Over 170 beauty testers helped us assess 13 new brands of instant self-tanners, which brings the total number of brands we’ve tested to 22. Testers looked at the ease of application, whether there was any patchiness or streakiness in the finish, and - crucially - the scent. I was so disappointed in this color, and I even read online that some extremely pale girls saw no color at all. Use a tan eraser: Isle of Paradise’s Over it Magic Self-Tan Eraser, for example, contains glycolic acid to exfoliate the skin and break down your tan. Another thing we didn’t like was how short-lived this tanner is, especially since it’s so expensive. Organic Pomegranate: this strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory not only boosts skin health, but benefits both cardiovascular and immune systems.

There’s a reason why self tan is often called a holiday in a bottle. After all, a good self tanner can have the effect of a week spent relaxing in the sun. In just a matter of hours your skin will be bronzed and glowing, leaving you looking instantly healthy and rested. What’s even better, is that by opting for a self tan over baking in the sun you’ll protect your skin from potential sun damage, helping to maintain plumper, more youthful looking skin. Win, win! Organic Papaya: enriched with antioxidant properties that actively slow down cellular damage and accelerate wound healing. I really don’t know where they’re getting that. This one definitely has a smell and it’s not pleasant.Over 170 testers helped us assess 13 brands of instant self-tanners. They evaluated the ease of application, the final tanning effect, whether it's patchy or streaky, and the scent. In the lab, we then use a digieye machine to take photos of self-tanned parts of the body to analyse the tan's coverage over a week. This is why I had to rank Vita Liberata Phenomenal 2-3 Week Tan Mousse so low, the color was so bad. On one side was the risk of sun beds and lasting sun damage. And on the other, the fuss of traditional fake tans. Orange, streaky and with a funny smell, they weren’t fooling anyone. Glyceryl Stearate: prolongs water loss from the skin to intensify natural hydration, leaving skin smooth and soft to the touch.

The guide helped me apply evenly so I knew where I was putting the product. The guide is a dark brown color. The after smell on this one is virtually non-existent, especially after you shower the next morning.

Vita Liberata Tinted Self Tan Mousse pumps out of a 3.38 oz bottle a dark brown, almost coffee color. Some products give an immediate tanned colour upon application – which is called a guide colour – while the long-lasting tan colour develops underneath. It’s normally a darker bronze shade and shows where the product has been applied to prevent missed patches or streakiness. The guide colour is then washed off after a few hours to reveal the final tan.

Inspired by the vital power of nature, our unique range of naturally derived self-tanning products give you the effortless, golden tan you deserve. Because it’s not just self tan. It’s self-love.We weren’t as impressed with the Vita Liberata Tinted Self Tan Mousse as we were with some of their self tanners. Organic Cucumber: cools, soothes and heals skin to renew moisture levels, reduce wrinkles and restore a brightened glow. The day after application the drier parts of my body were badly stained by the guide– even after a shower. And it was VERY difficult to get these areas evened out. We may not be able to go on holiday this summer, but you can still achieve a sun-kissed complexion with the help of a little fake tan. Faking it also helps eliminate damage from the sun’s harmful UV rays, which can cause premature skin ageing (fine lines and wrinkles) as well as skin cancer. The directions say to apply 3 times, with 24 hours between applications. So what they’re really saying is this is a gradual self tanner. But no gradual tanner lasts 2-3 weeks. Spray tans don’t even last that long!