The Top 5
Favourite Fake Tans
Favourite Fake Tans
Fake tans have come a long way: today we expect a flawless finish, believable colour AND added skincare benefits. The good news is that brands have taken note and we're now spoilt for choice. Here are five that deliver all of the above (and more).
Best For A Professional Finish At Home: Amanda Harrington

Amanda is the go-to tanner for celebrities including Sienna Miller and Dua Lipa, who flock to her for her ability to sculpt stomachs and lengthen limbs with an ultra-believable looking tan. Her secret weapon? Buffing in tan using a huge blusher-style brush rather than a mitt, to prevent any tell-tale streaks (even on hands, the notorious tanning pitfall). Luckily for the rest of us, Harrington has launched her own eponymous range, which involves three steps to give a flawless finish: Prep, an ultra-hydrating creamy primer that contains a small amount of fake tan (plus side – you can also use it as a gradual tanner to prevent patchiness in-between full tanning sessions); Colour, the tan itself comes in three shades and two formulas, a mist for your face and mousse for the boy; and lastly Contour, her trademark huge face and body brushes, that allow you to subtly build colour without any unnatural streaks. We can’t get enough of this range – it’s fast drying, doesn’t have a strong smell and is the closest we’ve found to a salon tan at home.

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Best For Tanning Newbies: Bare by Vogue

When Vogue Williams started showing followers her tanning products the excitement was palpable, particularly since she’s renowned for always having natural looking golden limbs. It’s of little surprise then that it quickly won an army of fans, thanks to its foolproof application and reasonable price point. It comes in three shades and all are available as either a tinted mousse or cream. Plus, there’s also a brilliant Tan Eraser and Instant Tan if you happen to make any mistakes.

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Best For The Latest Tanning Innovations: James Read

Read has been a tanning pioneer for years – he was one of the first to mix some heavy hitting skincare ingredients into his beloved Sleep Mask Tan, broke ground with his powder/bronzer Tantour and pioneered tanning oils (despite oil usually being the ultimate foe of fake tans). Beloved by celebrities including Ryan Reynolds, Cara Delevingne and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, we love the glossy hydration and believable tan that his Sleep Mask products give. Watch this space to see what he comes up with next.

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Best For Those Who Tan Regularly: Isle of Paradise

Vegan, organic and cruelty free, Isle of Paradise was founded by celebrity tanner Jules Von Hep, who wanted to create a range without any of the usual problems – no tell-tale smell, no transfer onto sheets or clothing and no unnatural orange hues. The result is his range of colour correcting tanners: drops to mix into your regular moisturiser, a water mist that you spritz on and finally a clear mousse. None of them have a guide colour which might make novice tanners nervous but results are amazingly streak free. Better yet, it’s one of the only tans we’ve found with literally no fake tan smell at all.

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Best For Those Who Want To Customise Their Tan: Tan-Luxe

A light-bulb moment for Founder Marc Elrick happened when he realised clients in his hair salon had great hair and make-up but more often than not, obvious fake tan. Why shouldn’t a tan be as personalised as hair and make-up? Tan-Luxe was born after five years of research and development. Gone are colour guides (Elrick found that the stain used often breaks down tanning actives and leads to dryness, streaking and clogged pores). Instead the range of clear formulas includes skincare hybrid serums, waters, drops, mousse, gradual lotion and oil. Brilliant results and its instagram-worthy packaging have made this one of the tanning ranges of the moment.

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Shop The Article

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Bare by Vogue
Self Tan Foam

£21

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Isle of Paradise
Self-Tanning Water

£21.95

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James Read
Sleep Mask Tan Face

£25

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Featured Insider Interview
Featured Insider Interview

Amanda Harrington: Body Artist

Harrington's unique technique has made her one of the world's most in-demand tanning experts. Here we find out her golden rules for a flawless finish & the rise of her cult tanning line.
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