Summer’s here and so is sun-kissed skin – no sunbathing required, just some clever self tan products and tips.

 1 Smooth out your skin

A natural-looking self-tan starts with a good base, so make sure you exfoliate first. This n°1 illume 100% Silk Exfoliating Glove (£15.99, no1illume.com) will leave your limbs silky and ready for a tanning product. Soak your skin in warm, steamy water for 10 to 15 minutes, rinse the glove, wring it out and move it over your skin to get rid of dry bits, leaving your skin soft and smooth.

2 Take your self tan gradually

Build up your colour step by step with Nordic brand MÁDARA’s Fake It Natural Look Self tan Milk (£23.95, madaracosmetics.com). It’s enriched with skin-softening jojoba oil, smells fresh and the subtle colour develops in four to six hours. You can build it up to achieve a more bronzed look or use it just the once to give your body a healthy glow.

3 Incorporate it into your everyday skincare

Talk about multitasking! Skinny Tan Coconut Water Face Serum tanning Drops (£14.99, skinnytan.co.uk) includes skin-loving vitamin E, Q10 and aloe vera and smells like a holiday. Simply add a drop or two of this concentrated self-tanning serum to your usual skincare products.

4 Don’t forget your face

Using self-tan on your face can be daunting (you can’t just cover it up with a cardigan!), but the trick is not to overthink it. Just apply to the areas where the sun would hit your face and quickly move outwards to the rest of your cheeks and chin, blending in. Leighton Denny Sun Believable Face (£29.50, ld-boutique.com) uses natural tanning ingredients and gives a hit of skin-nourishment, too, with hyaluronic acid and oils of virgin plum, jojoba and organic black seed.

5 Get an instant result

Cultivate that gorgeous just-been-on-holiday look in a flash with Trinny London Golden Glow (£25, trinnylondon.com). Available in four shades, from the golden bronze of Jensta to the deep mahogany bronze of Naomi, dab the gel-based bronzer on your forehead, nose and cheekbones. Pop it on top of foundation or straight onto your skin for instant sunshine.

6 … and finally, remove your self tan

However much we may love a fake tan, there comes a time when you want it gone, to either start again from scratch or go natural. Step forward Rose & caramel’s Purity excel 3 Minute Tan Removal (£26.99, roseandcaramel.co.uk). This scrub will get your skin back to its natural shade. It’s vegan, as well as free from parabens and sulphates.

Embracing a simple beauty routine pays dividends. Find out why it works.