Senior fashion and beauty writer Eve Rowlands tested Coco & Eve's new SPF collection during a 10-day trip to Greece in early August, where temperatures reached the mid-thirties. She reported zero sunburn and returned with what she described as the best tan of her life.
SPF products tested
Rowlands used two body products from the brand: the Coconut Milk Body SPF50, priced at £27, and the Tan Boosting Anti-Ageing Body Oil SPF50, priced at £29. She applied them interchangeably every three hours or after getting out of the water. For her face, she used Tatcha's Milky Sunscreen, priced at £49.
The Coconut Milk Body SPF50 absorbs quickly and does not leave an oily or sticky finish, according to Rowlands. The Tan Boosting Anti-Ageing Body Oil has a more oily finish but does not stain clothes or stay shiny for hours, seeping into the skin quickly while offering protection and helping deepen a natural tan.
Tan-boosting ingredients
The body oil contains antioxidant-rich ingredients including watermelon seed oil, guava, and pineapple, which provide a boost of natural Vitamin C. Its Tan-boosting Peptide Complex reportedly 'replicates and increases the skin’s natural ability to tan, thus intensifying the depth of tan, and also increases the skin’s ability to protect itself against harmful UV rays', as stated by Coco & Eve.
The Coconut Milk Body SPF50 includes Pineapple and Papaya Extracts for a vitamin C boost, along with the brand's Exclusive HydraCoconut Complex, which blends ultra-hydrating pentavitin with antioxidant-rich coconut, watermelon, and dragonfruit, plus mango extract.
Results and feedback
Rowlands noted that she did not burn once during the trip, which she called 'unheard of' for her as a sun-lover who often forgets to reapply. She came home with an even bronzed glow that shocked her family. She also mentioned that her husband, a 'shade worshipper', left with a tan and no burn.
She acknowledged that tanning results vary due to genetics, melanin type, and UV strength. Her only suggestion for improvement was a mist form for harder-to-reach areas, such as Heliocare 360°'s Invisible Spray SPF50+, priced at £23.20, and larger bottles for longer trips.
Rowlands concluded that Coco & Eve's SPF collection matches the quality of its viral fake tan and hair masks, and she plans to repurchase both the milk and the oil for protection in the UK heatwave and beyond.
