Tried and Tested: Solait Instant Wash Off Tan

As the pale-skinned English Rose that I am I mostly steer clear of fake tan as I don’t think it really suits me. But sometimes when I’m bearing my arms and legs for a night out in the warmer months I do like to dabble with a bit of wash-off instant tan (such as Rimmel Sun Shimmer). I’m not really going for the full tanned look – more of a golden glow. And I like it because it gives my limbs an even skin tone and has a slimming effect.

However… since going cruelty free I’ve been looking for a substitute for the old favourite Sun Shimmer. I had no idea what alternatives there were as I thought Rimmel had cornered this market, but actually if you search for instant tan there are a few cruelty-free options. The one I’m reviewing here is Solait Instant Wash Off Tan, which is a budget option at £4.49 for 125ml. It’s Superdrug own-brand so is leaping bunny BUAV approved.

Unfortunately though that’s where the positives of this product end. I’m not sure if it was because I was using the matte version rather than shimmer, but it did not blend at all. As soon as it touched my skin it was as though it had bonded to it or something, because it just wouldn’t smooth out. It looked as though I had blotchy stain patches wherever I applied it. I’ve tried a few times, with and without tanning mitt, but there was no improvement and I couldn’t find a technique to make it work.

It does wash off easily, as it is supposed to, but this matte version is not a good dupe for the Rimmel Sun Shimmer. (If anyone has found the Solait Shimmer version to be good, let me know!). If it had worked, this 125ml tube would have lasted me ages and been a great buy. But I don’t think this is even useable, so will be hunting for another alternative product – I’m thinking Fake Bake Instant Shimmer might be a good option.

So would I recommend this? Definitely not!