Bali Body Gradual Tanning Butter review: How dark does it develop and does it stain sheets?

Hate the feeling of sticky fake tans that leave your sheets orange and your skin smelling of biscuits? Bali Body’s Gradual Tanning Butter is your new summer saviour

As someone who’s basically see-through come winter and still ghostly pale by the time summer rolls around, I’ve always been envious of those effortlessly bronzed people who seem to glow the moment the sun hits them. Sadly, my skin doesn’t really tan these days – it just freckles. So when I booked a tropical holiday this year, I knew I needed something to give me a bit of healthy colour.

The problem is, fake tan and I have a complicated history. I’ve tried a few that left me streaky, orange or smelling like biscuits. I also loathe tans that feel sticky to sleep in and transfer onto sheets. But I’d heard rave reviews about Bali Body’s Gradual Tanning Butter (£27), a moisturiser-tanning hybrid promising hydrated, buttery-soft skin with a buildable golden glow. It sounded like a dream for someone like me – a fake tan avoider with zero patience for high-maintenance beauty routines. I packed a tub in my suitcase and crossed my fingers.

After using it religiously every evening on holiday (and still going strong now that I’m back), here’s what I honestly thought…

The Bali Body Gradual Tanning Butter pros:

• It smells so much better than your average fake tan. There’s none of that telltale biscuity scent – just a subtle, creamy smell that fades quickly.
• Super hydrating. With ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin E and shea butter, it genuinely feels like a luxe body lotion. My skin drank it up, especially after sun exposure.
• Beginner-friendly. The low-level tanning actives mean you can’t really mess it up. No streaks, no orange patches – just a very believable glow.
• Gold shimmer = instant gratification. Even though the tan develops over 6–8 hours, the formula has a touch of gold shimmer, so your skin looks luminous straight away. I applied it mostly before going to dinner, and right after a shower, and my skin looked great.
• Quick to dry. No sticky feeling. I could throw on my pyjamas within five minutes of applying it.
• Minimal transfer. I didn’t wake up to brown sheets, and I was using white hotel towels without worry.

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The cons:

• It’ll be a subtle colour for those who like deep tans. If you’re looking for a super dark tan overnight, this isn’t it. But for a soft, buildable bronze, it’s spot on. Also, if your skin tone is medium to dark, you might find you benefit more from the hydrating ingredients and shimmer rather than the tan itself.
• You need to keep using it. The colour fades after a few days if you stop applying, so it’s more of a “little and often” situation.
• The shimmer might not be for everyone. I loved it, but if you prefer a matte finish, it’s worth noting.

All in all, Bali Body’s Gradual Tanning Butter turned out to be the secret weapon I didn’t know I needed. It gave my pale skin a gorgeous, sun-kissed glow without any of the usual fake tan drama. I felt confident in my bikini, didn’t have to worry about patchiness, and my skin stayed soft and hydrated the whole trip.

For £26.95, it’s a bit of a multitasking miracle – part moisturiser, part glow-up in a tub. Would I repurchase? Absolutely. However, if you were to ask me whether there’s a tan out there that develops a little darker but still doesn’t transfer onto sheets or feel sticky, I’d send you to Tan-Luxe’s Hydra-Mousse Hydrating Self Tan Mousse. It’s a bit of a splurge at £36, but it’s probably the only mousse I don’t dread using.

If you want to read about the best clear fake tans according to our fashion and beauty team, you can our before and afters here.