With Christmas parties coming up, we all want to look our best, and that means having a natural-looking glow – bonus points if you don’t smell like digestive biscuits afterwards.
The festive party season is in full swing. With only a few weekends left until Christmas, your diary is likely packed with work drinks, festive parties and all sorts of gatherings with loved ones – and a tan can add that extra touch of glamour to your outfits.
Given we’re now deep into winter, achieving a natural tan is somewhat of a challenge, making a bottle of the fake stuff a godsend. As a long-time user of fake tanning products, I’ve sampled a wide range of brands – some fantastic, others not so much.
Recently, I took a gamble and tried out a brand I’d never heard of before, but it turned out to be a huge hit, for one crucial reason.
The brand is Saltyface, and if you’re someone who can’t bear the smell of fake tan, then it’s definitely worth giving it a go. There’s nothing worse than slathering on a layer before bed, only to wake up with your sheets and skin reeking of digestive biscuits.
This happened to be one of the only varieties I’ve ever used where I didn’t notice an unpleasant odour in the morning. Instead, the foam itself has a clean and soapy scent, which was a refreshing change, reports the Express.
The fake tan applies clear, which is good news for your bed linen and clothes – no annoying orange streaks. According to the bottle, you can simply apply it and carry on with your day without needing to rinse it off.
However, I applied it at night and woke up with a stunning yet natural-looking glow.
How to apply
After you’ve had a good scrub in the shower and applied some moisturiser, grab your bottle of tan. Squeeze a few pumps onto a tanning mitt – an absolute must if you want to dodge those tell-tale orange hands.
Work it into your skin with circular movements, ensuring it’s fully absorbed to avoid any blotches or streaks.
For those tricky bits like hands and feet, dab a small amount onto a brush along with some moisturiser and buff it in, again making sure it’s fully rubbed in.
Personally, I’m a fan of doing this before going to bed so it has plenty of time to work its magic overnight, but this particular tan doesn’t need washing off. If you’re after a deeper glow, go ahead and add another layer, which I did, and remember to keep moisturising daily to prevent the tan from flaking off.
For that sun-kissed facial glow, the tanning water is a godsend. I spritzed this on as the final step in my night-time skincare routine, misting it over my face and gently working it into my hairline, jaw and nose, ensuring there was no noticeable build-up in the morning.
Removing fake tan can be a pain, but this one came off quite easily with an exfoliating glove, likely due to the lightness of the colour. Interestingly, that was the only thing that slightly put me off.
To achieve my perfect shade, I had to apply three layers, which took up a significant portion of the bottle. At £48, it’s not exactly a bargain, so next time I might opt for the medium/dark instead of the light/medium.
However, it’s always better to err on the side of caution – particularly if you have a few Christmas do’s lined up and want to steer clear of any tanning mishaps resulting in orange or green hues.
I’d suggest this product for anyone with very pale skin looking for a natural-looking bronzed glow for the upcoming festive period. Alternatively, if you’re like me and like a slightly more pronounced tan, I’d definitely recommend opting for the darker shade, which is what I plan to do next time.
