As a beauty editor, I’ve tested an array of fake tans over the past 20 years. But as I’ve got older, I’ve come to realise that the self-tan products that I once swore by now no longer work as well on my mature skin. I’ve made it my mission to scout out the best fake tan for mature skin that promises a natural glow without clinging to any dry patches.
The truth is that factors like perimenopause, menopause and beyond can have an impact on how well even the best self tans perform, thanks to your skin’s ability to react with DHA (the ingredient that imparts a tan onto your complexion) diminishing with age. Where I was once fond of super-dark formulas, I now find them too drying, tending to cling to patches around my knees and feet. With this in mind, I’ve been on the hunt for a fake tan that delivers a sun-kissed glow and is kind on ageing skin – and I must say, I’ve become quite the pro.
Whether you prefer a quick and easy bronze from the best instant tan or perhaps you opt for the best gradual tan for a more subtle finish, either way, I’ve tried and tested a line-up of fake tans to find the very best formulas for mature skin that I’m set to reach for time and time again. Take it from a fake tan-lover in her forties, these 9 products are set to deliver a healthy beach-worthy glow, without any of the faff that comes with self-tanning.
Best fake tan for mature skin deals
The best fake tan for mature skin, reviewed by a beauty editor
RRP: £34 | Type: Tinted, luxe texture
I've never come across a fake tan with a formula so silky that it feels indulgent to use. Even if you don’t feel confident about applying fake tan, this is a great choice; there’s no snagging on any dry areas and it has a lovely cocoa scent to match.
The colour continues to develop over 72 hours, a technology we fully appreciate at an age when fake tan fades so much faster on our skin. The hydrating formula suits both our tester's face and body, making it our favourite top-to-toe fake tan.
Reasons to buy: Long-lasting formula, glides on the skin, comfortable to wear
Reasons to avoid: One of the most expensive options here
RRP: £36 | Type: Facial tanning drops
After just one application of Collistar's Magic Drops, I realised I’d stumbled upon a new go-to. Not only did the colour develop astonishingly fast, but I also looked healthy and our skin felt soft and smooth after applying, too.
Unlike most tanning drops, which you mix into another skincare product, these are applied neat. This sounds slightly terrifying at first, but in reality, it works beautifully, even on pale skin. This is a great product to use to self tan your face, especially as it’s easy to evenly blend the liquid down to your neck. If you want to be ultra-cautious, you can mix it with moisturiser, but we loved the look achieved from applying them alone.
Reasons to buy: Quick, non-drying results
Reasons to avoid: Costs as much as some skincare products
RRP: £35 | Type: Serum
We love St Tropez's 1Hr Express Bronzing Mousse, we also really enjoy this body serum, which boasts a light yet moisturising formula that makes it a great fake tan for mature skin. Packed with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, as well as vitamin B5 and a collagen complex, this product delivers skincare goodness with your glow.
Though the formula is clear, we found there’s enough of a gleam to keep tabs on where it’s been applied so we didn't miss any areas. The colour result is a light golden glow that’s ideal if you’re looking for a boost rather than a huge shade shift.
Reasons to buy: Moisturises with a natural finish
Reasons to avoid: Some skin tones will need more than one application
RRP: £25 | Type: Butter
While we appreciate this is far from the cheapest gradual tan, we feel it can be justified somewhat due to being a multi-tasker that moisturises, bronzes and adds radiance all at once. As soon as you apply this butter, you’ll notice a couple of things: the lovely, rich feel from the oils and the glowy micro-particles that are visible while you wait for the tan itself to develop.
As gradual tans go, this gets to work fairly quickly – we got a subtle yet visible hint of colour from just one use and after three we were ready to ease off daily application. The formula is full of hydrating ingredients that smooth the skin and keep the colour intact once it’s there. A little goes quite a long way, too, making it more worth your money. If dryness has put you off using fake tan on more mature skin, we think this is the one that'll win you back.
Reasons to buy: Hydrating, easy to build up
Reasons to avoid: Pricier gradual formula
RRP: £5.99 | Type: Gradual body moisturiser
Pretty much anything featuring Nivea’s famous Q10 skin-firming ingredient gets the nod of approval from us, so it's no wonder that this gradual tan gets our seal of approval. In terms of application, it’s as simple as smothering on any body cream, although we found it's better if you use a mitt, to avoid any stubborn orange stains on your hands.
We're still slightly sceptical of its promise of delivering "tighter, firmer skin", but we certainly agree that using it in a fortnightly tanning cycle ticked the "radiance" bit off. This product makes for a great year-round glow, as it's easy to build up or ease off as you please. After using this product, we found our skin felt a lot softer and more supple, too. The formula also has a summer-inspired scent of jasmine, plum and peach, but it's not enough to cancel out that fake tan smell, which you can detect ever so slightly by lunchtime.
Reasons to buy: Affordable, easy to use
Reasons to avoid: Has a faint fake tan smell
RRP: £26 | Type: Tinted mousse
Usually, we're not massively enamoured of anything that has “anti-cellulite” written on it, however, we're prepared to let it slide on this occasion because this fake tan is otherwise excellent. This product boasts a deep glow, so we made sure to be extra careful when wiping over trouble spots like knees and feet, but we’ve not had issues with excess build-up or skin dryness afterwards. We also like the fluffiness of the formula, which makes it very quick and easy to apply.
The guide colour isn’t particularly wearable in natural daylight, so it's perhaps better for when you have time for at-home development, but being able to achieve a tan this deep on mature skin easily makes up for that. We also think this a great choice for a pre-getaway glow before jetting off on a beach holiday. (For more insights, our detailed Coco & Eve tan review has more details.)
Reasons to buy: Quick to apply, gives a deep glow
Reasons to avoid: Claims to banish cellulite, which isn't the case
RRP: £20 | Type: Tinted mousse
Our first impressions were that this product sounded like it could be a gimmick, but now we've tried it for ourselves, we take it all back. With four shades to choose from – emerald, sapphire, caramel and magenta – the clever, colour-balancing technology formula is designed to give the perfect result on specific skin tones. Thankfully, the shade Sapphire, which has been created with pale skin in mind, did not turn us the colour of a Smurf; in fact, it was great and very fade-resistant to boot.
However, we did have one minor gripe. Bondi Sands has called this a "1 Hour Tan", but the pack says three hours gives optimal results. Three did seem to be the sweet spot with this one, and while there was a fake tan aroma, we didn’t need to sleep in it (or get it on our sheets as a result).
Reasons to buy: Develops quickly
Reasons to avoid: Packaging claims it develops in one hour, but three is optimal
RRP: £26 | Type: Lightweight serum
This serum is one of those brilliant hybrid products that doesn’t just cover skincare and self tan, it excels at both. It has the feel of a traditional hyaluronic acid serum and we couldn't detect any drying trade-off from having a shot of DHA in the formula.
We tested out the medium shade and, once we'd built up an initial golden base after three layers of application, we then settled into a "one day on, two days off" routine to maintain the glow. The results kept our skin both hydrated and radiant. It was also a great time-saving product; we found we needed less makeup to feel presentable and many days we were happy to ditch our foundation and just use concealer our under-eye circles. We loved it that much that we even bruised our palms thwacking the base to dispense every last drop.
Reasons to buy: Buildable colour, hydrating
Reasons to avoid: Only really suitable for your face
RRP: £26.95 | Type: Tanning drops
The original Isle of Paradise facial tanning drops are great, so we had high expectations for body version to follow suit. They were incredibly easy to add into your existing regime – we popped a few drops into our usual fragranced body cream.
Available in three options that colour-correct any unwanted undertones, we tested the medium shade with around eight drops per generous dollop of our body cream. Whilst not every handful had the same proportion between cream and drops, we still got a natural-looking result. Our favourite thing about these drops, though, was how easy they are to top up at the first sign of fading, so if you're looking for a product to make your tan last longer, this is it.
Reasons to buy: Great for mixing with moisturiser
Reasons to avoid: May require experimentation to find the right colour for your skin
How to choose fake tan for mature skin
To choose the ideal fake tan for you to impart a sun-kissed glow on mature skin, there are a few key factors we recommend keeping in mind:
- Undertone: It's wise to understand your skin's to help you choose a fake tan that will suit your complexion. If your veins are green, you have a warmer undertone, whereas those with blue veins will have a cooler undertone. If you have a mix of the two, this indicates that you have a neutral undertone. This can be extremely helpful when choosing a colour-correcting formula or the depth of tan you need to achieve your desired results.
- Ease of application: When it comes to fake tan, it's all about how easy it is to apply and avoiding a sticky or streak-free formula. If you're someone who doesn't want to spend a dedicated amount of time tanning, opt for fake tan drops that can be added to an everyday body or facial moisturiser instead, for a subtle and fast-absorbing glow. Those new to self tanning may benefit from a product with a guide colour that washes off, while those who are short on time (or who simply don't want to sleep in fake tan) will get on well with an express product.
- Skincare benefits: Keep an eye out for products that are packed full of genuine mature skin-loving ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5. Opt for a product that promises to be highly moisturising, too, as this will soothe and nourish your skin rather than drying it out even further.
- Scent and fragrance: Many of us recognise that familiar scent of self tanning agent DHA, the ingredient that's behind that "fake tan smell". If you're not a fan of this, you'll be pleased to know that many products on the market (including some featured in this guide) incorporate floral or sweet-smelling scents that are much more pleasant.
How we tested the best fake tan for mature skin
A selection of some of the best fake tans for mature skin tested for this guide
Midlife is complicated enough and the fake tan experience doesn’t need to add to that. To write a thorough guide to the best fake tan for mature skin, I tried and tested a variety of self tan products, from the best fake tan for pale skin to fake tans for the face. I noted which products were easy to apply, developed evenly and provided a convincingly natural colour that looked like I'd just come back from a week-long beach destination.
I was also mindful of fake tans that boasted added skincare ingredients to help combat the drying nature of DHA and lock in the colour for longer. I'd love to say "doesn’t smell" was on my must-have list too, but my testing experience has taught me that an 100% odour-free fake tan doesn't exist; there will nearly always be at least a slight degree of that recognisable, biscuity scent. With that in mind, I settled on "not too gross" as a bonus marks category.
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