Faking it. (On a budget)

We've all faked it, and if you told me you hadn't, I'd call you a liar.
We're so unprepared for sun here in England. As soon as the slightest bit of sun peeps out from behind the clouds, everyone's in shorts and t-shirts and families are heading down to the beach. It's so unexpected when we get some  nice weather, that suddenly everyone's running to Boots to pick up some fake tan so that we can get our pins out without looking like some kind of extra terrestrial.

A good, lasting fake tan can be expensive, and I agree, you shouldn't skimp on a good tan, lest you end up looking tangoed. But there are some brilliant budget fake tans you can buy, just to tide you over until your bank account feels a bit more healthy.

Old packaging of moisturiser shown.

Before I left Bristol, I popped in to their huge Primark and discovered that they were selling Sunkissed Bronze Tanning Mousse for a fiver, so I picked it up in Medium Bronze and headed home to test it out, to the outrage of my little cousin,  who has more sense than she needs and said 'You're trusting Primark with your fake tan?'

But I was astounded with it. It comes out in a mousse, and if using a tanning mit spreads evenly and quickly over the skin. Fast drying, it comes with a fresh tropical scent, reminiscent of Pina Colada's on the beach. It's so easy, it took me two minutes to do a full body application. The colour is great too, the medium bronze worked even for my fair skin, it's not orange at all and slightly ruddy in colour, as if you've been out in the sun just a little too long.

Admittedly, it's a wash off one, but it does leave a slightly golden stain, so you don't go back milky white straight away.

My other product which I love for faking a golden glowing tan is Avon's Skin So Soft Golden Gems Moisturiser - long name. It's a super light moisturiser with tiny golden luminescent particles which catch the light, great for the legs, across collar bones and arms. I like to put this on first and then Primark's tanning mousse over the top for a really sheer, healthy glow.

Sunkissed Bronze Tanning Mousse RRP £4.99/200ml here, or in Primark stores.
Avon Skin So Soft Mineral Gems Glamorous Gold Moisturiser RRP £2.70/250ml - link.