Try me Supertan

New from Estee Lauder is yet another way to tan yourself without so much as seeing the sun. The Self Action Supertan Spray is sprayed on to the body like a fine mist, allowing tanning in hard-to-reach places.

The spray-on tan is easy use and comes in a handy pump-action bottle - which means you don't get your hands stained, as with other tanning creams. It is also non-greasy and has a pleasant smell, unlike many other products which tend to become more odorous when they react with the keratin in the top layer of the skin.

If you don't spray the product gently enough, however, the solution tends to run off the surface of your skin, causing a streaking varicose vein effect. Although the product claims to be non-irrating, I felt a slight burning sensation a few minutes after the spray was applied and would suggest that anyone with particularly sensitive skin tries the product only on a small area of the body first. My leg felt prickly and hot to touch. Another drawback of the product is that it contains no colour agent, which means that when you spray it on to your skin it is difficult to see which areas you have missed and which you have sprayed too heavily.

The result, after two hours, was minimal, and quite uneven, and I needed to apply another coat to reach the desired density of colour. Some of the cheaper cream formulas might be better value for money if you don't mind more mess.

Self-action Supertan Spray (pounds 17 for 125 ml) is available from 11 May at Estee Lauder counters.