The Best Self-Tanners of 2024 (2024)

The Best Self-Tanners of 2024 (1)

Written by Jessica Kasparian, who has spent four years testing makeup, hair, and skin care products.

Updated July 18, 2024

Evenly bronzed skin with a subtle glow is a coveted feature, as it’s generally an indication of bright, warm summer days spent by the pool or at the beach. The only problem is that basking in the sun has serious ramifications in the form of sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles, and an increased risk of skin cancer. Fortunately, there’s a safer, alternative way to get the sun-kissed look you’re after: self-tanners.

We tested 12 of the best self-tanners that give you instant results upon application. The Bali Body Self Tanning Mousse (available at Ulta) was the overall best self-tanner we tried—it’s easy to apply and produces a beautiful, buildable faux tan.

The L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Mousse (available on Amazon) snatched our Best Value spot because it is super affordable and develops into a subtle tan that fades evenly.

We also named the Clarins Self-Tanning Instant Gel (available on Sephora) the Best for Beginners, as its no-fuss gel consistency results in a natural-looking tan.

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Best Overall

Bali Body Self Tanning Mousse

Applying the Bali Body Self Tanning Mousse is easy; the self-tanner has a "color guard" that lightly tints the skin so you can see what areas you’ve covered. I was able to coat my whole body in the mousse quickly enough that I didn’t need a protective mitt to keep my hands from getting stained and helps provide an even application.

The pleasant, clean scent is light enough to not bother you once the formula dries, though, like all the rest of the self-tanners on this list, is not unnoticeable. The self-tanner comes in two shades, dark and ultra dark, and I chose the lighter of the offerings.

The instructions for the self-tanner recommend leaving the solution on for one hour for a light tan, up to four hours for a medium to dark tan, and eight hours for the deepest tan possible. I applied one thin coat at the beginning of my workday and showered it off after seven hours. The result on my pale skin was a noticeable but not overdone tan that wasn’t orange or too golden. I was happy with the color, as anything too dark would appear unnatural on me, but I’d suggest applying a thicker layer or a second coat for the full eight hours if you want an even deeper effect.

The self-tanner faded evenly over the course of a week, making it great for either one-time use or a multi-day vacation or event where you don’t want to keep reapplying. And once on my skin, the product left behind no noticeable residue or staining on my clothes or bedding.

Pros

  • Easy to apply

  • Beautiful tan color

  • Long-lasting

  • Fades evenly

Cons

  • None that we could find

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Best Value

L'Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Water Mousse

Unlike the Bali Body, the L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Mousse does not have a color guard, which is where the self-tanner lost a few points with me. Instead, you must use the colorless sheen that the formula leaves on your skin to help guide you through the application process. I’d recommend using a tanning application mitt to apply this self-tanner, because the longer the product sits on your fingers and palms, the more likely they are to become unnaturally stained.

While all of this makes an even application more challenging, the tan you end up with is subtle and forgiving. The tan I achieved was a good surprise, as the product is only available in one "medium" shade. This tanner has a coconut scent that, while pleasant, is strong. If you don’t enjoy a fragrance other than your perfume lingering, you may find this bothersome. Luckily, it fades away after washing, like others on this list.

The instructions recommend letting the tan develop for anywhere from four to eight hours before showering. As the tan was developing, it looked patchy at first, but I washed my skin within the recommended window of time, and the next day, the color appeared much more natural-looking and not blotchy. The only problem area was around my ankles and feet where the contours are harder to cover evenly, which was true of many of the other self-tanners on this list.

After I applied the self-tanner, my sun-kissed tan lasted a few days, fading evenly throughout each day. While I would have liked a more noticeable tan from one application, the instructions recommend applying the solution three times over the course of 12 to 24 hours if you want a deeper tan and longer-lasting color. If you’ve been hesitant about trying self-tanner, this is an affordable option that’ll give you a taste of what the application process and wear experience is like.

Pros

  • Easy to apply

  • Subtle tan color

  • Fades evenly

Cons

  • Blotchy around ankles and feet

  • Limited shade range

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Best for Beginners

Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel

While the L’Oréal self-tanner is a great entryway into the self-tanning world because of its affordable price and natural-looking hue, the Clarins Self-Tanning Instant Gel is the easiest to use of all of the products I tried and the most subtle, making it one of the best self-tanners for beginners.

The gel texture of this product, which mimics the texture of a body lotion that you’d likely already be familiar with, makes up for its lack of a color guard to guide you. The lightweight consistency glides with ease over the whole body without the need for an application mitt or any real skill, adding to the reasons why it is a top-notch choice for nervous beginner self-tanners.

The gel has a clean, floral scent that makes it stand out from all of the other sweeter self-tanner fragrances. The tanner also doesn’t require you to leave it on for any specified amount of time or wash it off, like many others. The instructions only suggest waiting until the product dries before getting dressed—in my experience, it remained tacky even after 30 minutes, so you may want to build in time to sit around in your skivvies for a while after application.

Once fully dry and developed, the tanner left my skin with an even, light tan that could fool anyone into thinking I’d just spent a couple of days in the sun. I was impressed that I could still see a slight hint of it a week after application, as it evenly faded away. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this self-tanner for beginners as well as for people with very light skin who want a guaranteed subtle glow and easy-to-achieve tan.

Pros

  • Easy to apply

  • Subtle tan color

  • Fades evenly

Cons

  • Limited shade range

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Best Shade Range

Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam

If you love a tanning mousse formula, the Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam is the best self-tanner I’d recommend after the Bali Body one because it has a good shade range, a long-lasting formula, and gives a beautiful glow to the skin. That said, prepare to work quickly when you apply this self-tanner. The mousse formula seemed to froth up rather than blend into the skin at first and I had to spread it fast in order to avoid a patchy finish, but the color guard helped.

The instructions recommend waiting at least two hours—or overnight for a deeper tan—before showering. I used the shade "Medium" (it also comes in "Dark" and "Ultra Dark") and received a noticeable but not-too-dark tone that looked akin to what I’d get from several days in the sun. This self-tanner wore away evenly over about a week, and I enjoyed the tan while I had it.

The smell of this mousse has a strong and very sweet scent. I blindly described it as caramel-esque, but Coco and Eve says that the sweetness I’m smelling is actually tropical Balinese mango and guava. Almost all of the self-tanners had a strong scent that lingered until the formula was washed off and sometimes even for a few hours after a shower and this was no different.

Pros

  • Beautiful tan color

  • Long-lasting

  • Fades evenly

Cons

  • Very strong scent

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Best Scent

St. Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse

If you’re not a fan of the typical self-tanner fragrance (which multiple brands refer to as a "biscuity" scent), you might enjoy the St. Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse. The brand refers to this product’s smell as its "mood-boosting signature fragrance" with notes of bergamot and green apple.

To me, the tanner smells similar to the fresh scent of hair products I’ve used, like dry shampoo. Either way, you won’t get an overly sweet cover-up scent or the as-is chemical smell.

This is another great option for a self-tanning mousse, and I think most people would be happy with the results. This self-tanner has a dark color guard that makes it easy to apply in an even layer. I showered this self-tanner off after four hours—the instructions recommend waiting four to eight hours and I wasn’t sure what to expect color-wise, as this only comes in one shade called "Classic." Post-washing, I was impressed to see zero blotches around my knees, ankles, or feet—quite the feat for me. I’m not sure if I should toot my own horn or the self tanner’s, but I know I was pleased with the results.

However, I ended up noticing that my upper thighs appeared tanner than my calves. This could be user error or because below my knees never gets as tan as the rest of my legs (I blame 10 years of wearing shin pads while playing soccer) and my base color in those two specific areas may have differed.

Pros

  • Natural-looking tan color

  • Even coating around tough-to-reach areas

  • Pleasant scent

Cons

  • Limited shade range

How We Tested Self-Tanners

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The Tester

Hi, I’m Jessica, the beauty editor at Reviewed. I’ve tested all things skin-, makeup-, and hair-related for our beauty section. But perhaps most pertinent for this article—I’m pale. I have a very light-colored complexion that can achieve a very subtle natural tan if I sit in the sun—something I don’t do often and never without sunscreen. I’ve received a professional spray tan once in my life and have occasionally used self-tanners for a once-a-summer experiment, but I never keep up with regular applications. But knowing that plenty of people prefer tan skin for vacations in warmer climates or special events, I embarked on this self-tanner odyssey. (You’re welcome!)

The Tests

There are plenty of self-tanner products to choose from that claim to give you "instant" results (as opposed to gradual), developing within a few hours of application. I sifted through bestseller lists and retailer reviews to narrow my testing list down to 12 options from top brands in this category. Because of my paleness, I typically opted for the medium shade available in any product that offered a light-medium-dark range, and the lightest option in any that only offered deeper hues.

At the beginning of my tests, I tested two self-tanners at a time by applying one to each leg. Because these products are designed to last several days, this method would give me accurate results wear-wise while also speeding up the testing process.

Then, I individually tested the four self-tanners that aced my first round of tests with an all-over application. I recorded my results on a scientifically calibrated rubric created by Reviewed’s team of scientists, rating the self-tanners on the following attributes:

Shade range: Does the self-tanner offer a very limited, decent, or plentiful amount of shades?

Application: How easy is it to dispense the self-tanner from the container? Do you need a lot of the self-tanner to cover the legs/body?

Wear: After following application instructions, how tan does your skin look? How does the self-tanner feel on your skin? Does the color fade evenly?

Longevity: How quickly does the self-tanner fade away?

Scent: Does the self-tanner have a smell? Is it pleasant or unpleasant? How powerful is the fragrance?

Staining: Does the self-tanner leave any residue/staining on clothes or bedding?

How Do Self-Tanners Work?

In order to understand how self-tanners work, it’s important to know that the two most common types of self-tanners are instant (which we tested) and gradual. Instant self-tanners begin taking effect immediately and fully develop over the course of a few hours. This kind of self-tanner requires you shower it off after a few hours, or overnight for a deeper tan.

Instant Self-Tanners

There are several self-tanner formulas available among instant self-tanners: mousse, spray, lotion, gel, and mix-in drops that you add to your body lotion of choice. With any of these options, a self-tanning application mitt (I used the one that came with the Loving Tan bottle) is helpful for evenly spreading and blending in the formula to prevent you from staining your hands.

Most instant self-tanners, including the ones on this list, contain an ingredient called dihydroxyacetone (DHA) that reacts with the outer layer of the skin to temporarily darken it.
Some self-tanners have a color guard, or a pigment that lightly tints the skin (though this is not the final color) to show where you’ve applied; other self-tanners are clear so you need to do your best to remember where you’ve applied it.

Gradual Self-Tanners

The gradual self-tanners out there require multiple applications over the course of a couple of days to build up a subtle tan that fades away without regular maintenance. An example of one of the best gradual self-tanners is the Reviewed-approved M-61 Hydraboost Gradual Tan Body Butter.

According to our tester, its $34 price tag is worth it, given that she achieved a subtle tan a few hours post-application and it didn’t leave her skin feeling sticky or tacky. "Because it's a multi-purpose product that hydrates and tans, for me, it's money well spent," she writes.

Other best-selling gradual self-tanners that have received rave reviews include the Tan-Luxe The Gradual Illuminating Gradual Tan Lotion, the St.Tropez Gradual Tan Firming Lotion, and the Bondi Sands Everyday Gradual Tanning Milk Body Moisturizer.

How Do You Apply Self-Tanner?

The best self-tanners should provide a glowing, lasting tan. To ensure that you reap all the benefits of your self-tanner, we recommend the following steps when applying self-tanner.

Step 1: Before applying a self-tanner, make sure to exfoliate the skin all over your body. This step will get rid of all the dead skin cells and any other residue that sits on the top surface of your skin, resulting in a polished, smooth canvas for your self-tanner to absorb into.

You can use a body scrub—we like the Sol de Janeiro Bom Dia Body Scrub—or just a washcloth or cleansing brush with some water will also give you quick exfoliation.

This is also the perfect time to shave because shaving is another means of exfoliation that not only removes dead skin cells but also gets rid of any body hair.

Once you’re done exfoliating and shaving, get out your favorite body moisturizer and slather it all over your skin. Saturating your skin in moisturizer will help give an extra boost to your soft, smooth canvas ahead of applying self-tanner.

Step 2: Once your skin has been renewed and refreshed after exfoliating, you’re ready to tan. But make sure that your skin is 100% dry from exfoliating. Using either your hands or a self-tanning mitt, apply the product onto your skin in circular motions, as if you were putting on body lotion.

Our tester found that using a self-tanning mitt helped make a much more seamless experience than without it. Otherwise, the tanner will create dark stain marks all over your skin.

Step 3: Finally, depending on what self-tanner you choose, you will have to let it sit on your skin for four to eight hours before taking a shower. And, of course, make sure your skin is completely dry before getting dressed.

How Long Do Self-Tanners Last?

Through our testing, we found that tans from instant self-tanners tend to last one week—or seven days—and faded away evenly without any awkward marks or streaks left as the self-tanners disappeared. However, the self-tanners’ claims don’t explicitly say that the tan should last a week.

For example, the claims for our best overall and best for beginners picks, the Bali Body Self Tanning Mousse and the Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel, respectively, state that each formula delivers "long-lasting results."

How Do You Remove Self-Tanner?

Similar to how you prepare your skin for self-tanning, getting rid of your self-tanner is a matter of exfoliating your body. Use a body scrub or baking soda mixed with some water and scrub your body to lighten your self-tan and speed up how long it takes to fade. If you apply self-tanner to your face, use a face scrub.

We like the Sugar Face Polish from Fresh Beauty. It leans on brown sugar to slough away dead skin cells.

What’s The Difference Between Self-Tanner For Your Body And Face?

Despite their shared purpose, self-tanners for the body and face are not the same. While both types of self-tanner use DHA tanning active as the hero ingredient, the rest of the formulas are dramatically different from each other. Self-tanners for the body tend to have a thick texture and powerful scent. In turn, body self-tanners would likely be too heavy on the more delicate skin on your face.

Meanwhile, self-tanners for the face are lightweight, usually formulated into drops or oils, and contain more skincare ingredients that are specifically designed to moisturize the skin on the face. Some of the most popular top-rated face tanners out there include vitamin C, aloe vera, and even SPF protection.

Other Self-Tanners We Tested

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Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Drops

The Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Drops are unlike any of the others on this list. They are liquid drops that you add into any moisturizer of your choice to apply on the face or body. I chose the medium shade, but they also offer light and dark shades.

The instructions suggest adding one to 12 drops into moisturizer: two to four for a "sun-kissed" tan, six to eight for "golden," and 10 to 12 for "bronze." A little confusing, but I pressed on. Then the next problem occurred: I went to drop the clear solution into my Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion and noticed that the formula was thick enough that it wasn’t coming out as definitive drops and instead more of a stream of fluid. I don’t know how many "drops" I actually got but it was less than the dollop of lotion. After mixing the two in my palms, I rubbed it haphazardly all over my leg like I would with any body moisturizer. I didn’t have to rinse it off, per the instructions, so I didn’t.

The tan I got with this was fine. It wasn’t as tan as I would have preferred and, while I could use even more drops next time, I think I’d go through the tiny 1.01-ounce bottle quickly that way—a worry I didn’t have with any of the other tanners on this list. The experience of using the drops was pleasant despite the confusion at the beginning. I liked the clean, subtly sweet scent and how moisturized my legs felt due to the mix-in mechanism. I’d be more likely to recommend this as a face tanner than a body one.

Pros

  • Easy to apply

  • Pleasant scent

Cons

  • Not tan enough

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Loving Tan 2 HR Express Mousse

My experience with the Loving Tan 2 HR Express Self Tanning Mousse in the medium shade was a perplexing one. It started off great—I appreciated the noticeable color guard and easy-to-blend mousse formula. It felt comfortable to wear on my skin while it dried and didn’t stain the robe I was sitting on while waiting. The bottle came with an application mitt, which is a nice bonus. I even noted that I thought this could soar above the pack. But when I showered after the recommended two hours, I was surprised to see… pale.

Yes, there was a slight tan and it was even looking, but it was not nearly as noticeable as others on this list. I felt like it never fully developed on my skin and considered even redoing it. I opted not to re-test it because I followed the instructions correctly and couldn't think of how this would be a user error—except maybe that I should have gone with the dark solution or the "deluxe bronzing mousse" line instead of the two-hour express one. I’ve heard nothing but excellent things about this brand, and my experience with using this tanner was a positive one aside from the color that developed. For that reason I wouldn’t discount Loving Tan, but I wouldn’t recommend picking up this particular one in the medium shade.

Pros

  • Easy to apply

  • Decent shade range

  • Includes tanning mitt

Cons

  • Not tan enough

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Beauty by Earth Self Tanner

The Beauty By Earth Self-Tanner is a thick, white lotion that I found difficult to blend into the skin. My whole leg was covered in an opaque white tint at one point while I was spreading it, which led me to think that I applied too much. Still, it took less than five minutes to do my whole leg and the result was a smooth feel. After a few hours, it developed into a nice, natural-looking tan everywhere except my feet, which looked patchy. I was quick to chalk this up to user error, but then remembered that the thick formula didn’t do me any favors. The instructions recommend letting the tanner dry for 15 minutes before putting on clothing and there is no wash-off necessary.

A week after application, the tan was still present, but there were large patches on my leg where the tanner had faded more quickly. This could have been from me sitting down or crossing my legs within hours of applying the product, but even if that’s the case, I’d prefer a less finicky product.

Pros

  • Moisturizing

  • Even tan

  • Natural-looking color

Cons

  • Difficult to apply

  • Limited shade range

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Jergens Natural Glow Sunless Tanning Mousse

The Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun Body Mousse is as easy to apply as all of the other mousses on this list. The light bronze shade is spreadable and it has a color guard that helps with even coverage. I tried this product toward the beginning of my testing and I wanted to know if letting the self-tanner develop overnight would be a way of testing I’d like because many instructions allow for it.

I applied this on clean skin to one leg and waited until I thought it was dry. It felt tacky, but not any more than a moisturizer does for sometimes hours after application. The result was some patchiness around my ankles and feet, but an otherwise nice color. I showered and saw a big improvement—my skin looked much more even and the color was even more natural without the residue from the color guard. The result lasted a few days before fading gradually.

This reminds me a lot of the L’Oréal Paris tanner and it’s another decent drugstore option. I’d prefer a formula that dries faster and doesn’t feel tacky for hours post-application, but it works in a pinch.

Pros

  • Easy to apply

  • Natural-looking color

Cons

  • Blotchy in tough-to-reach areas

  • Stays tacky for hours

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Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam

The Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam fell flat for me. It has a color guard, but I still had a hard time applying this evenly—it wasn't streak-free. Almost all of the self-tanners left at least a little residue on my robe, but this one transferred a lot, causing me to worry that there wouldn’t be any formula there to actually tan my leg.

The instructions say that you can shower this off after one hour but wait for up to six if you want a deeper tan. After a few hours, I showered it off and barely saw a tan. At the time, I was just relieved to see that my leg wasn’t a patchy mess after the streaky application and transfer onto my robe. While I’m sure this could be built up for a deeper color, there are too many good options on this list for me to recommend this over any of the ones above.

Pros

  • Not streaky despite difficult application

Cons

  • Not tan enough

  • Transfers onto clothing

  • Difficult to apply

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Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs

To apply the Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs Makeup, you shake the can, spray it into your hands, and rub it onto the skin. This is considered makeup, so it won’t create a lasting tan, but we opted to include it on this list because it’s a popular product that gives an instant result.

I found it awkward to rub into the skin because the can produces a frothy liquid, sort of like spray paint. Of course, the color showed up right away, but it looked too orange on my skin tone. An upside was that it made my leg look overall smoother in appearance and even added a sheen to my skin with tiny flecks of glitter. I wouldn’t choose this for a special occasion because of the color on me, but I can see the appeal of a product like this.

Pros

  • Smooths skin's appearance

Cons

  • Too orange

  • Difficult to apply

  • Not long-lasting

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Neutrogena MicroMist Airbrush Sunless Tan

The instructions for the Neutrogena Micromist Airbrush Sunless Tanning Spray recommend applying it in a well-ventilated area. I wanted to avoid putting on a show by standing outside my apartment building to apply it, so I stood in my shower instead. This way, I could walk away from the spray once I was done and hose down the shower in case of staining.

The formula is clear, making it hard to tell where you’ve applied it except for a slight sheen it leaves behind. It also felt way less precise to use a spray than to use my hands to apply a mousse, gel, or lotion. I applied it in vertical motions up my leg and hoped for the best. After a few hours, the tan started to develop and it looked somewhat natural but streaky in some areas. There was even a big white spot in the middle of my shin, which could have been from me crossing my legs under my desk, but it’s hard to say. In the end, there are too many great self-tanner options on this list to settle for this so-so one.

Pros

  • Natural-looking color

Cons

  • Streaky

  • Messy application

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Meet the tester

The Best Self-Tanners of 2024 (22)

Jessica Kasparian

Beauty Editor

@jkasparian_

Jessica writes and edits beauty content as a member of Reviewed's commerce team and manages a beauty TikTok called Beautorial. She's spent four years testing makeup, skincare, hair care, and body care products, and she acts as Reviewed's beauty expert.

Jessica represented Reviewed's beauty section at CES in-person and virtually for four years, and she was nominated for and graduated from the Gannett Emerging Leaders 2021-2022 program.

Jessica holds a Bachelor's degree in journalism from Emerson College, and she's written for Scary Mommy, 7News, Boston.com, Citizine, and Boston Common Magazine.

See all of Jessica Kasparian's reviews

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