I think it’s safe to say you won’t get a real tan in England this year. I don’t often fake tan, despite having experimented and found lots of tans which suit me in terms of hue. The reason being, in all honesty, that I usually only decide I need to be a bit browner twenty minutes before I go out and, by then, it is too late. This weekend I needed some help to combat my wintery pallor, so I turned to my extensive cosmetic shelf to find something to perk my complexion up before a night out.
I went for the He-Shi Express Liquid Tan as I was intrigued by the claim that it is ‘ultimately the easiest instant self tanning lotion’. As a self-confessed slob when it comes to attaining mocha skin, this sounded just the ticket.
Two things set this apart from other tans I’ve tried – firstly, the colour is instant, rather like a wood-dye – no streaks, no developing time and no confusion over final shade. In fact, you can even add a second coat if you want to be darker directly after the first. The second selling point was the minimal pre and post-tan fuss – you don’t need to moisturise first, and you don’t need to wait before putting your clothes on after.
Before application I exfoliated with the He-Shi Exfoliating Body Wash in the shower (you’ll love this if you like fruity scents), and then gamely poured the tan into the He-Shi Tanning Mitt (a must to stop odd-coloured hands and streaks) before just rubbing it all over and, like a stained wood, taking on a darker colour.
Two days later I’m still a realistic and rich brown. Is it the easiest instant self tanning lotion? It is the easiest one I’ve ever tried. Oh, and boys? The He-Shi range really is for he and she – I sent a boy out in it to test and nobody twigged that it wasn’t real.
