My Top 3 Fake Tans

Ok so it's on everybody's shopping list at the moment, fake tan! I am naturally very fair and blonde but lucky enough to go brown in the sun (after the initial burn). However during the winter i resemble casper in the see through skin club. So for my early summer outings i need a good fake tan that prevents the dreaded 'corn beef legs'...when you go out in the sun wearing a premature summer get up only to get cold legs with skin tone resembling a tinned meat.

Introducing Xen-Tan Dark Lotion Absolute LUXE. It's awesome enough said. I'm not going to rabbit on about undertones and olive shades and all that bumf. I am pale and it looks perfectly natural on me. I took a gamble and went for the ultra dark. This was risky as the name suggests and also because it is quite pricey. However buying it on Amazon is about £15 cheaper than on the high street.

My only vital tip is when applying use a mitt! the first time I didn't and it was like spreading PVA glue into my skin and I ended up using more product than needed. A little goes a long way and it lasts and fades really well. I use this on my face as well and feel a lot more comfortable going without make up when I have!

My second favourite would be Fake Bake Original. This is cheaper and i think the best colour on me. However the single reason it is not number one before Xen-Tan is because it has that hateful fake tan smell. Not as bad as some of the cheap ones but still enough to feel like a wee soaked buscuit. However if you aren't going out the next day and lounging around, opt for this. It lasts so well and literally is impossible to make streaky!

If you are more patient than myself and maybe a little apprehensive about changing race over night then the gradual tan of choice would be St. Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan. It's a great colour and actually very moisturising.

As I'm sure you all know its best to exfoliate before using fake tan, and put a thin layer of body lotion over knees, elbows, hands and feet (did anybody else read that to the tune of 'heads, shoulders, knees and toes'?) to prevent nasty orange stains.

On another note...


Cue humourous tanning mitt photo. So after I finished tanning myself into Grecian Goddess status I rinsed my mitt under warm water (as any normal human would do). It is made of sponge so naturally I squeezed it to get the water out...and this happened.

My mitt did an impression of a Sharpay. It is now going in the bin and I am off to buy a new one. Total balls up.

Happy bronzing my pasty pals, Barrel