With summer now in full swing in Ireland, bedrooms up and down the country are becoming infused with the intoxicating scent of fake tan.

It’s a popular product on these shores, as Irish shoppers account for more than 60% of Primark’s global fake tan sales.

But at what age is it okay to start using fake tan?

On The Hard Shoulder today, owner of Killybegs Seafood Shack Mairead Anderson said this is a question she is currently trying to answer.

“I have a 14-year-old daughter and some of her friends use fake tan, and some others don’t,” she said.

“But Bethany (her daughter) has decided to just abstain from it herself because she has beautiful porcelain skin and, in my opinion, she doesn’t need it.

“But then again, should I be introducing her to it?”

'It makes me feel better'

Ms Anderson said her daughter already uses makeup.

“I got her a professional to help her choose the right tone and make sure,” she said.

“Every girl, we all like a bit of makeup, we like to enhance our own natural beauty.

“But if I wear fake tan, I have to be honest, it does make me feel better.

“I’m probably not as bad with it as I was in my 20s but us Irish women, especially, we feel like we look better when we have a tan – and I think we need to change.”

A woman applies a fake tan product in January 2010. Picture by: Panther Media GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo

The restaurant owner said it’s a societal issue.

“It’s us women that are pressuring other women and even wanting our children to have tans because we think it’s attractive,” she said.

“It’s a tricky one really because we don’t see sunshine here in Ireland – we’ve had a particularly bad year.

“We also associate health with having a nice golden tan and some of us don’t tan so they decide to use it.

“It’s funny because other cultures try and stay paler because they think that’s more attractive.”

Fake tan vanity

Ms Anderson thinks we should normalise paleness.

“I know there are different skin types that we sort of struggle with ourselves,” she said.

“I think it’s a sort of vanity thing for me.

“I wouldn’t go outside the door with a pair of shorts on me without a bit of fake tan on my legs, but my daughter does.

“She doesn’t feel that there’s anything. She looks beautiful, in my opinion, and I’m trying to encourage her to stay feeling like that.”

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