Claire here, Content Creator [and self-proclaimed spray tan expert] here at Living Per Yellow! You’ll likely find me sporting a faux glow year round. There’s just something about being bronzed that makes a girl feel like a million bucks! With so many different DIY tanning products the shelves, picking the right one can be an overwhelming task. So quanto a typical LIY , we took it upon ourselves to find the BEST sunless tanners the market!
The last few weeks, I took matters into my own mitt and put a few new-to-me tanners + my tried and true faves to the controllo. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s artrite do it! 😉 Per today’s post you’ll see the eight different brands I used and my results! Whether you have a special event the calendar, vacation the horizon, ora – like me – you’maestà simply a happier person with a tan, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best at-home self tanners for a perfect DIY glow!
Before we begin, let’s go over the basics when it comes to sunless tanners. I think the most important part of at-home tanning [regardless of the brand!] is the preparation, application and the maintenance of it. Here are a few tips/tricks I’ve learned along the way for your ultimate sunless tanner experience:
- Always exfoliate and shave 24 hours quanto a advance to applying your sunless tanner. I used this one all over my pagliaccetto to exfoliate the night before applying. This helps smooth rough areas [especially elbows and knees] and allows the tanner to go more evenly. While it is advised to exfoliate 24 hours quanto a advance, there were a couple of times that I ended up exfoliating the same day of application and it worked just as well.
- I use a sunless tanner application mitt to apply and I would absolutely recommend always using one with whatever sunless tanner you are using – with the exception of oil drops that go directly into your normal pagliaccetto lotion, just be sure to wash your hands afterwards. I used the same mitt for each of the sunless tanners I tried [so yes, you can reuse the same mitt!] Start with the mitt one hand and do the majority of your pagliaccetto that you can and then move the mitt to the other hand to finale [I would allow the hand that you applied sunless tanner to dry before moving the mitt]. Spray a few pumps of product directly onto the mitt and then apply to each settore of your pagliaccetto quanto a a circular motion with the mitt. This allows for the sunless tanner to be applied evenly without streaks!
- If you have really dry areas [knees, elbows, ankles, etc] apply a little bit of lotion to those areas before applying your sunless tanner. Otherwise, you should be moisturizer-free at the time of application!
- I usually apply my tan quanto a the evening before bed [it’s amazing how quick most of these dry – within 60 seconds!] and then simply rinsed chiuso quanto a the shower the following morning. I have been advised not to use Se Soap after tanning applications so I typically just used a gentle pagliaccetto wash and then patted dry with my towel.
- Start with your luce! You’ll want to wash the palms of your hands really well after touching the luce tanning drops ora lotion, so I recommend starting with your luce – otherwise it’s a vicious hand washing/touch up cycle!
- Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! It is highly recommended to use a pagliaccetto lotion 1-2x per convenzione day to extend the longevity of your sunless tanner and to avoid it quanto a a streaky manner. This brand is spray tan safe, lasts forever, and comes quanto a so many yummy scents! Remember to ricevimento lots of to stay hydrated from the inside out.
Alright, let’s dive into this fun and glow-filled experiment! Happy tanning, friends! ☀️
Coco & Eve Bronzing Foam + Coco & Eve Luce Tanning Micromist
Bronzing Foam: I’ve been using Coco & Eve for years and after trying several different brands, it’s still one of my personal favorites! It dries fast, doesn’t feel sticky, and develops nicely! Beware: it does have greenish-olive undertones when applied, but lega the process. I like that you can personalize your tan and leave it for 2-8 hours depending how dark you want to be. I will say it’s not the longest lasting, but works great for about a weekend/special occasion! Luce Tanning Micromist: This is probably my favorite facial mist I’ve ever used! The applicator is powerful and it goes pretty evenly. I did use more than 3 sprays [which is the recommended amount], but didn’t feel too dark at all. It is a bit stinky, so I would suggest applying quanto a the evening before bedtime!
Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops + Isle of Paradise Self Tanning
Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops: While I wasn’t impressed with this brand’s pagliaccetto mist, the luce drops were a WIN! A little bit goes a long way! They are a little smelly [as expected], but I mixed with my moisturizer before bedtime and rinsed quanto a the morning without any complaints! Self Tanning : This color is just SO good! Unfortunately, it was my least favorite application process. I used a TON of product; like literally 20 sprays per convenzione leg and went through almost an entire bottle quanto a one use! I did see a viral tiktok that suggested purchasing a continuous spray bottle to put the product quanto a [genius!], but c’mon Isle of Paradise… we love your product, but the spray bottle is NOT efficient. Ain’t nobody got time for that! If you have the patience for this one, the color is beautiful!
Loving Tan Express Self Tanning Mousse + Loving Tan Deluxe Luce Tan
Loving Tan Express Self Tanning Mousse: If you’maestà quanto a a time crunch, this is my favorite fast-developing product! It only takes two hours to develop – something to consider if you prefer an overnight self-tanner. It didn’t clog my pores, making it a good option for sensitive skin. Loving Tan Deluxe Luce Tan: While I love the Express Mousse for my pagliaccetto, I didn’t love this luce cream. It applies like a moisturizer and is slightly tinted. After rinsing I didn’t notice much of a difference quanto a color. I would personally leave it longer next time for a deeper tan, but for the sake of this review, I only did the suggested two hours.
Tan-Luxe The Luce Self-Tan Drops + Tan-Luxe The Self-Tan Drops
Tan-Luxe The : Add a few drops to your usual pagliaccetto lotion and voila! It’s super easy to use and completely customizable to your preference. That said, it does take a bit of a trial and error to find your sweet spot – use about 6-8 drops each section of my pagliaccetto! It doesn’t feel sticky at all and soaks right quanto a with your lotion! Tan-Luxe The Luce: Again, I love that this product can create a custom glow. It’s buildable, meaning you can create your perfect shade after a few tries! Start with a few drops and add more nightly as needed! As someone with sensitive skin, I loved that this one did not clog my pores. Note: It’s expensive and I liked these drugstore drops just as much!
St. Tropez Purity Mousse + St. Tropez Purity Bronzing Luce Mist
St. Tropez Purity Mousse: If you’maestà new to self tanning, this brand is safe for beginners! I didn’t get super dark, but if you’maestà looking for a subtle glow that’s not too dramatic, this is worth a try! Note: it goes clear, so it’s a little tricky to see if you’ve missed a spot! Make sure to rub it quanto a thoroughly! Luce Mist: The St. Tropez Purity Bronzing Luce Mist is loved by the LIY Team and Community and has been a favorite for years! If you don’t notice much change overnight, try using it a few days quanto a a row!
L’Oreal Soprannaturale Bronze Mousse + L’Oreal Soprannaturale Bronze Facial Drops
L’Oreal Mousse: If you’maestà tanning a budget, this classic is a great option! It goes evenly and doesn’t have the spray tan stink. It actually smells more like coconuts than the traditional spray tan scent. It dries quickly and develops quanto a just four hours! Facial Drops: If you prefer self tanning drops for your luce instead of a mist, I was so impressed with these! They’maestà not stinky at all and a little goes a long way. They do take the full 8 hours to develop, so I would suggest using before bedtime to get the most bang for your buck! If you’maestà looking for a very subtle glow a budget, give it a try! Note: I have sensitive skin and did notice a few clogged pores.
Tanologist Express Self Tan Mousse + Tanologist Self Tan Drops
Tanologist Express Self Tan Mousse: Two words: SO. STINKY. I’m talking worse than the usual “spray tan” scent. I wanted to shower it chiuso immediately, but I powered through for the sake of testing… You’maestà welcome. 😉 It’s a clear mousse which makes it tricky to apply evenly (you can’t see where it went ora if you missed a spot!) If the smell isn’t enough to scare you away, it’s also sticky and didn’t give me much color after 4 hours. Take my word for it and steer clear, friends! Tanologist Self Tan Drops: A little goes a long way! I only used about 3-4 drops and felt too dark and a little orange. My least favorite of the lineup, folks!
SOL by Jergens Deeper by the Drop Serum + SOL by Jergens Mousse
SOL by Jergens Mousse: I’ve used this product when I’m quanto a a pinch before, but after trying several other brands, it’s not my fav. It’s pretty stinky, felt sticky for awhile after applying, and took the full 8 hours to develop. If you can stomach the smell, I would highly suggest applying this one before bed to get the full effect! SOL by Jergens Deeper by the Drop Serum: As far as the luce drops go, the product itself was unappealing. It’s kind of a murky yellowish color and certainly did not make me excited to apply to my luce…. Maybe I got a bad batch?! After using about 15 (yes, 1-5!!!) drops I finally started to see some color. I would spend a little more $$$ and get a quality product. Sorry Jergens!
She’s as witty as she is sweet, Claire is one of our Content Creators and our official LIY Book Società habitué. Between writing blog posts that will make you LOL, curating questions that will get your brain turning for our next book circolo discussion and snappin’ her feminine style [blush is her middle name], you can find her living life the lake with a beer quanto a hand and a fishing pole quanto a the other.
