Thanks to widespread media coverage, we are all now aware of the dangers of the sun.

Protecting our skin from harmful UV rays us now second nature and most of us wouldn't dream of sunbathing without a liberal dose of sun tan lotion.

But if you want to avoid sunbathing completely and still have a tan, you could try one of the many products on the market to help us recreate that sunkissed glow in the comfort of our homes.

Old fashined self-tanning lotions used to be quite difficult to apply without leaving a streaky mess, but modern products are designed to minimise streaks and to develop into a natural looking tan.

Mousses and sprays make self-tan easy to apply and tanning towells allow you to wipe on the lotion with the minimum of mess.

If you fancy a more professional finish, why not try a spray tan? These usually consist of a spray booth, a bit like a shower cubicle, where you are sprayed with a fine mist from top to toe. You can select the depth of colour that you want and it normally takes less than a minute to apply. The tan then develops over the next few hours.

There are so many options available nowadays, so it's easy to keep that holiday glow all year round