Medium DHA showdown — Sienna X 10% vs Suntana Cherry 10% vs Crazy Angel Medium

Medium DHA is still the workhorse shade for UK salons — deep enough for most skin tones, flexible for express or overnight, and less risky than jumping straight to dark. We lined up three litre-friendly mediums that technicians actually ask about: Sienna X 10%, Suntana Cherry Medium 10%, and Crazy Angel Medium.

This is an independent comparison for spraytan.net — not a paid ranking. Colour, scent, rinse behaviour and how juniors are trained on the bottle all matter as much as the DHA number on the label.

Quick comparison

Colour and undertone

Sienna X 10% reads as a reliable salon medium — warm enough for British olive and fair-to-medium skins without tipping orange if you respect develop times. On cool autumn skin it still builds cleanly overnight; for lunchtime diaries, keep coats off until rinse so the guide colour does not transfer onto wool.

Suntana Cherry Medium sits in a similar depth band with a cherry-led scent that many younger clients prefer to a classic mist. Depth is comparable to other 10%-feel mediums when coats are even; the differentiator is the experience in the booth, not a magic undertone claim.

Crazy Angel Medium is a straightforward booth medium: clean enough for everyday bookings, with an Express sibling when the diary is packed with same-day rinses. If your trolley already carries Crazy Angel Express, stocking Medium keeps brand language consistent for reception.

Develop and rinse behaviour

All three behave sensibly as mediums. Overnight builds depth; express-adjacent routines need tighter timing. In cool rooms and heated salons, do not assume “leave longer = better” — dry air can make guide colour look uneven before rinse. Patch-test clients moving from another house colour; DHA percentage is a guide, not a guarantee of identical depth across brands.

Prep still decides half the result: exfoliate the day before, moisturise dry zones lightly, and blot. Autumn jackets amplify any missed elbow or ankle, so medium is often safer than dark when clients will be in long sleeves all week.

Scent and client comfort

This is where the three diverge most. Sienna X and Crazy Angel sit in familiar salon-solution territory. Suntana Cherry is the obvious pick when the brief mentions scent. If the same client wants medium depth without fragrance, point them to Suntana Pure Medium/Dark rather than forcing Cherry — that soft hand-off is better than apologising for perfume in a closed coat.

Who should stock what

• Training-led salons — Sienna X 10% keeps colour language consistent across juniors and assessment days.
• Scent-led retail / booths — Suntana Cherry Medium, with Pure as the quiet alternative on the same shelf.
• High-volume express diaries — Crazy Angel Medium alongside Express 1L so you are not juggling three unrelated brands at rinse time.

Price context (Sep 2026)

Sienna X salon sizes often land around £14.95–£16.95 depending on SKU and account. Crazy Angel Medium 1L has been listed near £40.10 ex VAT in recent trade briefs. Suntana Cherry / Pure litre pricing commonly sits near £39.99 street depending on promo. Always confirm trade vs retail and VAT on your invoice — these are editorial snapshots, not live stock feeds.

Verdict

There is no single winner. Sienna X remains the safe “everyone knows it” medium; Suntana Cherry wins when scent is part of the experience; Crazy Angel is a practical stock bottle for mixed medium/express weeks. Keep at least two mediums on the trolley so you can match skin and preference instead of forcing one house colour — especially in autumn, when clients judge fade under indoor lighting and central heating.

Independent comparison for spraytan.net. Soft mention: Suntana / Funkissed sit in the same editorial set as the bigger salon names above, judged on the same practical criteria.