With summer finally on the horizon, I plan, as ever, to stay slathered in sunscreen and avoid sun damage at all costs. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still want a lovely bronzed glow – albeit from a bottle.
I’ve been applying fake tan for the better part of 20 years, but only recently do I feel I might have finally cracked the code to a perfect application. Not the polite, natural glow I normally go for, but a reasonably deep, ultra-even bronze, with no tell-tale streaky hands or ankles.
Before we get to the application itself, we first need to prepare the skin. Sloughing away dead skin cells and hydrating your skin gives you the best possible chance of a flawless result. There is some elbow grease involved in this step, but it’s worth it for the difference a proper prep makes.
First up: a good body scrub or tan remover is essential. I’ve tried many over the years, but nothing has come close to Rose & Caramel Purity Excel Tan Remover (€35.99 from millies.ie). It’s reasonably good value too, considering the tub contains over 440ml of product.
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Apply generously to dry skin, leave it to work for about 60 seconds, then hop in the shower and gently exfoliate using a body mitt or similar. You can literally see the dead skin cells and existing fake tan (if you’re wearing any) go down the drain, with no irritation or dryness afterwards.
After exfoliating, move on to hair removal if required, before slathering the skin in a rich body moisturiser. My current favourite is Sculpted by Aimee HydraBody Moisturising Cream (€26 from Sculpted by Aimee). I also love Nécessaire The Body Serum (€55 from Space NK).
For best results, do all of this the night before applying tan. If at all possible, do not apply tan straight after showering and exfoliating. If you can’t wait until the next day, wait at least three hours after prepping your skin. This gives your pores time to settle, which means a smoother, more even application and far less chance of those dreaded strawberry legs.
Now, on to the tan. The one I reach for most at the moment is Poco Beauty Skincare Infused Tanning Mousse (€28 from Poco Beauty). I also like St Tropez Self Tan Express Mousse (€44.99 from Boots) and Dripping Gold Luxury Tanning Serum (€24 from SOSU Cosmetics). Grab your mitt and – this is important – pump out more product than you think you need.
Instead of a light sweep of product across each area, you want at least two to three pumps per section of the body. Two to three pumps for the chest and neck, two to three for each arm, two to three for each leg and so on. If you’ve been dealing with streaky or uneven tan for years, it’s possible you simply haven’t been applying enough.
Leave your hands and feet until the very end and do not apply tan directly to these areas. Hands and feet are where fake tan usually gives itself away, so a slightly different approach is required. I usually mix a pump of tan with a small amount of moisturiser, then apply it with a dense buffing brush. It creates a softer, more natural finish.
Once this is done, wait about 15 minutes for the tan to dry, then apply a second layer. I know this may sound like a lot, but trust me – this makes a huge difference to the depth and evenness of your tan.
The next morning, rinse off the guide colour and you’ll be left with (fingers crossed) an exceptionally even, convincing tan – all done in the comfort of your own home.
Once the tan is on, maintenance determines how long it lasts. It’s important to moisturise like it’s your full-time job for the next few days. After that, if you like, switch to using a gradual tan moisturiser every other day alongside your usual body moisturiser. This is the key to stretching your glow for as long as possible. I love Poco Beauty Gradual Tanning Moisturiser (€25 from Poco Beauty) for this, and Tan-Luxe The Gradual (€32 from Space NK).
A week to 10 days later, or longer if you’re lucky, you can rinse, repeat and start all over again.
This week I’m going to… Future Beauty & Health Show 2026
Ireland’s biggest beauty, health and aesthetics show is back at the RDS this Saturday and Sunday, March 21st and 22nd. Running alongside it this year are the Future Fertility Show and Future Men’s Health Show. Across the two days, attendees will hear from more than 120 expert speakers on seven live stages, and take part in panel talks and workshops. There will be mini consultations and goody bags, too. One ticket gives access to all three events. See futurebeautyshow.com
