I've Tried Lots of Fake Tan, But Only This One Gives Me A Glow That Looks Like I Holiday in the South of France

As someone who has been using fake tan since they were 15, I've tried a lot of self-tan, with varying levels of success. My skin—not to mention my bedsheets—has been subjected to fake tan fails, and now I'm extremely picky about the self-tan I use. In fact, I've been loyal to my trusty Isle of Paradise Tanning Water (£19) for over five years and have rarely moved on from it. However, this summer, I've decided to switch things up and return to one of the first self-tan brands I ever tried. The St. Tropez Luxe Whipped Creme Mousse (£35) is considered one of the best fake tan formulas around, and I wanted to give it a go. So, how does it fare? Scroll ahead for my honest thoughts and before and after pictures of the iconic easy-to-use fake tan below.

St. Tropez Luxe Whipped Crème Mousse Self Tan Overview

The Formula

This is a self-tanner—as opposed to an instant tan or gradual tan— which means it develops on your skin over the course of a few hours and, when washed off, leaves your skin with a glow that will typically last around a week. This one comes in a mousse texture, which feels and looks luxuriously thick yet dries quickly to a lightweight, non-sticky finish on the skin. A key benefit of this tan is that it has a guide colour, so you can see exactly where you're applying it, making it great for beginners or if you're prone to missing spots when using a clear fake tan.

Ingredients-wise, you'll find niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, echinacea and vitamin E in the formula to help hydrate the skin as you tan. As I applied it, I noticed how hydrating it was on my skin. The texture is velvety smooth to apply and melted into my skin as I buffed it in with my mitt.

Before and After

After shaving, exfoliating and lightly moisturising dry areas, I applied the tanning mousse with a mitt to protect my hands. Because the mousse is quite thick, I had to break it up in my mitt a bit before applying it to my skin. The first time I tried it, I didn't, so the mousse ended up as a big dollop on my skin and then fell straight onto my bathroom floor. A word of warning: this mousse holds its own structure, rather than a slippier foam. It has a much firmer texture.

As you can see from the middle photo above, the mousse gives you an instant deep bronze glow. Even though I thoroughly exfoliated, I did notice the tan applying unevenly and clinging to a couple of areas, so I was a little worried about how it would turn out. (In hindsight, I needn't have worried—it was fine!) I was surprised how well it dried down onto my skin. It didn't feel sticky at all. I'm not someone who braves wearing fake tan during the day, but I think you could get away with it while wearing loose clothing if you wanted to let it develop during the day. Instead, I let mine develop overnight as St. Tropez recommends letting it sit on the skin for eight hours.

Overnight, I did see some of the guide colour transfer onto my pyjamas and bedding, but to be honest, that's the drawback with most tinted self-tanners. However, it was minimal with this one. I did notice the infamous fake tan smell, but it wasn't hugely noticeable, and actually, the product smells great upon initial application.

Come morning, I showered off the guide colour and was left with a natural-looking glow, which is slightly lighter than the guide colour. On my skin tone, it left a golden honeyed tan, and I was seriously impressed with how natural it looked.

No matter how well I exfoliate and prep my skin, I often struggle around my hands and feet, but it applied so seamlessly and made my complexion look like I've just spent two weeks in the South of France. I'd say it's pretty close to the hue my skin would usually turn to naturally in the sun before I became more diligent with my SPF. I found that the fake tan smell did linger after showering, but after a day, it totally disappeared.

The Verdict

It's been about 10 years since I tried a St. Tropez tanning formula, and I'm now wondering why I ever departed from the brand in the first place. It's given me one of the best and most natural-looking colour results out of all the self-tanners I've tried. With regular moisturising, I found this faded evenly and gradually over the course of a week

My main qualms are that the guide colour does transfer onto bedding, but it's no different from other tinted fake tans out there. The scent lingers a little longer than I'd like after showering it off, but otherwise, I really can't fault it. Yes, it is more expensive than other self-tans available, but I see it as a worthwhile investment for the results. I can definitely see myself using this as part of my permanent fake tan routine now.

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