Tan Luxe has become one of the UK’s most beloved tanning brands, leading the way with innovative formulas and applicators, like the roller-ball Wonder Oil and swipe-and-go gloss. The latest release is no different, featuring a sponge-like applicator attached to allow for easy buffing of the instant skin-perfecting tan.
Instant Hero Illuminating Skin Perfector, £22, Tan-Luxe
REVIEWER: Samantha, Deputy Beauty Editor
BEAUTY BIO: Light skin tone that’s constantly covered in bruises and scratches from playing sport.
WHAT I USUALLY LOOK FOR IN AN INSTANT TAN:
Truth be told I’m not a massive fan of instant tan. I’m a sweaty beast so most formulas rub off and become streaky on me. And now that one-hour mouses actually work, I prefer to use these to achieve my quick colour.
TAN LUXE INSTANT HERO REVIEW:
A big fat giant gasp escaped my gob the moment I unscrewed the silver cap from this sleek, white, shelfie-worthy tube.
There, at the tip of the bottle sat a flat, round, beauty blender-like sponge. No need for a mitt or to wash your hands after use, Tan-Luxe have taken all the trouble out of application for you. God damned genius.
When I first squeezed out the product, I thought it looked like it was going to be waaaaaaay too dark. It looks exactly like foundation, so I think it was just my knee-jerk ‘that’s not my shade!’ reaction. Once on the skin, however, the colour was absolutely dreamy, with illuminating particles that made my skin looking dewy and hydrated, as well as bronzed.
The colour is definitely more brown-than-orange so no worries in the Oompa Loompa department. It instantly made my skin look two shades darker, and could be layered over to deepen. The sponge applicator worked like a dream, buffing away streaks and giving foundation-like coverage to my arms.
It’s definitely more than a tan, as it camouflages imperfections at the same time. My scratches and bruises were less noticeable because the product was covering them, unlike developing tans where the colour tends to settle within cracks making them more obvious.
As impressed as I was with the streak-free finish, possibly the best thing about this tan is the smell. Hands down, the best tan I’ve ever smelt. Because it has no DHAs, you don’t get the biscuit-like developing scent and instead the fragrance stays light, fresh and pleasant. And despite sweating like a Brit in Benidorm, I didn’t notice any transfer onto my clothes. But they were dark, so I’d still be careful and have some Vanish on hand if you plan on wearing white with this.
It is one of the best non-budge instants I’ve tried because when the time came to wash it off, just water wouldn’t do. You definitely to give it a good rub with your in-shower gel to get it to come off.
FINAL VERDICT:
In-built sponge applicator? F*cking fabulous. Smell? Dreamy. Coverage? Lush. It’s a really convenient product for last-minute touch-ups and smaller areas like the arms and chest. I think I’ll definitely use it for my chest especially, to create even coverage when my more permanent tan begins to wear (damn bras). If you plan on doing larger areas like your legs, back etc, I’d probably squeeze the product out onto a mitt so you can cover the surface quicker.
