Brownie Points

I recently had some friends over for a barbeque, and while the boys went neanderthal with the fire and flexed their cooking skills (for cooking read burning), the girl talk inevitably strayed into tanning territory - it was the hottest day of the year so far, and our legs were out to seize the moment.

One friend with enviously tanned pins admitted to weekly sunbed sessions (very, very bad, and definitely not condoned here at Poppy Loves Lipgloss, despite their deliciously caramel-y hue. Ooh, you could have have melted them over ice-cream. I hope they turn orange). The rest of us were on the paler side but, in these days where the worship of mindless celebrity is on the wane (and with it the aesthetic of uber-tan, blonde hair and fake bazoomas), looked none the worse for it.

Yes, we all wanted our skin to catch a little sun, but the days of slipping around in factor 4 oil are totally o-vah. We no longer believe that burn turns to brown, or that a maximum exposure tan is really worth the sun-spots and wrinkles. But we do still want a little colour in our lives (Snow White we ain't... have you seen our behaviour after five glasses of Pimm's?).

Whether you're after an overnight blast of bronzing, or a slow'n'subtle hue change, these are our tried-and-tested favourites:

Subtle For your face, Chanel Soleil Identité Perfect Colour Face Self-Tanner SPF8, £25, creates a realistic touch of colour and smells of peaches rather than biscuits - you put it on every day till you reach your desired shade, then every 2 to 3 days to maintain it. Also highly recommended is Sisley Soleil Sans Soleil Self Tanning Gel, £54.50, a fantastically light facial tanner that doesn't clog pores. On your bod, the best we've found is Origins Let It Show Bare Body Skin Enhancer, £15, a sweetly-scented body moisturiser that delivers a super-natural, glowing colour over several days. Apply a few hours before wearing shoes though, as sweaty feet have a habit of making it patchy.

Instant Because sometimes we need a hit of sun, right here right now, sales of instant tanning products are soaring. Also from Origins, The Great Pretender Shimmery Self-Tanner for Body, £15, looks a lot less garish than it sounds. In fact, this sparkly, treacle-brown lotion blends to a gorgeously sheeny-shiny glow that make arms and legs look tanned and slimmer. Also scoring high in the faux glow stakes is MAC Face and Body Foundation, £23, a base you can blend from your nose to your toes, then wash away at the end of the day. Make-up artists suggest choosing one 2 to 3 shades darker than your usual colour for a realistic shot of tan, and because it's water-resistant you needn't worry about splashes by the pool or the odd spilled mojito.

Overnight Heavy-duty overnight tanners are the ones to choose for long-lasting, immediate colour. Fake Bake Original Self Tanning Lotion, £24.95, may not be the most stylish bottle in the bathroom, but it's our testers' favourite for an overnight transformation from milkmaid to beach bunny. Looks like tar going on, but washes off to a deep, sun-snogged bronze. If you don't want the risk of stained sheets and smelling like a granny's biscuit-tin, we also love love love Sun Laboratories Express Liquid Tan, £22, a coffee-like liquid that you sweep onto skin with the mitt provided. It's sort of like colouring-in for grown-ups - you can immediately see if you've missed a spot, making streaks and smears a thing of the past.