Everyone looks better with a bit of colour, but full-on fake tan can be a bit much, not to mention difficult to apply if you have ample curves. There’s nothing worse than streaky fake tan on your lumps and bumps! Luckily, the range of gradual tanning creams are much easier to apply without making mistakes. They build slowly over a few days, they don’t smell as strong as full strength offerings, and they don’t leave your towels brown. I tried a few to find a favourite…

1. Johnson’s Holiday Skin Body Lotion (Normal to Fair Skin) £4.88

The original gradual tan, Holiday Skin is still one of the best value, and I think gives some of the best results in terms of colour of the cheaper products. They’ve created various formulas, including a darker one and a gradual face tanner. Over 3 days, this gave a beautiful Summer glow without looking too fake. The stronger colour does mean slightly more attention has to be paid to how you apply it, though. The first time I used it I had a few streaks because I applied it like moisturiser, not fake tan! Make sure you apply it evenly over all your body (sparingly on knees, elbows and ankles) and wash your hands thoroughly after you’re done. Also bear in mind though this has a fresh scent, it can smell a tad fake tan-esque as the colour develops, but it won’t linger like a stronger product.

2. Dove Summer Glow Beauty Body Lotion (Fair to Medium Skin) £4.88

This is subtler and more idiot-proof, so if you want a really natural result and find it difficult to get to grips with the application of fake tan, this is definitely the one for you. As it’s Dove, the cream is a rich moisturiser which goes on beautifully, but it can remain tacky for a little while after application. I skip this on hot nights when it can feel greasy and sticky, but it’s lovely if you have dry skin. The colour builds up very gradually (you’ll need 4 – 5 days to notice anything resembling a ‘tan’ but you will ‘glow’ earlier than that) and it doesn’t smell as strongly of fake tan as the Johnson’s product. In fact, it barely smells at all. Definitely best for fairer skins, though they have formulated a darker version.

3. Piz Buin Summer Sensation Daily Body Lotion £7.99

I love Piz Buin SPF products, so it’s no surprise their gradual tanner is a winner too. It’s a bit pricier, but it mixes the good bits of the Johnson’s product (colour, quick drying feel) with the smell, texture and glow of the Dove product, so I think it’s worth it. It soaks in quickly, the colour is natural but visible after a few days, and it fades gradually. I find this is particularly good for ‘topping up’ a regular fake tan. I recently tried a spray tan for the first time and it went surprisingly streaky. A quick top-up with this and I looked a lot better!

Piz Buin got in touch to let me know this product is now discontinued, and has been replaced with the exciting-sounding Colour Dial self tanning lotion (£17.61), which allows you to choose from 5 different shades for the exact colour you want.

4. Palmer’s Natural Bronze Body Lotion £4.89

Ladies and gents, we have a winner! I can’t say any of the gradual tanners above aren’t worth a go – they all do what they say on the tin – but this one tops them all for one reason and one reason only. It smells delicious! While other products attempt to mask that fake tan smell with fresh scents, this one goes for a creme caramel chocolate scent that masks that digestive biscuit scent perfectly, leaving you smelling good enough to eat. Add to that a cocoa butter formula that moisturises well, and a colour that rivals all the others for that natural glow. The only downside is that the pump action tube quickly clogs up and turns a dirty shade of brown…but it’s a small price to pay!

5. St Tropez Everyday Body Lotion Medium to Dark £13 UPDATED!

After this story went live, the folks at St Tropez got in touch to see if I wanted to try their gradual tanner too. I’m a big fan of their products, but this is a pricey option at up to £14 a tube depending on the stockist, so I had high expectations! Luckily, it didn’t let me down. I’m incredibly fair skinned, but the medium to dark worked really well. In a day I had a glow, in two days a light tan, and in three my legs looked like I’d tanned them with regular St Tropez, but without the hassle of washing off the guide colour & coping with the smell. St Tropez products now have the swish-sounding Aromaguard™ fragrance technology…in laymans terms that just means you don’t smell like stale digestives as it develops. The colour is really natural and streak free too. I was really impressed, and would seriously consider splashing out the extra for this in the future. The only downside is it’s very thick (it’s full of aloe vera) so rubbing it in takes effort and it does remain sticky for a while. I don’t mind this, but those in a hurry may find it a hassle.