I wish I were blessed with the kind of skin that tans easily – but at the grand old age of 30 (gulp), I am finally ready to accept that it is not the case. Of course, there is a big positive to this… Sunbathing is not good for our skin – fact – so my lack of basking will hopefully pay back in years to come (both in terms of health and the appearance of my skin).

Whilst I am aware and thankful for this, it doesn’t stop me envying girls that strut through the streets of London with tans worthy of a month spent in Miami Beach (and if they really did spend the past month in Miami Beach, I am even more envious…)

To keep up with the best of them, I have perfected a fake tan workout that gives me a golden glow when the sun decides to shine… Want to join me? Just follow the simple steps below…

1) EXFOLIATE

The night before I plan to tan, I run a bath and grab a pot of sugar-based body scrub. Fake tan has a nasty habit of clinging to rough, dead skin – so this is an essential part of the workout if you want to avoid streaks and pull off a natural look. My favourite has to be Occo Makocija No.5 Body Scrub, £21.25. As elbows and knees tend to be rougher and drier than other parts of the body, these are areas to particularly concentrate on when exfoliating.

2) MOISTURISE

Before I hit the sack, I apply a rich moisturiser to further smooth and hydrate skin. It’s important that this step is taken before bed to give it a chance to absorb fully, as fake tan won’t develop properly if applied when moisturiser is still on the surface of skin. Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Body Cream, £13.95, is absolutely ideal for the job and will leave skin smelling almost edible too!

3) TAN

When I wake up, it’s time to apply the fake tan! There are quite literally thousands of different products on the market and I like to think I have trialled a fair few of them – but my favourite is still St Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse, £19.20. The colour it develops is unrivalled, it lasts incredibly well, and very rarely streaks. There is, however, one very essential step to take in this part of the workout – and that’s to use a Mitt to apply it. I simply couldn’t achieve a natural look without this simple tool. Apply the mousse to skin directly and then use the mitt to spread evenly over the body. It also avoids those telltale orange palms! I use St Tropez Applicator Mitt, £3.36.

4) HIGHLIGHT

When I’ve got the colour, what next? Show it off, of course! My favourite way to do that is to apply body oil. I’m not suggesting an oil slick, but a gorgeous healthy glow that highlights skin and shows off the colour. My absolute favourite is Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Golden Dry Oil Splash, £22.08, which in infused with golden shimmer. As a bonus, it has a fabulous scent, has a dry texture, and will hydrate skin and thus extend my golden glow. What’s not to like?