FAKE NEWS! Is your spray tan more dangerous than Trump?

Masks, balms, colour-changing coconut water – there’s a menagerie of fakery at our fingertips, but is it really good to glow 24/7? ›

We’ll happily admit to indulging in a bottle-born tint, but with a fresh batch of bronzing products arriving at our desks every day, the question has to be asked – have we reached fake tan overload? Currently in the

Cosmopolitan beauty team ‘test’ pile is: St Tropez’s Self Tan Express Bronzing Face Sheet Mask, James Read’s Coconut Melting Tanning Balm and L’Oréal’s Sublime Bronze Overnight Elixir. Confusing, right?

It’s obvious that traditional lotions are being benched in favour of intriguing new textures. But while we love a good gimmick, are these seemingly farcical formulas really better for our bodies? Sure, it beats sitting in the sun, but there have been claims that this incessant topping up could leave skin dehydrated and shrivelled – think gran’s crusty caramel leather sofa circa 1973 and read on…

SAFE OR SOUND

Despite the rumours, let’s be clear: fake tanning isn’t dangerous per se. For a start, it’s only the top layers of your skin that are affected by the colour-changing ingredient, DHA (dihydroxyacetone). A natural derivative found in sugar cane, when applied topically, it attaches to specific amino acids in our cells and turns them a yellowy golden hue. That’s also where the chemical reaction stops – unlike when we’re under the influence of real sunlight, there’s no risk of melanin levels getting messed up.

“DHA doesn’t affect your skin’s actual pigment, as the tanning process takes place within the dead skin cells of the epidermis. Melanin is also not affected, for the same reason, as the melanocytes [responsible for melanin] are located deeper within the skin, far further than DHA can reach,” explains Blair James, co-founder of bestselling Aussie tan brand Bondi Sands.

But before you crack open a bottle of the brown stuff to celebrate, know this – although nothing’s going on below surface level, there are more sinister side effects of sugar-coating our skin, according to Dr Daniel Glass, dermatologist at The Dermatology Clinic, London. Glass says, “There is some evidence that use of DHA in sunless tanning may decrease your skin’s ability to produce vitamin D. In addition, the reaction between self tans and amino acids has been linked to the formation of more free radicals in comparison to skin not treated with DHA.” And we all know that free radicals are the devil in disguise, sucking the life out of skin like a leech.

COLOUR WORTH THE CASH

It’s why it pays to invest in the good stuff. Packing their products with organic antioxidants and heavyweight hydrators, top-end brands ensure skin not only stays safe, but supple, too.

“We use DHA derived from organic sugar beet, along with high-end botanicals, such as aloe vera and rosehip,” says Alyson Hogg, Vita Liberata founder. “Grown without chemicals, we believe the source of natural ingredients really does makes a difference to the quality of the tan.”

Tan-Luxe and Bondi Sands are brands in agreement, citing raspberry seed oil as their secret (but spendy) weapon. “It’s a powerful natural antioxidant and protects cells from fine lines, ageing and loss of skintone, as well as helping to prevent photo-damaging and dryness,” explains Marc Elrick, founder of Tan-Luxe.

It’s also a fantastic DHA activator. Scan the ingredients list for ‘erythrulose’ and you’re onto a good thing. “Generally only high-quality products contain it, as it’s very expensive, but it’s worth every penny, because it creates the most natural long-lasting colour without that brassy tone,” continues James.

Proof that good-quality DHA does make a difference, although, in pro tanner Jules Von Heptonstall’s experience, whether it comes from organic origins is more down to how fussed with feelgood beauty you are – it won’t affect the finish.

SMELLS LIKE… FAKE TAN

Aside from skin ‘à l’orange’ side effects, another way to detect if you’re getting a bargain-bin bronzer is to use your nose. “Smell is a big telltale sign of a cheaper DHA, as it produces a strong biscuity odour,” explains James. And who wants to smell like they’ve scrimped?

You also run the risk of a fasterfading tan, streaking and extremely thirsty skin. “A lot of tans pump formulas full of oxygen to bulk them out, which in itself is drying. DHA needs moisture to work, so if a product is overloaded with oxygen, you’re at more risk of patchiness and peeling,” reveals Von Heptonstall. Even with the addition of ingredients like hyaluronic acid and plant oils (Rimmel

“There are side effects of sugar-coating our skin”

has incorporated chia seed oil in its new tans), it’s often not enough.

Enter the new luxe line-up. Just as make-up is sashaying into skincare, so, too, is tanning. “Every product we have started life as prestige, results-driven skincare, rather than the other way round, to ensure superior hydration,” continues Elrick. “Also, because we wanted to naturally enhance melanin without any staining, we formulated products with a low pH of 4.5. This produces the closest thing to a natural suntan you can get.” (A higher pH may prompt a more orange glow although, granted, you’ll be hard-pushed to find many products stating the exact pH.)

And natural is the way to glow. Despite turning Strictly’s stars a Ronseal replica shade of brown, celebrity tanner and ambassador for Sienna X, Carly Hobbs, maintains that most of her clients crave a more genuine topto-toe tan.“They want people to say, ‘Oh, have you been away?’ not ‘Where did you get your fake tan?’ They want to look healthy and glowy – basically the best version of themselves,” she says.

FOR FREQUENT FAKESTERS

Of course there will always be the die-hards. You’ll know who you are if you can’t remember your natural skintone. You might even be using the same DHA provider as a decade ago, in which case, it could be time to start shopping around. Gimmicks aside, these tans are being updated for a reason. As well as being better for your skin, they’re helping to reduce human error (read: patchiness) and provide a more pleasant application experience.

“All these new formats are based on consumer needs. Our preferences evolve with age, but it can even come down to things like season,” says Muriel Pujos, Coty’s director of scientific communication. Creams for winter, lotions for spring, waters for summer. We’re not sure what season masks fall into, but there’s good reason for those, too, according to St Tropez’s technology innovation director, Dr Paul Evans. “Consumers are familiar with how to use them and they’re a good way to deliver an even distribution. The weight of the mask also helps push the tanning serum into the skin for better absorption.”

Even the pros are raving about the newfangled formulas. “I used to be Mr Mousse, but now tanning waters and drops I can add to my moisturiser are my fave, because I love sleeping in white sheets and I don’t have time to wait for [the mousses] to develop,” raves Von Heptonstall. “When I started out, you’d never have been able to mix oil and tan, but advanced formulas and ingredients have changed everything.”

Easy on the eye, easy on the clock, easy on the odour: maybe the tactical tans of 2017 are the way forward after all for both experts and amateurs. That said, try a weekend off every once in a while and your outer layers will love you long time.