We tested all the tanning drops so you don’t have to – these are the best

“I’m suspicious of celebrity brands, but fair play to podcaster/model Vogue Williams: these are the business. They’re ideal for drier skin types, as they’re bolstered with skin-hydrating goodies such as oat kernel oil and urea. This meant they just pipped my other (also very good) options to the post. My pale olive skin swiftly turns Trumpian orange with most fake tans but after adding 3-6 pipette drops of this clear liquid to my moisturiser, I wake up looking perky rather than ‘a fortnight basting in Benidorm’. Choose from two shades – light/medium or medium/dark – and marvel at the excellent price (the 30ml bottle, used daily, lasted me three months). Plus, the inclusion of grapefruit oil means you smell delightfully citrussy rather than like a Rich Tea biscuit.”

“If you want scent-free tanning drops that wont irritate sensitive skin, these, from British organic beauty brand Evolve, are my top pick.  The drops have a watery consistency so easily combine with your skincare. But because they are so fluid, you can easily overdo it, so go slowly when you squeeze: 4-6 drops is the sweet spot. The calming botanical centella asiatica (aka cica), knocks back inflammation and redness. After just one use, my skin looked much calmer and perfectly golden.”

“If like me you’re naturally tanned, tanning drops may not be a priority, especially as fake tan can easily push my skin tone into unnatural, orange-y territory. But these definitely don’t. They have a fine golden shimmer that gives an immediate luminosity while the tan slowly builds underneath. They’re applied directly to the face because the blending has already been done for you – they’re pre-combined with a hydrating serum, delivering your skincare and tanning in one step. They’re almost £60 but the price is justified.I’ve been using them instead of my foundation (which costs about the same) for a summery, nourished glow.

“As the office’s resident fake tan obsessive, I’m always after the deepest glow in the shortest time – and this best-seller (Bondi Sands is the UK’s most popular self-tan brand) delivered the darkest results of the bottles I tried at an affordable price. Simply add a few drops into your moisturiser (I use seven) and let it develop for up to six hours. I leave it on overnight as you’re not supposed to layer on skincare straight after. There’s a slight fake tan smell, but nothing strong enough to disturb sleep. And because the dark shade develops well (there’s a lighter version too), you don’t need to top up as often – so one bottle lasts for many months.”