The Best Fake Tan for Pale Skin (On a budget)

[This post on the best fake tan for pale skin was updated in June 2024]

I wasn’t sure whether or not to write a post about the best fake tan for pale skin. I mean, I’ve written a bit before about being pale and proud, and how I don’t think people should feel pressured into changing the colour of their skin just to suit other people’s preferences, and I stand by that. Honestly, I feel like I’m constantly seeing comments about how such-and-such a celebrity “should get a tan”, or how X blogger should have used self tanner before she wore that dress, and it drives me crazy. How could anyone think it could EVER be OK to criticize the colour of someone’s skin? Or tell them they should change it? It depresses the life out of me, and seriously makes me despair for humanity – but that’s possibly another post for another day.

Today, meanwhile, I’m talking about the best fake tan for pale skin – because yes, although I’m perfectly happy with my pale skin, and don’t feel any pressure whatsoever to change it just to please other people, I’m not beyond hitting the (fake tan) bottle occasionally either. When I say “occasionally”, I mean VERY occasionally – I’m much too lazy to keep up any kind of a routine with this, and this week was the first time I’ve used fake tan in over a year, but I happen to think I’ve discovered the best fake tan for pale skin, so I figured I should probably share that piece of information, so the rest of the pale-skinned population can benefit from it too, should they desire.

So, what is this wonder?

It’s Avon Skin So Soft Enhance & Glow Airbrush Tanning Spray, and it’s £5.25 per bottle. Weren’t expecting THAT, were you?

Yes, the best fake tan for pale skin is available on Amazon, and will set you back just a few pounds.

Like a lot of people, I’ve experimented with various fake tans over the years, ranging from the suspiciously cheap to the eye-wateringly expensive. This one is by far my favourite (which is why I was absolutely AMAZED to find they were still selling it: it’s been a while since I first bought it, and me liking a product is normally a sure sign that it’ll be instantly discontinued), but I’ve been buying this for a couple of years now, and it’s still available, so long may that continue.

The main reason I like this product is that it’s a dry spray – and one of the best ones I’ve ever tried, too. One of my biggest problems with fake tans and gradual tanners is that most of them take forever to sink into the skin, which means that, once you’ve applied them, you have to stand around naked for a while waiting for it to dry, knowing that if you DON’T do this, you’re going to risk a ‘Turin’s shroud’ situation when the tan comes off on your clothes or bedsheets. This product, however, dries pretty much instantly: I’m not exaggerating when I say that I can apply it and then immediately put on my jeans or leggings, and go about my business. Seriously. 

Despite this, the first time I used it, I DIDN’T think it deserved the title of The Best Fake Tan for Pale Skin, because the very first time I used it, it didn’t actually seem to make any difference. Woe! That, however, is because this is very much  gradual tanner. It does take a few days to take effect, and the difference is fairly subtle at first. This is another thing I like about it, though; no, it won’t give you a tan overnight, but when you have skin as pale as mine is, that would be quite weird, really. I prefer to build the colour up slowly, so I can stop when I feel I’ve reached the colour I want, and this product definitely does that. The gradual nature of it means that you do have to start using it in advance if you want to be tanned for a particular trip or event, say (I usually start around  week before), but because it’s so quick and easy to apply, I don’t find that a huge deal, all things considered. Even with repeated use, however, I don’t find the colour to be orange unnatural: it’s still fairly light, which is exactly what I’m looking for – I know I don’t have the patience to maintain a darker tan (And I don’t really think it would suit me, either), so my aim is mostly just to ‘take the glare off’ my pale legs, and give them a little bit of colour, without turning them orange. 

It’s not totally perfect, though: like most fake tans I’ve tried, this product will adhere more to dry skin, so, as with anything else, you’ll want to moisturize your skin beforehand, and pay particular attention to things like knees and elbows, which are more likely to turn orange. With that said, I’ve yet to have a true disaster with this – and I’m notorious for my fake tan disasters –  so while I wouldn’t describe it as foolproof, exactly, it’s probably as close to it as you’ll get at this kind of price. 

So: the best fake tan for pale skin? I think so – although it’s not like I’ve done a conclusive study or anything like that, so if you know of a better one (and it costs less than £5), do tell!

Related: Why am i so pale?