Beauty editor Laura Mulley recently tried out this clear dark tanning water and couldn’t believe how long it lasted – and the compliments she received on her golden glow
In summer, I rely on fake tan when wearing shorts, dresses and T-shirts to give my naturally pale skin some healthy colour. I’ve got my favourites – Isle Of Paradise Glow Clear Self Tanning Mousse Medium being one – but I’m always keen to try new ones. I’m particularly drawn to finding the best clear fake tans that won’t ruin my bedsheets – and here’s one that I was super impressed with, and got me lots of compliments.
The night before attending a recent Oasis gig I applied Bare by Vogue Clear Tan Water Dark, currently down from £23 to £16.10 at Boots, from the tanning brand founded by TV personality Vogue Williams. A clear water that comes out as a foam, it feels velvety to apply, goes on smoothly and evenly, and dries quickly – and yes, unless it’s a particularly hot and sticky night, doesn’t come off onto your bedding.
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Although naturally very pale myself, I braved using the dark shade of tan as I’d tested the medium before and didn’t think the colour was strong enough. And actually, when I woke up the next morning, it still wasn’t as dark as I expected it to be – in fact, I wondered if anyone would even notice a difference.
However, maybe I was imagining it but I felt like the tan continued to develop slightly throughout the day, even after showering, and come mid-afternoon when it was time to get ready for the event, I felt confident wearing my chosen outfit of white shorts and vintage T-shirt.
And when I met up with friends, I received compliments on my colour straight away: “You look glowing!” one said. “Have you just come back from holiday?”
It wasn’t just this response that I was thrilled with, but also how well this tan lasted. Normally I get about three days of good colour before my tan starts to disappear or turn streaky, but this Bare by Vogue formula still looked good on my limbs a week later, and even pushed 10 days. Definitely one to try if you want long-lasting results.
My one negative is that it might not be dark enough for those after a very deep colour (I’d say if was more in line with my other ‘medium’ tans). If you want something ultra-dark, you might want to go for Filter by Molly-Mae Extra Dark Tanning Mousse, £22, or Cocoa Brown 1 HOUR TAN Self Tan Mousse in Extra Dark, currently £6.66.
And for when it’s time to remove any old remnants of your self tan before applying a fresh layer, our shopping writer Meghan has been really impressed by how well St Moriz Self Tan Removing Foam, £4.99, works. “You’ll notice almost immediately that colour starts running off in the water, and it is noticeably lifted from the skin,” Meghan says. “With just the water pressure, some areas were already tan-free (though I imagine this happens more if you leave the remover on for longer, as I did) – no scrubbing or exfoliating required.”