I hate how instant tans look on my pale skin, so tried out a new viral product that claims to suit any undertone
WHEN it comes to getting an extra glow, millions of women worldwide rely on instant tans.
But having pale skin means it's always been difficult for me to find a product that works without making me look orange, or comically tanned, à la David Dickinson.
6
6
6
So I was keen to try a new Instant Tan, after it went viral on social media.
The product comes from utan, who count Sienna Miller and Hailey Bieber among their celeb fans, and is the first-ever instant tan designed to "perfectly complement your skin's undertone".
"Blending easily and offering sheer coverage like body make-up, the airbrushing sprays dry in 60 seconds, staying resistant to sweat and water for long-lasting wear," utan say of the sprays.
"Plus, it washes off with soap, when you're ready."
I couldn't decide whether my undertone was cool or warm, so opted to get both of the sprays, as you can mix them together if you need to.
And you don't need to worry about the instant tan having that horrible biscuit-y smell associated with so many tanning products.
The utan sprays - which you can get for £17.99 in Superdrug - have a base scent of organic vanilla and tonka, perfect for fragrance layering as it helps perfume to make your scent really stand out.
So if you're a vanilla girly, it's the perfect product to enhance your sweet smell.
In fact, women online have called the smell of the Instant Tan "insane" - and I tend to agree.
They advise you to spray the product, from a distance of approximately 15cm, onto a brush or mitt, before buffing into the skin.
Can a £3 Gradual Tan Really Deliver a Sun-Kissed Glow without Streaks or Stained Sheets?
I didn't have a mitt to hand, so went with a fluffy blusher brush, and sprayed it on there before applying to my skin.
Applying the tan to my face led to a moment of panic, as it looked VERY dark compared to my ghost-like complexion.
So I definitely wouldn't advise spraying the product directly onto the skin!
But after blending it in with my brush, it started to spread more and give me the glow I was looking for.
While I had initially thought I'd have to mix the two colours together, it was actually the warm that worked best for me.
The finish of the cool ended up being too orange, and seemed to draw more attention to the fact that my bronze was fake.
How to choose the right instant tan for your skintone
YOUR undertone is the colour beneath your skin's surface, which remains the same regardless of sun exposure.
And matching your instant tan to your undertone means you'll get the most natural, flattering results.
Undertones fall into three categories, and identifying yours is simple:
Cool (blue, pink, or red) – Blue or purple veins typically indicate a cool undertone
Warm (golden, peachy, or olive) – Green or olive veins suggest a warm undertone
Neutral (a mix of both cool and warm tones) – A mix of both suggests a neutral undertone
You can then choose the Instant Tan that's right for your undertone.
Use the Cool option if you've got cool undertones, as the spray gives a bronze that may be too ashy for those who prefer a golden glow.
The Warm option is perfect if you want a natural golden glow, but may be too yellow for those who suit cooler shades.
If you've got more of a neutral undertone, you can blend both colours for a bespoke, flawless tan.
Whereas the warm spray worked perfectly - giving me a natural glow without too much of an orange base.
You have to work quickly with the sprays, as they do dry quickly, but I did manage to blend it out for even coverage.
Once I was happy with the finish, I used Avon's Prep & Set setting spray for some extra transfer protection.
Having a tan - especially on my face - is a novelty for me, and made me feel instantly more confident.
So much so that I'd even consider going out without any more make-up on.
However, you can use the instant tan as a base if you'd prefer - just remember that your usual foundation may end up looking too light.
Another thing I hate about instant tans I've tried in the past is just how hard it can be to get them off.
But I didn't need to worry about that with the utan sprays.
You can apparently remove easily with just soap and water, but I grabbed a face wipe and they worked a treat.
All in all, I'd give these sprays a four out of five - they're perfect for a quick tan if you haven't got time to let one develop, and smell absolutely divine.
But due to how easily I got the tan off, I'm not sure how well it would hold up in the rain - and that's a necessity for heading out in British weather!
I'd definitely recommend though - even for the pale queens out there - and I'll 100% be using it again.
6
6
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
11 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The 1975 at Glastonbury review – amid the irony, ego and pints of Guinness, this is a world-class band
The 1975's first Glastonbury headlining slot arrives preceded by some intriguing rumours about what's going to happen. Some fairly eye-popping figures are being bandied about regarding the cost of their set's staging – which allegedly vastly outweighs the fee the band are being paid – while one dubious online source insists Healy has shaved his head for the occasion. He hasn't (he appears onstage tonsorially intact), but clearly large sums of money have been spent somewhere along the way. What ensues isn't quite as complex as their last tour, which featured lead singer Matty Healy eating raw steak, doing push ups, climbing through a television and Prince Andrew's face appearing on a bank of television screens accompanied by the strains of Mahler's 5th Symphony. Nevertheless, there are huge video screens everywhere: not just behind the band, but above them and at either side of the stage, and indeed below the actual video screens that Glastonbury traditionally provides. The treadmill that ran across the front of the stage during their 2018 tour – there for Healy to glide around on, something he does with admirable insouciance – makes a reappearance, while, for reasons that aren't entirely clear, the rear half of a car makes an appearance stage right at one point. Healy sings from within it. The screens alternately bathe the stage in white or pink light, show Adam Curtis-esque montages of news footage, flash up lyrics as Healy sings them – a good idea in the case of Part of the Band, a song packed with authentically funny lines. But this being the 1975, never a band to miss the opportunity to make a meta point about being in a band, they also flash up critiques of Healy's lyrics – 'MINDLESS HOLLERING' – and more generally, of the 1975 themselves: 'They're essentially making robotic Huey Lewis tunes' is a particularly cutting judgement on the band's signature synth-heavy, pastel-hued 80s pop-rock-influenced sound. Later, the screens render their lyrics as meaningless gibberish by displaying what it sounds like he's singing – 'oh mah hez smell like chocolate'. And this is done immediately after Healy informs the audience that he's 'the greatest songwriter of my generation … a poet'. 'I was only joking,' he adds later, although his talent as a frontman is less open to question: there's something gripping about the way he switches from straightforward 'Glastonbury-are-you-with-us?' enthusiasm to role-playing as a raddled, tormented pop star, pint in one hand, cigarette in the other. He makes earnest pronouncements about the lasting friendships at the centre of the band and is seemingly astonished at the size of the crowd: 'Oh Jesus,' he mutters as the lights reveal its full extent, 'yeah, it's normal, it's fine'. But then, there'll be arched-eyebrow examinations of his own genius, from posing to dancing with wild enthusiasm. It's a show that's frequently strange and self-deprecating – an intriguingly different approach to the business of headlining the world's biggest music festival – although it runs the risk of the actual music they make getting lost somewhere amid the visual bombardment and commentary. Happily, their set also functions as a reminder that behind all the irony, the 1975 are impressively skilled at the prosaic business of writing songs. If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know) or She's American have pop-facing melodies strong enough to shine through. The one point where the staging seems to overwhelm the show itself is during a lengthy interlude when the band vanish from the stage entirely and the message 'Matty is changing his trousers' flashes on to the screen. It's a very risky move indeed at a festival where there's always something else you could be watching: a minor exodus duly takes place in the audience. But when they return they start rolling out the big hits: It's Not Living (If It's Not With You), Sex, Love It If We Made It's dense parade of millennial angst, the gleaming pop of The Sound. It ends with About You's appropriately epic balladry, and the members of the 1975 embracing each other, apparently genuinely emotional: a straightforward conclusion to a bold, experimental, occasionally confounding, but ultimately hugely impressive performance.
The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
Victoria Beckham teases David after husband returns from surgery
Victoria Beckham shared an Instagram video teasing her husband David Beckham following his recent wrist surgery. The video shows David Beckham, wearing a sling, at home inspecting a bowl of vegetables. Victoria playfully commented on his 'over-performing on the cucumber front' while he held a cucumber. David Beckham underwent surgery to repair a wrist injury he sustained during a 2003 football match between England and South Africa. Watch the video in full above.
BBC News
12 minutes ago
- BBC News
Leeds Playhouse theatre sells off 50 years worth of costumes
Thousands of handmade outfits have gone on sale as part of Leeds Playhouse's first ever costume from shows including Little Shop of Horrors, The Sound of Music, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Wizard of Oz, will be available to purchase, with a starting price for some items of just £ Marzetti, head of costume at Leeds Playhouse, said Saturday's sale was a result of the theatre running out of space."We wanted to make sure the costumes had a future life. Some things have been here since Leeds Playhouse began over 50 years ago and they are still in really beautiful condition," she said. Money from the sale, which runs from 09:30 to 16:00 BST at the Barber Studio, will go towards future theatre productions. "You can get things from £1 up to a caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland, which is £250. But it is beautiful and one off," said Ms Marzetti."We've got some beautiful costumes from Into the Woods, which we loved working on. They were beautiful things to make, but they are so specific to the show that we're going to sell them. They're not cheap but they are beautiful."We've got some My Fair Lady ballgowns going in and we've got Toad from Wind in the Willows' three-piece suit." Perusing the sale on Friday, director Ian Wilson from theatre company Curtain Up Productions said he was looking for something specific."We're producing White Christmas at Christmas in Ilkley and we knew the Playhouse did White Christmas a few years ago so we've come into see what they've got and they have the entire selection," he said."We've got an entire rail of stuff that's going to get a second life."Ms Marzetti said the sale was not just for theatre companies, but for those looking for Halloween costumes, something to jazz up their regular wardrobe or even a wedding dress."If you want something covered in blood, we've got a whole section of that. We've got circus and panto and a lot of cos play and period costumes," she said."If anybody's going to a festival and wants to dress up we've got lots of glitzy things and furry things for them to wear." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
