This bronzer from Dior is absolutely gorgeous. I posted this picture of it on Instagram a while ago but didn’t have the courage to actually use it properly because I didn’t want to rub the beautiful lettering off! (Oh, silly me.)

The Diorskin Nude Tan could well be the bronzer of the summer for me; it’s a beautifully soft and buildable colour with a very natural finish. The product name, Nude Tan, is pretty much the best description you could ask for – if you’re looking to create a natural glow that subtly sculpts the face and gives a sophisticated “touch of sun” then this is definitely for you!

it took Ruth the best part of Saturday to perfect her scary “face in the mirror”

I have the bronzer in Sunlight, but there are three other shades. Sunlight will suit fair and fair-medium skintones – there’s a warmth to the bronzer but it’s not at all orangey and the pale pink and apricot hints really brighten dull skin. Apart from the bronzer itself being really quite a winner, the packaging is luxe and heavy and the compact comes with a mini kabuki brush which actually (for once!) does an alright job! I still prefer a big powder brush (Chanel or Suquu are current favourites!) but the kabuki is soft, cute and buffs the colour in nicely.

You can either swoosh the powder very loosely and lightly beneath the cheekbones, or, if you’re after a more stylised look, have a go at the shading from the Tom Ford videothat I filmed recently. A bit more of a “look”.

Hopefully you can see from the photographs that this is a really easy-to-wear and natural bronzer – I love that it has peachy, pinky tones that offset the tan, it’s exactly how you’d tan naturally. There’s no filter on the photographs of my face, I just took the pictures on my iPhone in front of the hotel window at the weekend, so what you see is what you get. If you’re wondering what MIRACLE is going on with my base, I’ll tell you: ByTerry Cover-Expert, Shade 9, see here for life-changing details.

The Dior Nude Tan is available with free UK delivery from Escentual.com for £35.25 or for £37 from JohnLewis.com