There’s no age limit on loving a deep bronze tan, but what we want from our beauty products can change over time. Sometimes a little warmth on the face or a soft golden colour on the legs is all we’re after, particularly when the warmer weather arrives and the summer clothes come out.
If that sounds more like you, gradual tanning products are worth a place on the bathroom shelf. They allow you to build colour over several applications, giving you time to decide when you’ve reached a shade you like. You can then ease back on the tanning and maintain the result.
The appeal is as much about the routine as the colour. A body lotion or facial serum can fit into the skincare you already do, without making tanning a whole evening’s project. This week’s Beauty Shelf includes options for that subtle glow, plus an express mousse for those who prefer a more noticeable bronze.
If you prefer a body oil to a cream, Palmer’s offers a gradual tanning option with cocoa butter and a creamy cocoa scent. The quick-drying formula is designed for face and body, combining moisturising care with colour that builds with repeated use.
Its appeal for a softer tan is the flexibility: allow the first application to develop before deciding whether you want more colour. There’s no need to keep building simply because the bottle says you can. At $20 for 250ml, it’s also an accessible option for those wanting to try an oil formula.
For those who want a little warmth on the face, neck and décolletage, ST.SAJ’s serum combines tanning ingredients with glycerin, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera.
The colour develops over six to eight hours, making an evening application an option if you prefer to let it work overnight. It’s a leave-on serum, so there’s no separate rinse-off step, and the brand recommends following with your remaining skincare and moisturiser.
Use it to build towards your preferred shade, then reduce the frequency to maintain it. The attraction here is having a facial tanning product that keeps hydration part of the routine.
A lightweight tanning water offers another way to add colour to the face. Eco Tan’s formula contains aloe vera, glycerin and hyaluronic acid, and is made for the face, neck and décolletage.
The brand recommends applying it with your fingers to freshly cleansed, dry skin, using around a teaspoon, and using it two to three times a week to maintain your glow.
For anyone who wants a little colour on days when they’re wearing less makeup, this is an option to consider. Take care to blend around the hairline and down the neck, and wash your hands after application.
This is the express option in the line-up, rather than an everyday gradual tanning lotion. It suits those who prefer a more noticeable result or want to tan ahead of an occasion.
Eco Tan recommends applying it evenly to clean, dry skin with a tanning mitt and leaving it on for at least an hour before showering. Longer development gives a deeper colour, so follow the directions and choose your timing with the result you want in mind.
The appeal here is the mousse format and quicker development. If you love a more bronzed look, this gives you an alternative to the gradual lotions elsewhere on the shelf.
Dove’s Summer Glow is a straightforward choice for anyone who likes the familiarity of a body lotion. Designed for fair to medium skin tones, it moisturises while gradually building a golden colour with regular use.
Massage it evenly over clean, dry skin, allow it to absorb before dressing and wash your hands afterwards. Once you’re happy with the depth of colour, adjust how often you apply it.
At $13.99 for a 400ml bottle, this is the most economical option in this week’s selection and a sensible starting point if you’re after a subtle body tan.
MCoBeauty’s Gradual Tan rounds out the selection for readers who prefer to build their colour over time. At $23.99 for 200ml, it sits between the budget body options and the facial tanning products featured here.
As with any new gradual tanner, follow the pack directions and let the colour fully develop before deciding on another application. Finding the right frequency for your skin and preferred shade is more useful than aiming for the darkest possible result.
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