Spring has finally sprung (sort of) and with that comes the electric realisation that warmer months are finally on the way. As we pull our sandals out of the wardrobe and get our picnic baskets at the ready, another spring/summer staple that everyone is returning to right now is fake tanning.

We’ve seen a huge uptick in interest for our review of the best fake tans recently, which means our readers are getting prepped to achieve the perfect summer glow. Thankfully, the false tan market has moved on tremendously in recent years, with innovative ingredients, finishes and wider shade ranges making the whole process a lot smoother.

Speaking of innovators, few tanning brand founders have disrupted the market as much as Marc Elrick, the man behind Tan-Luxe. The brand was founded in 2015, after the Glaswegian-born beauty guru spotted a gap in the market for tanning formulas that are skincare led and customisable. Since then, Tan-Luxe’s products have seen huge success thanks to their efficacious formulas and high quality ingredients. We’re huge fans of the brand’s OG hyaluronic acid face tanning serum, with our deputy editor billing it as the best face tanner she’s ever used.

The company is also big on championing “clean” formulas (meaning they are free from chemicals and other irritants) and transparency around its ingredients, with formulas that take years to perfect.

Tan-Luxe uses naturally derived DHA (short for dihydroxyacetone, the active tanning ingredient that helps the colour to develop) throughout its range, as well as other science-backed technologies to deliver a natural-looking glow. Elrick has since pivoted to straight skincare, with the launch of Byoma, an ingredient-led range with minimalist branding: think Inkey List, Glossier and The Ordinary.

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As fake tan obsessives ourselves, we were keen to hear from the king of glow on his must-have buys. From the vacuum that he uses to hoover up his French bulldog’s hair to his ride-or-die beauty buy, read on for insight into Marc Elrick’s shopping habits.