Press release

Tan-tastic Value: £8.75 Dove fake tan beats big name rivals to be crowned a Great Value buy, Which? reveals

A £8.75 Dove gradual tanner has beaten well-known and pricier brands - such as Bondi Sands, No 7 and Tanologist - to be crowned the consumer champion’s Great Value Buy for those searching for an affordable fake tan this summer
5 min read
Press Team

Which? bought ten of the top-selling instant tans and gradual tanners at UK retailers and enlisted a team of six testers with a variety of skin tones to find the best and most affordable products to fake a glow this summer. 

Each tester tried each fake tan for a week and rated them for finish at the start, midway and end of the week, ease of application, scent, whether they transferred to clothing or bedding and ease of removal. Gradual tanners were also re-applied midway through the week given their buildable formulation. 

The Dove DermaSpa Summer Revived Self Tanning Body Lotion 200ml (£8.75) was named Which?’s Great Value Buy over pricier and more well-known tanning brands. 

As a gradual tanner, the Dove DermaSpa needed to be re-applied throughout the week compared to other fake tans Which? tested but it impressed testers with its easy application and removal. 

Most of the gradual tanners tested had just one shade, so testers also appreciated being able to choose between the fair to medium and medium to dark shades of the Dove DermaSpa. 

Testers’ only gripe with the tanner was its scent - while it was not unpleasant, it was noticeably stronger than most of the other fake tans tested and lingered on the skin for some time.  

Dove beat other expensive, well-known brands, including Bondi Sands’ Self Tan Foam (£17.49), No7 Naturally Sun Kissed Gradual Body Tan (£9.95) and Tanologist’s Clear Self Tan Mousse (£15.99).

After a week of testing, adding one reapplication of the gradual tanners and with just one application of the instant tans, our testers were more happy with the look of their tan with the Dove than they were with the Bondi Sands, No7 and Tanologist. 

The finish of the No7 gradual tanning lotion also failed to impress. The colour was too subtle at the start of the week, even for our fairer testers, so regular reapplications are needed for a decent boost of colour. It also had a slight biscuity smell.

For Bondi Sands, testers’ top complaint was that it was the only fake tan where some noticed the guide colour transfer to their clothing. While this washes out of clothing, Which? would recommend not wearing anything that you are worried about staining while the guide colour develops.

The Dove gradual tanner - with reapplications during the week - also outperformed the popular St.Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse (£32) for how it looked at the end of the week, although St Tropez was higher rated by Which?’s testers overall. 

The other tans on test were Filter by Molly Mae Tanning Mousse 200ml (£21.00), Skinny Tan Self-Tanning Whip 150ml (£21.99) St Moriz Professional Tanning Mousse 200ml (£4.99), Tan-Luxe The Gradual Illuminating Tanning Lotion 250ml (£25.00) and the Vita Liberata Fabulous Gradual Tanning Lotion 200ml (£16.00).

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: 

“Our research shows you don’t need to pay over the odds for a great value and high-performing fake tan this summer. 

“Dove DermaSpa costs just £8.75 and impressed our panel of testers with its easy application and removal. Its subtle, glowy finish was just as good as other expensive brands for a fraction of the price.”

ENDS 

Notes to editors 

Research

In March 2024, Which? bought 10 of the top selling instant tans and gradual tanners at UK retailers and enlisted a team of six testers with a variety of skin tones to find the best and most affordable products to fake a glow this summer. 

Each tester tried each fake tan for a week and rated them for finish at the start, midway and end of the week, ease of application, scent, whether they transferred to clothing or bedding and ease of removal. Gradual tanners were also re-applied midway through the week given their buildable formulation. 

Full paywalled results are available here. 

Seven top tips for a successful fake tan

If you want to avoid a streaky or patchy fake tan, here are some top tips from our testers:

  1. Choose the right shade for you. If you're after the best fake tan for pale skin, our testers with fair skin found that light or light/medium formulas were the best for them. If you have fair skin with an olive undertone, as one of our testers did, these shades may be too light to notice a difference, so go for medium or dark. Those with a medium or dark skin tone should go for the dark or extra dark shades if available. 
  2. Exfoliate the day before you apply fake tan. Tan can cling to unexfoliated patches of skin, resulting in an uneven and streaky finish. If you shave or wax, this is also the time to do this. 
  3. Apply your fake tan in the morning. This gives time for the colour to develop before you wash it off in the evening. More importantly, there’s less chance of staining your bed sheets.
  4. Moisturise your knees and ankles. These are typically drier areas of the skin. Moisturising these areas just before you apply the tan will prevent it from clinging and give a more even finish.
  5. Use a tanning mitt. This will ensure that you get even coverage, that you can apply the tan over a large surface area, and that you don't end up with orange hands. 
  6. Wash your hands after application If you don’t have a tanning mitt handy, do this straight away after applying the tan. On the odd occasion, one of our testers was left with orange streaky hands that took a while to fade.
  7. Build up the tan in layers. If you’re trying gradual tan for the first time, apply a light layer and add to it gradually over the week once you can see the colour developing. This will let you gauge how often you need to reapply it.
  8. Do your feet and the backs of your hands last. Don't dispense another pump of fake tan for these areas. Just use any leftover residue on the tanning mitt for a more natural, even tan. 

About Which?

Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Our research gets to the heart of consumer issues, our advice is impartial, and our rigorous product tests lead to expert recommendations. We’re the independent consumer voice that influences politicians and lawmakers, investigates, holds businesses to account and makes change happen. As an organisation we’re not for profit and all for making consumers more powerful.

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