Easy Ways to Fake a Golden Glow

Personally, I'm not big on tanning. I have naturally fair skin that gets burnt in hardly any time at all, and that's during May! So in the summer I tend to layer on the SPF and cover up as much as possible. But when it comes to glamming up during the summer months, from pretty sun dresses to shorts, I do sometimes like to fake a bit of a tan. I'm not talking about anything drastic, just a bit of extra colour - especially in the form of gradual tan and bronze highlighters. Recently, I've been road testing some very summer appropriate beauty products and today I thought I'd share my thoughts on them all.

Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze Gradual Tan* | rrp £6.99

I've tried quite a few affordable gradual tanners and I think that the best ones offer a natural looking bronze shade (that's certainly not at all orange) and when they fade they do so subtly, not leaving you looking really patchy and undignified. Although I wouldn't describe Cocoa Brown's Gentle Bronze as my ideal gradual tanning product, it's probably the best one that I've tried so far. At £6.99 it does a terribly good job of giving me a natural looking bronze shade that doesn't fade really awkwardly. I would say that it gives you noticeable colour much more quickly than some gradual tans but personally I quite liked this as it means that I don't have to reach for it so often, making the product go further. I'd always recommend applying even gradual tanning products with a tanning mitt, to avoid staining your hands - there's nothing worse than orange knuckles or wrists. I found that applying it with a tanning mitt gave a really even colour without any streaks. All in all, I don't think you can do better for the money and I'd definitely like to use this again during the warmer months.

He-Shi Overnight Ageless Tanning Balm Light* | rrp £22.50

This gradual tanning balm from He-Shi is a similar product to the Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze but it's specifically designed for use on the face. I found that it gave a gradual dose of natural looking colour and it didn't break my skin out. You apply it at night and in the morning you can see a difference in the colour of your skin - it's the perfect product for using before parties or going on holiday! The colour fades incredibly naturally so you won't look weird or patchy, and when applied with a tanning mitt you can get a really even and believable finish. He-Shi is an incredibly trustworthy brand when it comes to tanning products and I wouldn't trust facial fake tanning to anyone less qualified! You might be able to cover your arms if fake tan goes wrong, but there's no hiding your face. But thankfully He-Shi have it totally covered and there won't be any fake tan disasters for me this summer.

Rimmel Good to Glow Highlighter in Soho Glow 003 | rrp £4.99

If the concept of fake tan - even gradual tan - totally isn't for you, then you should try using a bronze highlighter like Rimmel's Good to Glow in the shade Soho Glow. Last summer I used Revlon's PhotoReady Skin Lights Illuminator in Bare Light, but Soho Glow offers a very similar colour and finish for less than half the price. I apply a reasonable sized amount of the product onto my fingers and then before applying any other makeup I blend it across my entire face. Not only does it add some colour to your complexion but it also adds a radiance that will still be visible once you apply foundation. Alternatively, you can mix some of the highlighter into your foundation and apply it like that. The finished look is a slightly warmer complexion with added radiance, an attempt at faking a naturally sunkissed glow that you can wear year-round. 

What fake tanning products do you like to reach for?

Are there makeup products that you use to fake a golden glow?

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