I’ve tried what feels like hundreds of facial fake tans. We’re talking express tans, buildable moisturisers, drops. I once applied tanning mousse directly to my face, regrettably. All in pursuit of giving my pale skin a natural-looking glow. At times, my experimentation has left me with a tangerine mask that contrasted wildly with the rest of me and a horribly patchy complexion (not something you can really hide when it’s on your face). It was not subtle.
However, since discovering Clarins’ Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster, I’ve called the search off. I may have just found a buildable tanning solution that looks natural, even on the palest skin. Here’s what you need to know.
Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster tanning drops at a glance
Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster Self Tan drops
Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster Self Tan drops
Pros:
- Mixes well into daily moisturiser
- Fades evenly
- Gives a natural, buildable tan
- Contains hydrating aloe vera and glycerine
Cons:
- Small bottle
Like all tanners, the formulation features dihydroxyacetone (DHA), an ingredient that reacts with amino acids in dead skin cells to develop a brown pigment. What’s different about these drops, though, is that the DHA is combined with erythrulose, another plant extract that works in a similar way but develops much more slowly. This slower reaction time helps to prevent streakiness, ensuring a smoother, more natural finish.
My honest verdict
Ease of use
Clarins’ tanning drops are incredibly simple to use – no orange palms here. You just add them to your moisturiser each morning. It’s also easy to customise the results – just add one to three drops, depending on how deep you want the colour to be. You can build up your tan over time by adding the drops to your morning routine as and when you need a bit more colour.
I apply the drops a couple of times every week and I like to throw in some facial exfoliating in between, just to prevent build-up as much as possible, but I can confirm I haven’t experienced any patchiness so far.
The results
I’m part Welsh, part Irish and I’m naturally extremely pale. For many years, I dealt with this by dousing myself in fake tan. However, these days, I much prefer something that gives me a warmer, even skin tone, rather than a deep tan that looks quite unnatural on my complexion. These glow-boosting drops provided the natural results I was after: sun-kissed rather than ‘spent months on the sunbed’.
I also love how it looks under makeup. The natural results means that I don’t need to have a variety of foundation shades depending on how tanned I look. Instead, I just simply add a little extra bronzer on top of my Double Serum Foundation (also amazing) for a fresh-from-holiday look.
Top tips: make sure you mix the drops into your moisturiser thoroughly to ensure even coverage and take extra care when applying along the hairline and around the eyebrows, where tan can stick a little more.
The final verdict
Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster Self Tan drops
Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster Self Tan drops
These drops are perfect for avid tanners like me who like a glow year-round or for those looking to extend their holiday tan, without any additional sun damage. At £23, they're a little pricey for a fairly small bottle, but as I’ve found with many Clarins products, the results speak for themselves – the natural colour pay-off and lack of streaks make these worth the investment for me.
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Madeleine is our Lifestyle Writer, specialising in expert-tested reviews and round-ups on the latest beauty Beauty and Health & Wellness products. From skincare to protein powders, Maddie is committed to providing honest and helpful reviews to help guide readers to the best product for them. Maddie has a BA in English Literature and Language, which stemmed from her lifelong interest in reading and writing. She started her post graduate life at Hearst UK within a marketing capacity, which quickly turned into a desire to fulfil a writing career.
When she is not writing about the latest expert reviewed products, you can find her rifling through vintage shops or car boots, reading a print magazine, or capturing portraits on her film camera.
