I’ve been fake tanning all year round for more than a decade – yes, even in the winter. As such, I’ve tested dozens of brands, from industry heavyweights like Bondi Sands and Isle of Paradise to skincare stalwarts like Gatineau and Caudalie. I’m a creature of habit when it comes to my favourite formulas – and it’s not often that a new name arrives on the scene that I really rate.
Enter: Self Glow. Fake tan guru James Read has been in the business of sunless tanning for more than two decades. Having worked behind the scenes on fashion week for Tom Ford and Burberry, and tanned the likes of Mariah Carey and Rosie Huntington-Whitely, it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about faking a golden glow.
Fake devotees might already be familiar with the name, thanks to his dissolved eponymous brand. But now, he’s put his wealth of experience into a new fake tan venture.
Marrying skincare and tanning, the roster spans gradual tan, moisturiser, tanning facial, tanning face drops, an overnight tanning serum, a face mask, serum more. Designed to streamline the tanning process, the formulas are meant to slot easily into your existing routine, whether it’s replacing your night cream or your daily lotion.
The tanning world has come a long way in 20 years, with the days of extreme spray tans (see Noughties-era Paris Hilton) and badly formulated ingredients long gone. Read’s brand aims to showcase the best in innovation, with an emphasis on nourishing formulas that enhance your natural complexion, rather than masking it.
How I tested
With summer in full swing, I had to try the range for myself. As a skincare nerd and a fake tan addict, I swapped my go-to body and face formulas for the Self Glow products throughout the month, taking them on holiday with me and using them at home.
- Ingredients: Embracing the “shroom boom” in skincare, the formulas are powered by fermented mushrooms, as well as hydrating hyaluronic acid and aloe vera, and skin-replenishing actives like shea butter, squalane, apricot oil, kakadu plum, natural cocoa extracts, and plant-based DHA. I considered the skincare benefits of these ingredients after application.
- Application: I applied the serum with a mitt (after showering and exfoliating) and the overnight facial formula before bed to test their glow-getting claims by morning, considering how nourishing and hydrating the formulas were. Meanwhile, I used the gradual moisturiser as my daily lotion and the tanning drops at the end of my skincare regimen. The range also includes a face mask with a tanning element, which I trialled while working from home.
- Results: Of course, I wanted to see bronzed results. I assessed whether the colour pay-off looked natural rather than artificial (think orange or green tones), as well as how long the tan lasted.
- Value-for-money: Starting from £39, the range certainly isn’t cheap – but is it worth it? Here’s my verdict on Self Glow by James Read.
Why trust IndyBest reviews
As senior shopping writer at The Independent, I’ve tested hundreds of fake tans, from gradual tans to mousses. Besides using a fake tan as part of my weekly routine for more than a decade now, I’ve investigated the best ways to apply fake tan and written several in-depth reviews of my favourite products, including St Tropez and Bare By Vogue. I’ve also consulted experts on the formulas they’d recommend for certain skin types, top tips for application and how to help it fade.
14 best fake tans, tried and tested for a natural-looking glow
I wear Drunk Elephant’s £35 bronzing drops every day – but is this £3.95 alternative better?
15 best gradual tans for a healthy golden glow
13 best bronzing drops for an instant sun-kissed glow
13 best face tanners for an effortless sun-kissed glow in 2025
Self Glow by James Read gradual tan moisturiser
Best: Quick-drying gradual tan
Type: Gradual moisturiser
Size: 200ml
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, shea butter
Developing time : Six hours
Why we love it
- Hydrating
- Natural-finish
- Buildable colour
A good gradual tan moisturiser is a holy grail product in your daily routine. Packed with skin-loving ingredients like triple active and 4D hyaluronic acid for a hydration boost, as well as shea butter and apricot oil for nourishing, Self Glow’s gradual tan ticks a lot of boxes. The scent is delicate and light (a nice change from the telltale smell of some gradual lotions), while the clear formula is easy to blend, leaving a glistening finish that helps with even coverage.
Fast drying, you can put clothes on within minutes without that sticky feeling. Skin feels instantly softened and hydrated, with a naturally-bronzed look after just a couple of hours. The colour by itself is quite subtle, but is easily built with multiple layers, or works just as well as a top-up for an existing layer of tan (real or otherwise). I love the pump dispenser, too, which makes application a breeze.
Buy now £44.00, Spacenk.com
Self Glow by James Read sunrise to sundown tinted tan serum
Best: Hydrating serum
Type: Tinted serum
Size: 150ml
Key ingredients: Natural cacao, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, squalane
Developing time: Instant tint, but fully developed in six hours
Why we love it
- Nourishing
- Skin blurring
The Self Glow tinted serum offers the best of both worlds when it comes to tanning. Giving you an instant tint before developing more deeply over a couple of hours, the result is naturally bronzed and nourished skin. You can apply with a mitt or your hands (I prefer a mitt for more even coverage), with the lightweight serum blending easily. A little goes a long way (a plus, considering the price) with a guiding colour helping with a flawless finish.
Infused with hyaluronic acid for hydration, fermented mushrooms for soothing, aloe vera and plant based DHA for a radiance boost, it really does replicate the holiday glow. It doesn’t transfer to sheets or clothes, and dries quickly, leaving skin smooth and softened. The longer you leave it on before showering, the deeper your tan is, and the colour is easily buildable, without drying your skin out – apply the gradual lotion a couple of days later to prolong the glow.
Buy now £44.00, Libertylondon.com
Self Glow by James Read dusk to dawn overnight tan facial
Best: Overnight facial tan
Type: Facial tanning serum
Size: 50ml
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic spheres, aloe vera, fermented mushroom
Developing time: Six hours
Why we love it
- Buildable
- Multifunctional formula
- Boosts radiance
After completing your skincare regime, it can feel a bit counter-productive to layer on face fake tan as the final step. Not with Self Glow’s overnight tan facial formula. With hyaluronic acid spheres and 4D hyaluronic acid helping with optimal hydration and plumping, as well as fermented mushrooms supporting the skin’s barrier and aloe vera for smoothing, it has all the benefits of your nightly moisturiser, with the added plus of a lovely natural colour.
The clear, lightweight formula has a nice gel-like consistency that goes on like a dream. Simply apply in the evening (remember to wash your hands) and wake up with hydrated, soft and subtly bronzed skin. Using it every other day builds a naturally radiant complexion that won’t see you compromise on your skincare regime.
Buy now £44.00, Spacenk.com
Self Glow by James Read sunbright tinted tan drops
Best: Customisable face drops
Type: Tanning face drops
Size: 30ml
Key ingredients: Cocoa extract, aloe vera, fermented mushrooms
Developing time: Four-six hours
Why we love it
- Lightweight and hydrating
- Evens out your skintone and masks hyperpigmentation
- Fades nicely
Fake tan drops are a versatile addition to your skincare regime, as they can be used alone for a deeper bronzed look or mixed with your morning moisturiser for a subtle glow. Self Glow’s tinted tan drops are lightweight and hydrating enough to be mixed with anything, whether it’s your foundation or serum. Don’t be scared of the deep brown colour, which leaves a subtle tint after application and develops gradually over the next few hours for a tanned look.
The clever formula also works to even out your skintone and mask hyperpigmentation, which is another big plus. It fades nicely, too, so you’re not left patchy on day three. In fact, the initial colour lasts a good two days before fading at all, which means you only need to reapply every three days or so.
Buy now £39.00, Spacenk.com
Self Glow by James Read break of dawn rejuvenating glow mask
Best: Tanning face mask
Type: Gradual face mask
Size: 60ml
Key ingredients : Hyaluronic acid, squalane, plant-based DHA
Why we love it
- Cleansing
- Smoothing
- Primes skin
- Glowy finish
Giving skin some serious TLC while allowing us to indulge in a pampering session, we all love a face mask. Throw a tanning active into the mix and what more could you want? Yes, there are tanning sheet masks out there but Self Glow’s formula is unique in that it’s packed with real skincare benefits. Designed to be used before applying make-up or skincare, it has an earthy colour and gorgeous smell.
Simply spread evenly over your face (around four pea size amounts does the job) and leave on for 20 minutes, before washing off with warm water. The results are subtly radiant and glowy (you can see the colour developing slowly over the 20 minutes), with the hardworking formula also exfoliating and smoothing skin for a soft, cleansed finish. The perfect pick-me-up for tired skin. The price is steep, but only a small amount is needed, so it will last you ages.
Buy now £39.00, Spacenk.com
The verdict: Self Glow by James Read
The James Read Self Glow range has all bases covered when it comes to fake tanning. If you love a subtle, natural-looking golden glow, the nourishing gradual formula and hydrating overnight facial are your best friends. Meanwhile, the tinted serum offers a deeper, fresh-off-a-plane finish, and the tanning drops are similarly a holiday-in-a-bottle. Less essential but perfect for a pampering session, the face mask is packed with skin-loving ingredients and leaves you glowy and smooth. Yes, it’s expensive, but if you want fake tan with added skincare benefits, you’re in the right place.
If you’re looking for more nourishing fake tan recommendations, we’ve rounded up the best gradual formulas
