The Beauty Report: Tanning

Tanning is dangerous territory, and I’m not referring to the traditional method. It’s always preferable to use a good false tanning product

– we are all well aware of the long-term fallout associated with repeated sun exposure. Though faking a baking is the safer option, it’s time consuming, often smelly, and when applied badly, can leave you looking like a shaved orangutan.

I love classic Irish skin. Our paleness is not something that needs to be mitigated, and people who have naturally deeper skin tones look so good with a tan precisely because the colour their skin turns is its natural response to the sun. If you have a classic, pink-toned Irish skin, it isn’t natural for you to go golden, and it will look odd and artificial (as well as orange).

If you tend to feel like a white beacon that can be seen from space while visiting somewhere sunny, there are lots of excellent tanning products that won’t leave a dirty, artificial-looking finish. It’s always best to choose the shade that your skin would naturally go in the sun. Most Irish people don’t have the potential to turn toffee-hued, so avoid overly yellow or orange hues in tanning products, and stick to those that offer subtlety and a buildable finish.

When applying tan to the body, it’s essential to prime your canvas – any dry skin will catch the product and accentuate crispy patches, so a good exfoliation and regular moisturising will ensure that the tan will apply as smoothly as possible.

Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster (€36) is the quickest (and, thankfully, laziest) self tan I've encountered yet. Just add between four and six drops to a blob of your preferred body moisturiser and whack it on. The finish is incredibly natural and flattering. You will not find your skin's Dulux colour card suddenly transformed from conservatory cream to toasted walnut – this is a low-risk, lovely self-tanner. Just be careful to wash your hands immediately after application to avoid orangutan knuckles.

For face, a gradual tan is always safest to avoid sudden satsuma face. Lancôme Night-Sun Self-Tanning Face Cream (€30, from June) is applied nightly for seven days and you can assess where skin is at each morning. If you prefer not to bronze the face daily, this is a quick and easy option.

If the idea of a skin-staining tan frightens you, the range of bronzing make-up available is endless. Armani Maestro Fluid Sheer is now available in red, no 17 (€45 from June). "Red" sounds like something you'd want to avoid, but paler skins tend to go coppery rather than golden in the sun. A touch of this light-reflective liquid applied where the sun naturally tends to darken the face looks natural and radiant. For a subtle compact bronzer, try YSL Les Sahariennes Sun-Kissed Blur Revolution. This light, priming bronzer is available in seven shades from light to deep, so you will find the right shade for your skin.