cut-off denim vest, some serious abs and an incredible golden glow.

Here at IndyBest we are somewhat fake tan connoisseurs, testing everything from the best fake tans for the body, the face, tan drops, tan mousse and almost anything else we can get our hands on. So it was only inevitable that we were going to find out exactly what self-tan got Ryan Gosling looking so much like Ken.

Spoiler alert: it’s from a brand we’re already big fans of, so it looks like we have a new product to try. And, it’s also currently on sale.

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Of course there was a tanning expert on set for the new Barbie movie, how else would the characters achieve the real doll look? And luckily Kimberley Nkosi opened up to share her tips and tricks for achieving the perfect golden glow on set.

Isle of Paradise’s self-tanning water was the product used on Ryan Gosling. When giving the lowdown on her tanning tips, Nksosi stressed that the medium shade is the one she always uses to create the perfect Ken-like glow. Although the dark tone was also used just a touch to balance under tones and ensure Gosling’s tan was picked up in harsh camera lighting.

She said: “For me, applying sunless tanner isn’t about spraying something and hoping for the best. It’s about a feeling more than a look. Plus when you work on set there’s so many things to take into consideration [as] the camera picks up every little detail and can completely change the appearance of tan, especially under the lights.”

Although we haven’t yet tried this exact tan, we are big fans of the brand in general. When reviewing the brand’s latest tanning oil, our tester said: “If you’re looking to try a new fake tan that hydrates the skin, while also providing an even, buildable and natural glow, this certainly delivers. It’s easy to apply, doesn’t give off the usual biscuity smell and didn’t transfer onto our sheets.”

Another one of our glow-obsessed testers also rated Isle of Paradise’s self-tanning mousse in dark (£11.97, Amazon.co.uk), awarding it a spot in our best fake tan round-up. “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,” they said.

The self-tanning water Gosling is wearing supposedly doesn’t transfer onto clothes or sheets either. Ingredients include chia, seed coconut and avocado oils to nourish and condition the skin for a healthy and longer-lasting glow. A “superbalance complex” has also been added to help colour correct and the medium shade includes green pigments to counteract redness too.

Nkosi also shared some top tips for achieving the perfect sunless tan including using the Isle of Paradise prep it self-tan priming spray (£10.47, Lookfantastic.com), a pH balancing water helping to extend your tan for up to three days longer than normal. She also raved about Glossier’s balm dot com mango (£10, Glossier.com) and the Dr. Hauschka lemon lemongrass vitalising body oil (£21.50, Lookfantastic.com), recommending these to keep the skin nourished, hydrated and keeping the tan for longer.

For the latest discounts on self-tan and other beauty offers, try the below links:

Looking for more beauty inspo? Take a look at our review of the best fake tans for a golden glow all year round