Though I’m not a regular fake tanner, I do have my own personal hit list of formulas I’ll turn to depending on the occasion. The Isle of Paradise Gradual Self Tan is my go-to fake tan moisturiser, for example. As for the face, I’ll either opt for drops in moisturiser or something like the Bare by Vogue Face Tanning Mist.
What puts a lot of people off even the best fake tan—myself included, to be honest—is the effort that has to be put into applying fake tan well. Some of the biggest fake tan mistakes one can make are not doing proper prep, or allowing enough time to apply it well, or not taking care when letting it develop. Then there’s maintaining and/or reapplying the tan to keep the results looking even. And more personally, as someone with pale skin, it’s crucial that a formula isn’t too orange if I want it to look anything like a real tan.
In other words, my favourite tans aren’t just those that yield natural-looking warmth, but those that are easy to use and apply without much fuss or skill from me. That’s where Bare by Vogue comes in, with one of the most painless user experiences I’ve ever had in my years of beauty editor fake tan testing. Here’s why I think this mist is one of the best face tanners on the market.
But first, let’s get into some of the specs. Packaging-wise, Bare by Vogue’s Face Tanning Mist is housed in a medium-sized bottle with a spray applicator. There are four different intensities to choose from: Light, Medium, Dark and Ultra Dark, and it develops over four–eight hours (I see results around the four or five hour mark). In terms of price, we’re talking £17 for a reasonably-sized 125ml. Given that you will only apply a few sprays at a time, that investment will last a fair while.
The first time I tried this mist in Light was actually on a bit of a whim. The brand had given me a few bits to try, and I thought I’d throw on a conservative application as a trial to see how the colour developed while working from home. I was particularly pasty at the time—if I recall correctly, we were in the depths of winter—so I thought, I’ll do one full spritz to see how it goes and how well it takes the edge off. (Sometimes the lightest shade of a fake tan is still too orange to be the best fake tan for pale skin, so I am always cautious until I see the results for myself.)
Any scepticism was unfounded. One spritz warmed up my pallour just enough that my slightly healthier glow looked natural and believable, not too warm a bronze, so this is a good method when I’m at my palest. Since then, I’ll go for two or three spritzes when I want more of a noticeable glow—below is how my skin looks with no fake tan versus after one application of mist.
Lucy before using the Bare By Vogue Face Tanning Mist
(Image credit: Lucy Abbersteen)
Lucy after using the Bare By Vogue Face Tanning Mist
(Image credit: Lucy Abbersteen)
Once you’ve sprayed the trigger a few times to warm it up after first opening it, it’s as easy as moving the bottle in a fluid motion away from your face while spraying from a distance (the packaging says 15–20cm but I prefer slightly further way) and leaving it to dry. Then you can go about your day at home, apply SPF and make-up once it’s completely dry, or, if it’s the evening, do your skincare routine and go to bed and wake up with your natural-looking glow.
All in all, I think if you’re nervous about fake tan or have had a DIY disaster in the past, but are still keen to get those complexion-warming benefits, this is ideal for newbies and lazy self-tanners alike, as well as those who just want something great. Do a trial run of one or two spritzes, max, to see how your skin reacts to the tan, then you know what you’re working with for future applications. It is pretty fail-safe.