I’d used the same fake tan for years, then I tried 3 express formulas over the summer that totally converted me

I have been in a long-term, committed relationship with the Tan Luxe Express Mousse since it launched in March 2023.

It is everything you could want in a fake tan – easy to apply without drips, pretty foolproof even if your application is a bit slapdash, and develops quickly, so you don’t have to worry about sleeping in your tan or staining your sheets.

The formula is also clear, so you don’t get any of the patchiness that can come with using a fake tan with a guide colour. I’ve waxed lyrical about all the reasons why I think it’s the best fake tan for pale skin in my Tan Luxe Express Mousse review.

This summer, shock horror, I ran out – and I didn’t have time to order a new bottle of my best fake tan before I needed to apply it again. So, instead of accepting my fate as a naturally pasty woman, I reached for the bottle of St Tropez Express Dark Whipped Mousse I’d been hoarding for this kind of tan-based emergency.

I have been an avid weekly tanner for the last decade, so I know how to tan like a pro and have my timings for an express formula down: 15 minutes for hands before rinsing with water (no soap) and between 35 and 45 minutes for the rest of me, depending on how dark I want to go. It’s just enough for what I call a ‘taking the edge off tan’ that lasts all week, rather than ending up tangoed.

I gave the new St Tropez a whirl, and after just 35 minutes of wear and four hours of development time, I looked like I’d just landed back from two weeks in the Maldives. It was my first fake tan fling of the summer, and my head was well and truly turned.

No longer fully wedded to my beloved Tan Luxe, it seemed like a good opportunity to give a couple of other tans a chance. I tried two more this summer, and I’ve pretty much finished both bottles. Holiday romances or new, long-term contenders for the top spot in my bathroom cabinet? Let me walk you through the formulas…

Self Glow by James Read Sun Drenched Express Tan Mousse

Everything James Read touches quite literally turns to gold. With more than 20 years of experience bronzing the likes of Sienna Miller and Geri Halliwell-Horner, he knows what makes a really brilliant tanning product.

He relaunched his own tanning line, now called Self Glow by James Read, in 2024, with a defining USP that all of his products are formulated with skincare benefits. Joining the line-up, The Sun Drenched Express Tanning Mousse launched this summer with what I would say is a disproportionately low amount of noise for how good this product is.

It is red-toned, a decision Read has made to make his formulas suitable for all skin tones, and it gives my normally quite sallow skin the biggest lease of life. With a warm fake tan undertone, it’s no longer quite so glaringly obvious that my toddler didn’t sleep at night until she was two.

As with most express fake tans, the guidance is to leave it on for between one and three hours, depending on how deep you want your glow to be. It is on the fairer side compared to others on this list, so even I will stretch my usual strict 45-minute limit to an hour.

The guide colour makes it easy to apply without missing any spots, and it’s lovely and light, which has been really welcome during the heatwaves. Even if it’s only for an hour, I don’t want to feel too sticky when I’m marinating. It’s not designed for the face, but I’m too lazy for a separate product and have been using it with a brush, as it’s airy enough not to sit in my pores or trigger breakouts.

The colour lasts for a good five days, and fades without streaking. If you’re someone who normally only uses gradual tan and is thinking about upping the ante to hold onto your glow through winter, this is the perfect place to start.

Loving Tan 2 HR Express Mousse

I have heard so many brilliant things about this tan over the years, but kept being too nervous to stray from what I knew. After seeing yet another influencer raving about how amazing it was, it felt silly not to give it a try for myself. It’s good – really good. It comes in three shades: medium, dark and ultra dark, so I went with medium, which felt like a sensible move for my pale complexion.

A word of warning – the guide colour is quite intense. My husband was genuinely quite startled when I first emerged from the bathroom with the guide tint still on, but the actual, post-shower finish is much more subtle.

The thing I loved most about this is how natural the finish is. It doesn’t have quite as much of a red undertone as the Self Glow by James Read Tan, but it is the closest to the colour I’d normally tan to.

There are none of the giveaways you usually get with fake tan (dark elbows, grubby-looking knees) just a gentle and entirely convincing veil of colour. The staying power isn’t the best, and it is noticeably lighter by the time you’ve showered the next day. I think to make it last a week, you would maybe need to leave it on for the full two hours or choose the darker option.

It works well on the face too, but I have been taking the time to use the dedicated 2 Hour Express Face Tanning Serum instead, which definitely leaves my skin softer and smoother. If you’re someone who’s worried about making a mistake with your tan, give this a try, as you really can’t go wrong.

St Tropez Express Dark Whipped Mousse

As I’ve already said, this was the tan that first turned my head this summer. I have loved St Tropez tans for as long as I can remember, but the idea of a dark mousse did initially make me nervous about looking like an extra from TOWIE. It’s worth noting here that dark refers to how deep the colour of the tan is, not the natural tone of your skin.

I left it on for 35 minutes, and ended up looking like I’d been on holiday overnight. There is something truly transformative about having a tan this deep. I don’t love getting my legs out, so I’ve reached for this every time I’ve worn shorts this summer, as it does an amazing job of blurring all those little imperfections like veins and shaving nicks, as well as somehow making my thighs look more toned. Unlike the other two, it has a green undertone which works well to neutralise any redness in the skin.

The only gripe I have with this otherwise fantastic tan is that the mousse can be a bit spluttery. My cream carpet and I learnt that the hard way – good job I haven’t replaced them since we moved in.

The texture of the mousse is silky and spreads like a dream, but you do have to move quite fast as it dries quickly. I always work in sections (legs, feet, torso, tummy, back, arms, face, hands), which gives you just enough time on each.

The fade can be a bit patchy, but you get a good five days before it’s time for a big exfoliate. It’s enough for a golden tan for a weekend away, which is the most you ever really need.