The sun-kissed look that tanning products now provide is far from the streaky mess that used to be associated with ‘faking it’. Self-tanning is on the rise – sales of oils, moisturisers and lotions increased 39% between 2015 and 2016 – but why are people opting to get their glow from a bottle?

The ultra-bronzed casts of TOWIE and Geordie Shore are fuelling a fondness for tanning among Britain’s young men. Over a quarter of male Gen Yers used self tanners in 2016, compared to only 16% in 2015, and young men are now more likely to visit a tanning salon than women.

Whether you’re the contouring queen or a minimalistic gal, a lot of women aren’t prepared to spend more than five minutes putting their face on in the morning. And there are more products than ever that offer time-saving shortcuts to help women feel beauty-rich, even when they're time-poor.

Brits are spending like the recession never ended. But while the purse strings have tightened when it comes to necessities like groceries, products that promise aesthetic perfection are enjoying huge growth. Why do skint 20-somethings feel the need to look good when times are hard?