Gradual tan

[2025mustbebetter]

My daughter has prom coming up at the end of June. She usually tans really well but unfortunately as she sails she ends up with really strong tan lines! To avoid that she's going to cover up but she doesn't want to be pale. Ideally looking for a summer glow effect.

None of us or anyone we know has ever faked tan so thinking a gradual tan moisturiser?

Recommendations please!

Requirements are: smells ok, can be used daily and won't just immediately disappear, doesn't require perfect application to work, must actually be a visible difference!

Bondi sands gradual tan and last time I looked on Amazon was reasonably priced for a decent sized bottle xx

I've been using the Dove gradual tan moisturiser. I started with the light to medium, which ended in a lovely colour with no streaks, and faded evenly. There's a slight smell when you first apply but smell is gone after a few hours. I recently tried the medium to dark, and it's a much better colour, but I have noticed some streaky patches on the inside of my wrists. Everywhere else is nice and even, it must just be from washing my hands regularly that's cause it to do that. I'm not usually a fake tanner. In fact I've never used it, just the moisturisers which are very easy to use.

Another Dove fan, not posh but it works and I have very fair skin

The Dove one was very patchy for me. Nothing ‘gradual’ about it but everyone seems to rate it. I’d personally go with a good one - Bondi or St Tropez.

I mix tan drops in with my usual moisturiser, no weird smell and I get a nice light colour.

I’ve never found a gradual tan that doesn’t streak (except for La Roche Possay which was discontinued) but I’m totally a convert to Bondi Sands mousse. If she puts that on (with mitt) the evening before, then showers about three hours later, she’ll wake up with a lovely glow.

Maybe practise first though!

I use the Dove one but I do find that the light-medium is very subtle, I'm very fair but don't notice a difference with even a couple of applications. The medium-dark is better but you have to be more careful rubbing it on and on any drier areas like feet and ankles. It smells awful though. It starts out quite a subtle fruity scent (and is advertised as such) but quickly turns into the usual fake tan smell.

Definitely Dove tanning moisturiser. I was amazed how quick and how good it was when my daughter used it last week.

I use the Garnier gradual tan. Smells lovely too

I didn't think Dove was very good. St Tropez do a gradual tan that I find very good, and doesn't streak

Contrary to the way they describe the products, you still have to rub gradual tan in forever like crazy and go over and over to ensure you don’t streak. If you just slap it on like moisturiser you will end up a streaky mess. And you have to wash your hands thoroughly after application or you’ll end up with orange hands.

I don’t get the point of it really. I guess one benefit is it’s usually colourless so you could apply it in the morning and as long as you don’t get wet in the first hour or two you will get a tan.

I use it to moisturise when I have a self tanner tan to keep it topped up.

I've got the superdrug vitamin E one. I think the texture and smell are slightly better than Dove. It needs a few applications to build up.

Thanks everyone, we've got nearly 2 months so will probably get a few to try.

I like Gatineau Golden Glow gradual tanner. Nice colour, easy to apply and doesn’t smell awful.