I Tried Self-Tan Swatches on My Legs for a Week—These 10 Completely Impressed Me

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Let’s be honest—everybody loves that "just got back from vacation” glow. The problem? A real post-vacation glow often comes with a heaping dose of sun damage. That’s why many people turn to self-tanners for a faux glow. 

As someone with naturally Edward Cullen–toned skin (read: very pale), I have turned to self-tanners many, many times to make it look like the sun and I have actually met at some point in my life. Self-tanners are a great way to give any skin tone a bronzed boost, but it’s no secret that not all self-tanners are created equally. Choose the wrong formula and you’re bound to end up with a streaky, splotchy, orange-hued mess that you can’t get off no matter how much you scrub. Think colby jack cheese rather than a bronzy glow. 

There are tons of "best self-tanner” lists out there, but I’m not going to lie—they’ve steered me wrong before. That’s why I took matters into my own hands. To find the crème de la crème of self-tanners, I started with a list of 21, which I whittled down to 13 to test. For science, I applied the same amount of each self-tanner to my legs and watched them all develop and fade over the course of five days, which included multiple showers, workouts, and even a hot-yoga session. From there, I chose my 10 favorites. Keep reading for the best self-tanners and why, plus info on our rigorous testing process and insight from tan experts and a dermatologist on everything you ever wanted to know about self-tanning. 

Best Overall Self-Tanner: Tanologist Express Tan Mousse

Best Drugstore Self-Tanner: L’Oréal Sublime Bronze Hydrating Self-Tanning Water Mousse

Best Self-Tanning Lotion: Clarins Self-Tanning Milky Lotion

Best Face Self-Tanner: St. Tropez Self-Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist

Most Pigmented Self-Tanner: Isle of Paradise Body Butter

Best Self-Tanner Drops: Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Drops

Best Mousse: St. Tropez Self-Tan Luxe Whipped Crème Mousse

Best Gradual Self-Tanner: Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer

Most Natural Looking: Tan-Luxe The Water

Best Self-Tanner for Sensitive Skin: Tan-Luxe The Butter

FAQ

How do self-tanners work?

It might seem like color magically appears on your skin, but self-tanners all use the same mechanism to give you a glow, no UV exposure required. "Most employ dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as a color additive that reacts with amino acids at the skin surface to darken skin,” says Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD. "There are also cosmetics-like bronzers that sit on top of the skin and cover the skin with a darker shade.”

What should someone know about self-tanner before using it?

From a dermatological perspective, anything that limits your sun exposure is a win, so self-tanner is a much safer alternative to lying in the sun and risking skin cancer. "There are many different ingredients in self-tanners, and some of these ingredients may have health consequences that we are not well aware of at this time or that are not yet well enough understood to say precisely how safe they may be,” says Murphy-Rose. "DHA has only been evaluated by the FDA for external use, which does not include use internally (including ingestion or inhalation) or on the eyes or mucous membranes like lips, nostrils, and genitalia. At this time, it is considered safer to use topical self-tanners and to avoid the body parts listed above as well as to avoid aerosol spray tans.”

What's the best way to prep skin for a self-tan?

Ask any seasoned tanning pro—skin prep is the name of the game for an even, streak-free tan. The best way to prep your skin? Exfoliation. "Start exfoliating a few days out, with your last exfoliation being ideally eight to 12 hours before application,” says Sophie Evans, St. Tropez’s skin finishing expert. "Self-tans will work best on skin that has a neutral pH balance. When you exfoliate and shower, you lower your pH level, which can result in a lighter self-tan color.” Evans also recommends making sure all products like deodorant, makeup, and previous self-tan have been removed before you start. Moisturize elbows, knees, hands, feet, and any severely dry areas with a water-based lotion beforehand to avoid them getting too dark, as tan will naturally adhere to drier areas more.

How do you avoid streakiness during application?

If you’re always ending up with a streaky tan, you may be applying too little product or rubbing it in too much. Rubbing can disrupt the tanning process and create streaks, according to Evans. "You can never apply too much, as the skin will only absorb a certain amount of product and work off the level of tanning agent it has been formulated with,” she says. 

Isle of Paradise founder Jules Von Hep also has some application tips to avoid streaking. "In order to avoid streakiness during application, always remember to apply your self-tan in sweeping motions over the body—never circular,” he says. "This will ensure that the product is distributed evenly for the most natural, even-looking tan. When tanning your hands and feet, only use what is left on your mitt, and remember to wipe in between fingers and over fingernails with a damp cloth or makeup wipe after application. Lastly, use a blending brush to blend out your wrists, ankles, and hairline to help alleviate any harsh tan lines. If you don't own a blending brush, you can hang a towel onto the back of your door and rub your wrists together. This removes those pesky telltale tan lines!”

Read more about Who What Wear's rigorous testing process:

When choosing self-tanners, Evans says to opt for a well-known brand you can trust, like Isle of Paradise or St. Tropez, if you’re a self-tanning newbie. Evans also says that anyone who exercises regularly or leads a busy lifestyle may want an express self-tanner that doesn’t take long to develop, and if you have tons of white furniture, she also says that you may want to opt for a clear formula to avoid potential stains. With this advice in mind, I combed through different best-of lists, finally landing on 21 products to consider. Then, I whittled that list down to 13 and chose the best 10 after putting each product to the test on my own legs and seeing how they developed and faded through multiple showers, workouts, and a hot-yoga class. 

This article was originally published at an earlier date and has been updated.