What’s the best piece of beauty advice you wish you could give your younger self? Put the tweezers down? Stop picking that spot? To make a lasting difference it would surely be shun the sun. My tanoholic days are long past and my preferred SPF is a now a lofty 50. I can only dream about how different my skin might look now if I’d been a bit less keen on sunbathing then. 

It’s true we need sunlight to replenish our low vitamin D levels, but we don’t need to damage our skin in the process, and getting the perfect fake tan can be an elusive business; I recall an incident years ago involving a spray tan and a very wonky paper thong. The latest formulations, however, are light years ahead of the old and will spare all your blushes. In addition, tanning expert Amanda Harrington explains how to achieve her flawless application.

“I cannot stress this enough: you need to perfect your canvas before you apply any colour, otherwise it just won’t sit right,” states Amanda. This involves removing “any unwanted hair and exfoliating rigorously 12-24 hours before you tan.” Her secret is to “layer different products and use brushes to apply the colour.” To extend the life of your fake tan she also cautions against “hot baths and showers as this will cause the colour to fade quicker. Plus, ditch any oil-based products as they cause DHA (the active ingredient) to break down and the colour on the skin to separate.” For those tricky areas that always give the game away (ankles, wrists, knees), an application of an ultra balm will help prevent patchiness or streaks.

Other products to note are the Gradual Glow Alpha Beta Glow Pads from Dr Dennis Gross: they’re mess-free and give a natural-looking glow. Green People’s Self Tan Lotion delivers a natural colour and has a pleasant smell, while for those who prefer to wash the colour off at the end of the day, the Nude by Nature lightweight Sunkissed Pressed Bronzer is a universal shade (for dark skin too) that gives cheeks and brow bones, honeyed radiance. With Sienna X Skin Finish Illuminating Mist, it’s easy to blitz legs, arms and décolletage.

On the supplement side, the Summer Glow tablets from Aime help to prep the skin for sun exposure and bring a natural tone using a combination of carotenoids (lutein, lycopene and beta carotene) to get you off the ‘pale-and-pasty’ starting block with a subtle veil of colour that builds over four weeks. So, you’ll look bronzed but never burnt. Try these out; your future self will thank you.