Tan Trials '10: He-Shi One Day Tan

New in the world of fake tanning this year are a couple of wipe-on, wash-off versions. Lynnie trialled St Tropez's Instant Glow Body Lotion recently and was distinctly whelmed, and I took a tube of new He-Shi One Day Tan, €20, away with me to Spain recently for the express purpose of taking the blue glow off my legs, which finally came out of thick black opaques courtesy of the heat.

If you read regularly you'll know I'm not a fan of fake tan. It's all too often a crappy product, hard to apply, stinks and gives a questionable result. I've tested so many products over the years that to me, fake tan can all too often suffer from Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome and I'm ever-vigilant about that. So, after a quick titter (again) at He-Shi's brand name (which I honestly think alienates more customers than it attracts because of the cringe-factor) I decided to give One Day Tan a go. I have had ok experiences with this brand in the past, and also given the fact that it doesn't develop - and therefore reek - I reckoned it was worth testing.

You apply this straight to dry skin - don't moisturise first - and rub it in with one of those plastic-backed foam mitts. It's a terrifyingly deep poo-brown when it comes out, but once you rub it in, it's very easy to get a subtle, even effect and the fact that it's quite light and gel based means it's dry in literally a couple of minutes. While it's suitable for the body, there's no mention of whether it can be used on the face - so perhaps err on the side of caution there.

On my very white, ghostly, slug-like legs, this was enough to take the bare look off. It didn't look forced or tangoed, so if you like a very oompa-loompa'ed result this won't be for you. For tan-phobics or anyone one just wants a light, natural-looking couple of shades up from your natural skin-tone, then I think you'll get on pretty well with this boyo. If you're trying to maintain a salon tan, then it could be a goer too, to allow you a couple of extra days of a deeper colour.

So, any downsides? Well, €20 is quite pricey for something you slap on and wash off, but with 150ml in the tube, you should get a good few applications out of it. I certainly didn't skimp and was generous with the amount I was using and there's still loads left. I didn't notice any transfer onto clothes or furniture and it did wash off in the shower, necessitating a re-application the next day - but that's fine given the name and the claim, and I was happy with that.

He-Shi One Day Tan is currently exclusive to Brown Thomas stores, going nationwide from July. Check out www.euro-products.co.uk for a stockist near you.