We tried Skinny Tan’s one hour express mousse and it’s ideal for self-tanning newbies

For anyone nervous of fake tanning, this makes things a whole lot easier

This mousse provides rapid tanning for those last-minute plans (iStock/The Independent)

Fake tanning can be a laborious task. Whether you’re a well-seasoned tanner or are new to the self-bronzing game, it’s always a little bit messy with an awkward naked stance waiting for it to fully dry.

While we have our favourites, the majority of self-tanners do come with eight hours of development, biscuity smells and more often than not, orange-hued bed linen.

So when Skinny Tan came out with a one-hour express mousse, with the tagline “your darkest tan, even faster with results in as little as 60 minutes”, of course, we had to try it.

Instant or wash-off tans are usually the go-to for last-minute bronzing ahead of a barbecue or a night out out on the town, so finding a good gradual option is quite exciting, as well as being a bit of a challenge. While instant options can be great, they are known to easily transfer onto clothes, and one spill of a drink down your leg can really ruin the whole look.

Claiming to give the benefits of a quick lick of colour without the fear of running off in the rain, we tested the new Skinny Tan one-hour express to see whether it really did live up to its name.

How we tested

The main selling point of this tan is that it provides a soft golden glow within one hour, but, of course, that isn’t the maximum time limit. In fact, it works like any other gradual tan with a recommended marinating time of eight hours for it to fully develop.

We tried everything from the one-hour limit all the way up to the full eight to see just how bronzed we really became, smothering the mousse on with our favourite tanning mitt.

For reference, our tester is very fair-skinned and a regular self-tanner all year round, becoming somewhat of a professional at judging tone, ease of application, scent and finish to see whether this tan deserved a place on her bathroom shelf.

Skinny Tan 1 hour express self-tanning mousse: £29.99, Skinnytan.com

(Skinny Tan)

Rating: 7/10

Any Skinny Tan fans out there may recognise the description of this tan because although it is technically new, it’s actually an update of an old fan favourite – the moisture mousse express – in a bottle incredibly similar to the original self-tan mouse (£24.99, Skinnytan.co.uk).

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of exactly how this tan works and what our tester really thought about it, we must first stress the importance of pre-tanning prep for an even, golden glow. Firstly, exfoliation is key so jump in the shower or bath the night before with a pair of exfoliating gloves to shed any dead skin cells and follow with a body moisturiser.

When it comes to the day of tanning, shower beforehand to remove any products or deodorant, lightly moisturise any dry areas such as the knees, elbows, hands and feet and remember to always use a clean mitt, brush or gloves to apply.

The formula

(Skinny Tan)

The first thing to note is that this tan instantly comes out very dark, with a deep guide colour. When applying, this is incredibly helpful to spot any missing areas and reduce the risk of streaks, but we really wouldn’t recommend leaving the house while it develops – this is definitely a ‘to be done in the comfort of your own home’ process.

The core tanning ingredient is a raspberry-based keto sugar named erythrulose. It’s similar in many ways to DHA (the common tanning agent in most self-tanners) but is said to be less drying on the skin with a slower development process and some people claim it has a more natural finish too.

New penetration enhancers are also included to speed up the development process and aid the depth and colour of the tan to give it its one-hour time frame. With that said, the colour will continue to subtly develop for eight hours even once washed off.

Nourishing ingredients such as coconut water, aloe vera and guarana extract are also included to hydrate and smooth the skin to keep the tan looking healthier for longer. And we have to say this seemed to work, as there was no tightness or dry feeling the day after tanning which does sometimes occur with other products.

The application

Being a mousse, it was incredibly easy to apply. Simply shake the bottle to get the product really foamy and squirt one pump onto the mitt. Then, starting at the bottom of the leg rub it in circular motions until every area is covered, and don’t worry too much if it’s not quite even at this stage – as long as everything has the guide colour on it, you should be fine.

Keep re-applying to the mitt and then onto the body as needed, and when it comes to hands, feet and the face, our tester likes to use a brush to really cover all areas without too much buildup.

The result

(Lauren Cunningham)

It’s hard to tell just how much this tan has developed due to the dark guide colour, so you may need to test it out a few times before working out exactly what length of time works best for you.

Starting with the one-hour time frame, we did see a slight tint of colour, but it wasn’t dark enough for our liking. While over tanning is never a good idea and can lead to a whole new issue of looking inauthentic to your true skintone, a good fake tan can give you the appearance of a two-week holiday glow without the risk of any sun exposure.

But, for anyone topping up a natural tan, those with darker skin tones or anyone looking for a slight airbrushed look, then an hour-long time frame does the job. Or, if you’re a fake tan newbie and a little bit worried about getting it wrong, this would be a great place to start to build your confidence up.

Going in for a full eight hours gave us a colour that we’re more used to. It was streak-free and still within the natural-looking tan range, but was a little bit more on the orangey hue side than golden glow. Of course, all tans react differently to different people due to the pH balance of the skin, so this may not be the same for everyone.

The verdict: Skinny Tan 1 hour express self-tanning mousse

For those after a natural tan top-up, it’s hard to go wrong with this one-hour tan. Our tester loved how easy it was to apply, the streak-free finish and the fact you could gradually build it up depending on the depth you’re after.

It doesn’t have a typical biscuity fake tan smell, as the coconut water does come through quite strongly, but there is a definite scent.

Overall, it was a little bit on the orange side when left on for eight ours, so we can’t call it our new go-to, but, again, this is very much skin pH-dependent and will react differently on other people. Plus, it’s so customisable that tweak the results to suit your skin.

Skinny Tan 1 hour express self-tanning mousse

Buy now £29.99, Skinnytan.com

For more fake tans, take a look at our full round-up