The best gradual tan for anyone who wants that holiday glow

Finally, the best gradual tanner products for that ultimate summer vibe 🌞

Best gradual tanners

by Georgia Scott |
Updated on

Nothing beats that feeling you get when you step off the plane and the sun hits you. You finally know that you’ve arrived on holiday. But, unless you’re jetting off on a long-haul flight anytime soon, it might be a few months before you get that feeling. Although, it doesn’t mean that you can't recreate that holiday glow.

Gradual tans are the best way to help you feel like you’ve just got back from paradise – even if you haven’t. Whether you’re new to tanning or have a season pass, we’ve found the best gradual tanners to pop in your basket. OK, you don’t have to be prepared enough to have already brought your high-waisted bikinis in anticipation for your summer holiday to get involved. But if you are, we’re not even mad.

The best gradual tanners at a glance:

Editor's choice: Tan-Luxe The Gradual Illuminating Tanning Lotion, £25 on LookFantastic.

Best affordable gradual tanner: Garnier Summer Body Gradual Tan Moisturiser, £12 on LookFantastic.

Best firming gradual tanner: St. Tropez Gradual Tan Watermelon Firming Lotion, £18 on LookFantastic.

Typically a gradual tanner is in the formula of a moisturiser to make it super easy to apply to your body every day. This ensures your skin feels hydrated and your tan lasts longer without looking patchy or dry. We've done what we do best and searched the internet for the best gradual tanners from a range of price points and brands.

With products from classic brands like Dove, Tan-Luxe and Bondi Sands, you're bound to find a gradual tanner perfectly suited to maintain that summer glow all year round. Keep scrolling to shop our buyer's guide:

SHOP: The best gradual tanners

Editor's choice

Expert rating:
4.5
Tan-Luxe The Gradual Illuminating Tanning LotionTan-Luxe
Price: £18.60 (was £25)

www.lookfantastic.com

Top up your holiday tan with Tan-Luxe's The Gradual Tanning Lotion to perfect your glowing skin all year round. This dreamy formula instantly hydrates and leaves a super radiant tan within the first few hours. At Closer, we put it to the test and I always find myself going back to this tanning lotion all year round, it keeps my fair skin looking glowing and tanned.

Pros

  • Nourishing formula
  • Pleasant scent

Cons

  • Runny formula

Best affordable gradual tanner

Expert rating:
4.5

There's no surprise we're featuring this iconic tanning product in our buyer's guide. Garnier's Summer Body is guaranteed to give your skin a natural-looking tan alongside intensely moisturising your skin. We know and love Summer Body for it's natural tanning properties blended with apricot oil to maintain hydration. Many reviewers agree that this moisturiser is super easy to blend into the skin and they are pleased with the golden glow it leaves. Forget an orangey tint, reviewers rave about the natural glow it leaves.

Pros

  • Super nourishing on dry skin
  • Natural tan develops over time

Cons

  • Highly scented

Best gradual tanner for sensitive skin

Expert rating:
4.5
St. Tropez Gradual Tan Watermelon Firming LotionSt. Tropez
Price: £14.40 (was £18)

www.lookfantastic.com

If you love to be bronzed but hate the smell of fake tan, St. Tropez's Gradual Watermelon Tan will suit you perfectly. Designed to firm, tone and hydrate even sensitive skin, you will see results in as little as four hours. One reviewer said that this product is there favourite go-to tan moisturiser and it's great for layering to create a deeper looking tan. Another reviewer loved how easily it blended into the skin.

Pros

  • Lotion firms and hydrates
  • Gets to work in 4-8 hours

Cons

  • Daily use is advised for optimum results

Best tinted gradual tanner

Expert rating:
4.5
Bondi Sands Skin Perfecting Gradual LotionBondi Sands
Price: £13.99

www.boots.com

Bondi Sands gets it right when it comes to false tan and the tinted Skin Perfecting Lotion is great for those looking for a product that gets to work right away. Not only can you rely on this product for instantly evening out the skin, but the gradual lotion gets to work to reveal a gorgeous tanned shade after a couple hours of wear. One reviewer dubbed this as a "great product". They went onto say how fantastic it is and easy to use. We're sold.

Pros

  • Instant and gradual colour
  • Tinted formula perfects skin instantly

Cons

  • Strong scent

Best hydrating gradual tanner

Expert rating:
4.0
Price: £12.98 (was £25.95)

www.lookfantastic.com

Isle of Paradise is one of the go-to brands for a seamless tan and the Hyglo Body Self-Tan Serum is ideal for those with a drier skin type. The hyaluronic acid-infused formula gets to work to flood the skin with moisture and leave a natural-looking tan that develops over time. Much like a hyaluronic acid serum for your face, the lightweight formula deeply treats dry skin in a flash without feeling like you're wearing a thick moisturiser. One reviewer said it was "the most hydrating tan serum ever". With reviews like that, you'd be crazy to not try it this summer.

Pros

  • Lightweight serum texture
  • Treats any signs of dryness

Cons

  • Harder to get a more even finish

Best gradual tanner for fair skin

Expert rating:
4.0

Nivea's Gradual Tan is great for those looking for a smoother and more firm effect on their skin. This silky cream is infused with a light dose of gradual tanner to gently build a radiant glow. Not only does this cream gradually build up the tan on fair skin, but the hardworking, antiaging ingredients work to repair the skin and plump. We're obsessed.

Pros

  • Enriched with proven anti-age ingredient Coenzyme Q10
  • Offers 48-hour moisturisation

Cons

  • Some reviews say tan takes a while to develop

Best gradual tanner for all skin types

Expert rating:
4.0
Dove Visible Glow Medium to Dark Self-Tan LotionDove
Price: £3.40 (was £7)

www.boots.com

Dove knows how to care for sensitive skin and this self-tan lotion is a classic in everyone's bathroom cupboard. This lotion is infused with nourishing essential oils, blended with a sun-kissed tan to leave a radiant finish. Available in two shades, you can perfect your tan depending on your skin tone. One reviewer was pleased with the results on their fairer skin tone and said it looked just like a real tan.

Pros

  • Enriched with essential oils
  • Subtle looking tan

Cons

  • Quite scented

How to make my gradual tan last?

Nights out with streaky legs are truly behind us as we say hello to gorgeous sun-kissed skin. Here are our top tips on how to use gradual tan...

Use a mitt

This might sound simple but if you use a mitt, you’ll be able to apply the gradual tan better and it’ll leave your skin looking lush.

Don't apply every day

Before you rush to apply any gradual tan, make sure to read the instructions. Usually, you’ll only need to apply this once a week to achieve that holiday glow.

Moisturiser is your best friend

If you don’t already, make sure to use a moisturiser when you have your tan on. This will help you to remain bronzed for longer - yas!

Tan the right bits

Before you whack some regular tan on, double check it's suitable for use all over your body. Most gradual tan is suitable for the body, but you'll probably need to buy a separate one to match your face.

Now you're clued up on the best gradual tanning tips, make sure to snap up your favourite gradual tanner.

Georgia Scott is a Beauty & Fashion Product Writer for Bauer Media, writing for Grazia, Closer and heat. Georgia specialises in beauty writing and spends her days hunting for the latest trending beauty products to get her hands on and review.

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