A Guide To The Best Self-Tanners For Mature Skin

“For accurate application, a foam tanning mitt is still by far the best when it comes to applying your tan at home. A great tip is to disperse either your mousse, liquid or lotion in long sweeping motions over the body. This helps you get a more balanced and natural finish towards the wrists and ankles, as the tan is thinned out by that point. Another great tool is a make-up brush, which you can use to apply tan in those delicate areas. Self-tans tend to turn darker around the knees, elbows and feet, so the light touch of a brush is ideal." – James Harknett, A-list tanner

“With all tans, apply two coats to the body and one to the face. Starting at the ankles and working your way up means that your tan will be dry enough to apply a second coat after a couple of minutes – just start again from the ankles up for the second layer. Then, use what’s left on the mitt to apply tan to your hands and feet; and remember to wipe in between your fingers and over your fingernails with a damp cloth or make-up wipe afterwards. Lastly (my favourite trick of all), hang a towel on the back of your door and rub your wrists onto it. This helps remove those pesky tell-tale tan lines. As a rule, whatever you do on the body, halve the amount you then apply to your face: for instance, two layers on the body equals one layer on the face.” – Jules Von Hep, professional tanner and creator of Isle of Paradise

“Prep is vital and this includes exfoliation. Once any hair removal has been well timed, exfoliate all over the body on the morning or night before application. REN’s Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm is brilliant at shifting dead skin cells and providing a smooth, even base that’s ready for colour.” – James

“Always try and apply your tan after you shower, ensuring skin is dry, make-up free and all deodorant is washed off. Post-shower, our skin’s cells are more hydrated and will therefore absorb tan more evenly for a longer-lasting colour. Do it in front of a mirror in a well-lit area for seamless coverage. It’s also key to avoid using any oils prior to tanning, so avoid massaging or moisturising your skin too heavily the day before – it can act as a barrier, unless it’s mixed with tanning drops.” – Jules

“If you’re using a tan with a guide colour (one where you can see the colour appear on application), apply it to the body first and check for brown lines. Any brown lines mean you’ve overlapped the layers of tan, which means no streak. Any paler lines on the skin will mean a streak and therefore will need an extra sweep of the tan on top. If you’re using a clear tan, spray it liberally until the skin is visibly wet. The skin should gleam all over with no matte finish at all – if you spot any matte patches, spray on more formula to that area. Rub in with your palms until your skin feels almost touch dry and don’t forget to wash your hands after. Once you’ve finished, buff off any excess.” – Jules

Visit JamesHarknett.co.uk, Instagram.com/JulesVonHep & TheIsleOfParadise.com