As every dermatologist and skincare expert will tell you, limiting your skin’s exposure to the sun’s rays is one of the best things you can do for your skin health. Not only to avoid painful sunburn and long-term damage, but also to reduce hyperpigmentation and inflammation, and to keep fine lines, age spots, and other signs of skin ageing at bay.
Fortunately, if you are still craving a warm, bronzed glow, there are plenty of self-tanning products out there to choose from. From gradual tans to instant tans, and mousses, mists, lotions, and drops, self-tan has come a long way from the patchy, orange, smelly formulas of the past.
Self-tanning drops, in particular, are my personal favourite way to give my skin a subtle, believable bronze—and what’s more they’re pretty much foolproof to use. Mess-free, customisable, and virtually impossible to overdo, the best self-tanning drops feel more like an extra step in your skincare routine—often packed with skincare benefits, and much less likely to cause issues for sensitive and breakout-prone skin. When I’m in a rush and don’t have time for a lengthy tanning routine, I’ve found that adding just a few drops of self-tan to my face cream or body moisturiser is one of the quickest and easiest ways to achieve a sun-kissed finish, from head to toe.
Ready to glow? I’ve rounded up the very best self-tanning drops for both face and body, right in time for summer.
Shop the Best Self-Tanning Drops:
1. Tan Luxe the Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops
The reviews say it all. These self-tanning drops are something of a cult product within the beauty world because they deliver a subtle, healthy glow with zero faff. Simply dispense a few drops into your night cream—you’ll wake up to a radiant glow.
2. Beauty Pie Awesome Bronze Gradual Self-Tanning Drops
Price shown is member price.
If you want naturally results that you can carefully build up each day, you have to try these Beauty Pie ones. Not only do they impart a natural-looking glow, but they're also infused with hydrating hyaluronic acid as well as prebiotics, amino acids and peptides to nourish the skin. They're great if you find most tanning drops upset your skin and the serum texture sinks straight in to a non-sticky finish.
3. Bondi Sands Self Tan Drops
From pro Aussie tanning experts Bondi Sands, these drops are suitable for use on both face and body—making light work of your Thursday night tanning routine.
4. Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Bronzing Face Drops
Perfect for dry skin, this formula is boosted with hyaluronic acid to help hydrate your skin while 14% DHA works to give skin a glow in just two hours.
5. Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Drops
Available in light, medium, and dark formulas, each with colour-correcting undertones to help create a truly natural-looking tan, these drops are one of the easiest ways to control and customise your glow.
6. Oskia Adaptive Tan Drops
Using an all-natural tanning formula, these drops can be added to moisturisers, serums, oils, and even foundation to help you maintain a bronzed glow around the clock.
7. Tanologist Face and Body Drops
Specifically formulated for breakout-prone skin, these water-based drops are non-comedogenic (so won’t clog pores) and are packed with soothing ingredients like aloe vera, panthenol, and vitamin E.
8. St Tropez Luxe Tan Tonic Glow Drops
If you’re a fan of a streamlined routine and need a tanner that works from head to toe, look no further. These drops deliver a subtle, streak-free glow in just one application.
9. Garnier Ambre Solaire Natural Bronzer Self-Tan Face Drops
For a more potent glow, these drops can actually be applied directly to skin, but if you prefer a lighter, buildable finish, I’d recommend mixing them with your moisturiser.
10. Tan Luxe the Body Illuminating Self-Tan Drops
The body version of the face drops above. I use these twice a week, mixed in with my body cream to help maintain a natural-looking sun kissed glow all year long.
11. Isle of Paradise Body Drops
Looking for a product that delivers a long-lasting tan in just a few hours? This lightweight formula mixed easily with all manner of body creams and lotions, developing over four to six hours, and lasting for up to five days in just one application.
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