'This confidence-boosting St Tropez self-tan transformed my pale winter skin'

Boasting a rich and hydrating formula, this luxe St Tropez self-tan serum is the answer to unlocking a subtle bronzed glow without having to leave the house – and it now has a huge 60% off.

Winter has stolen every inch of sun from my skin, leaving me with a ghostly complexion. So it's no surprise that I've turned to the best self tan as a result – more specifically, the best fake tan for pale skin. Luckily, I've found just the product to revive my golden glow and make it appear as though I've just landed from a week-long beach holiday.

St Tropez's Tan Luxe Body Serum boasts a luxuriously nourishing formula that delivers a subtle sun-kissed glow. Not only has it earned a podium spot in our guide to the best fake tan for mature skin, it's also secured a top place in my very own self-tan arsenal. Plus, it currently has an impressive 60% discount, which is incredibly rare for a St Tropez product (trust me; I'm a professional beauty shopper for a living).

Get 60% off now

St Tropez Luxe Body Serum: was £35 now £13.90 at Amazon

You can now save a huge 30% on the St Tropez Luxe Body Serum, meaning you can snap up a bottle with more than £20 off the usual retail price. We've never seen a self-tan deal this good!

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The St Tropez self-tan I'm relying on for a subtle glow this winter

I must admit, I declare myself as a fake tan aficionado. If you spoke to me five years ago, I had my weekly self-tanning routine down to a tee. While I may have swapped my trusty tanning foams for one of the best gradual tans in recent years, I still have the ability to scout out a quality self-tan when I see one. That said, this innovative self-tan serum perfectly sits somewhere between the two and delivers an effortless natural glow every single time.

Boasting a luxuriously silky formula that effortlessly glides on the skin, I immediately notice how nourishing this tanning serum feels on the skin after application. Although it doesn't have a guide colour, its glossy finish easily allows you to see where you have applied the product, ensuring you're not left with a streaky tan.

Unlike other self tans I've tried, from the best instant tan to gradual buys, this serum quickly absorbs into the skin, allowing for comfortable wear as it develops – so much so that I'm able to sleep with it on without any qualms. For those not wishing to wear self tan overnight, you'll be pleased to know that it also doesn't have that sticky-to-touch feeling, meaning it's dry enough to put clothes on just a few minutes after application.

Arguably the most important factor, the results reveal a subtle healthy glow that remains incredibly natural-looking. As you can see in my testing picture, I applied one coat of the tan to my left leg and not my right to see an accurate before-and-after comparison. My left leg has a natural glow to it and looks more hydrated, with noticeably less redness and discolouration. Another tip for knowing how to fake tan successfully with this product: you can also tailor your results by applying further coats of the product for a deeper tan.

How to apply St Tropez Body Serum

Though this product it boasts a moisturising formula, it's still recommended you prep your skin before fake tan application, such as exfoliating and moisturising. Once you've allowed one of the best-smelling body lotions to absorb into your skin, apply a few pumps of the serum onto a double-sided tanning mitt (my favourite is the Bondi Sands Double-Sided Self-Tanning Mitt) before sweeping the product onto your skin in circular motions.

Like many other self tans, I would recommend lightly applying the leftover product on your mitt on your elbows, ankles and knees to avoid the tan clinging to drier areas – one of the most common at-home tanning mistakes. (With any self tanner it's always worth wising up on how to remove fake tan, just to be on the safe side!)

St Tropez recommends leaving this formula on for 4–8 hours to work its magic, although you can get dressed after it has taken a few minutes to dry down – with no transferring or rinsing needed.