Bali Body’s gradual tan is our favourite moisturising formula for achieving a sunless glow

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The summer is well underway. And what better way to make sure you’re always ready for every type of plan than having a seriously impressive summer glow. Sometimes the best way to achieve this is by securing a fake tan that you can rely on.

There are of course plenty to choose from, so finding the perfect one for you is no mean feat. As such, we’d recommend deciding on the formula you like, be that oil, mousse, or indeed a moisturiser.

If you like your skin feeling hydrated a cream-like formula will be best for you. And that’s where Bali Body’s gradual tan comes in.

Formulated especially to provide you with a natural-looking glow, the brand promises that the body lotion will gradually build into a bronzed look, while also keeping your skin supple and soft.

Naturally, we put these claims to the test. Will it make us look as though we’ve been tangoed, or will it give us a natural-looking glow? And can it act as that much-needed holiday in a bottle? We found out.

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During testing, we assessed how quick and easy it was to apply, how hydrating it is, and of course, paid close attention to the scent – both initially and a couple of hours after application. It was also important to assess how well the fake tan developed, and how many applications it took to get us to our desired colour. Could this be our new favourite? Read on to find out.

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Rating: 8/10

Being a moisturiser, Bali Body’s gradual tan is a light creamy formula, making it extremely easy to apply and a great choice for an everyday option for achieving a healthy-looking glow.

It’s formulated from a combination of hydrating ingredients, including coconut oil, coffee seed extract and cocoa butter, which promise and deliver on leaving skin softer and more hydrated. As for the active tanning ingredient, it’s the most common one: dihydroxyacetone (DHA).

For fake tan, it’s all about the preparation, so for the first use, we exfoliated our skin 24-hours prior to application, and applied a thick moisturiser to areas that tend to go wrong (i.e. hands, feet, elbows and knees). For the applications that followed the first one, we just applied straight onto our skin with no prep. The only exception is the error-prone areas where we always apply a thicker moisturiser before tanning, regardless of the formula.

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Despite being a moisturiser, we’d still recommend using a mitt to ensure an even, streak-free finish. The entire process was easy – all we did was squeeze a small amount of the tan onto our mitt before buffing it into our skin in an up and down motion, as opposed to a circular one, as we’ve learnt this produces the best results.

Much like our favourite body moisturiser, we found that this absorbed into our skin fairly quickly and didn’t leave a sticky residue, which we were of course grateful for. On application, it had a light scent, but when it had absorbed into our skin we did notice that it had a faint fake tan smell, which is the only gripe we have.

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Owing to the fact it’s a gradual tan, we weren’t expecting to see instant results – but after the first application, we did notice a change in our complexion and felt like we’d just spent a day on a sun lounger. After the second application, it had developed into a natural-looking, streak-free tan. Should you want even more instant results, the brand recommends that you should apply it morning and evening.

As you can tell by the photos, the colour gets more intense with each use. To the brand’s promise, it did leave our skin feeling hydrated and looking golden. As for how it faded, it wasn’t at all patchy, which will be largely thanks to the fact it keeps skin moisturised. It’s a great option to take with you on holiday if you’re the kind of person who enjoys a mid-week tan top-up. We’d also recommend using the brand’s gradual face tan (£21.95, Balibodyco.com) to really complete your sunless glowy complexion.

If you’re searching for a new fake tan, Bali Body’s gradual tan is a great option. It couldn’t be easier to apply, and we loved the hydrating formula and the fact that it absorbed into our skin very quickly and didn’t leave it feeling sticky. It’s extremely buildable and after just two applications delivers a lovely, natural-looking glow. We found that it also works well when it comes to topping up your tan in between sessions. It really is sunshine in a bottle.