A faked golden-brown glow is a wonderful thing, but how to avoid streaks, patches, or skin the colour of Tango orange? The first thing to understand about fake tan is that, in common with so much else in life, you get what you pay for. So purchase a reputable brand of tan. At the top end of the market, St Tropez is known as the tan favoured by the glamorous icons of Hollywood.

Other recommended luxury brands include Clarins, Clinique, Fake Bake, and, for performers and those who require a very heavily-tanned look, the Australian brand Del-Tone. Cheaper products whose reputations have been proven include L'Oreal Bronze Sublime, Ambre Solaire Duo-Tan and Boots No.7 Self-Tan, all of which contain tints that enable you to see where you've applied the product and where you need to touch up.

Use the right tone for you as well - if you're naturally slightly dark, use a medium/dark rather than a light/medium, which will have no effect. Light/medium is for Nordic and Celtic types.