We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. Promise.
Apparently Tanning Is Back, But I'll Still Only Ever Use These Self-Tanners To Get Glowy
Spilling my secrets to the perfect tan without the sun damage.
I'm a reformed tanning bed user. I know, I know: It's the cardinal sin of beauty editors. Obviously, I would never step foot in one now (nor do I even lay out in the sun for extended periods of time unless I'm absolutely coated in sunscreen and SPF clothing). But I know the risks now. Getting sunburned five times can more than double your risk of skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the U.S. So, yeah, I'm pretty serious about my sun safety these days. But that doesn't mean I've given up on looking like a summertime, glowy goddess all year long. Instead, I've curated a collection of the absolute best self-tanners.
Look, I get it: Self-tanning is unfortunately often next-level terrible. The wrong formula can lead to a streaky, orange mess that looks anything but natural and fresh. But the self-tanners out today have gotten really good. So good, in fact, that I'm constantly being asked where I just came back from to have such a gorgeous bronzey tan. My answer (that I'm just consistently covered in one of the below self-tanners) always leads to shocked faces. But finally, I'm sharing my full list of favorites.
The top self-tanners of 2025:
For the full details on all of my favorite self-tanners, including how I use them, what situations they're best for, and why they're so good—keep scrolling.
Pros
- Only needs one hour, but will deepen slightly the longer you leave it on
- Comes in a travel size that's extremely convenient to bring on trips
Cons
- Might not be deep enough for already tan skin tones
This easy-to-apply formula is a light mousse that's so easy to use it's practically foolproof. Once applied, it needs at least one hour to activate before you rinse it off and reveal your new color, making it a no-brainer when you want a quick glow. Tanning expert Sophie Evans always uses this one when she gives me professional tans, btw. "The best part is that you can customize the color of your tan by how long you leave it on your skin to develop," she previously told Cosmo. So you'll get a deeper tan the longer you leave it on, up to three hours.
- Type: Mousse
- Shades: 1
- Development time: 1 hour for a light tan, 2 hours for a medium tan, and 3 hours for a deep tan
- Fragrance: No masking scent, so it has a classic self-tanner smell (but doesn't linger on skin too long)
- Lasts: 5 to 7 days
Why I love it: The ability to adjust the tan depending on the level of bronze I want makes this so user-friendly. But I especially love how little fuss this is. It never gets streaky or orange on my skin tone and always gives me a great faux tan.
How I use it: I almost exclusively pack the 3.3 oz size in my travel bag to apply on trips when I don't have time to self-tan beforehand. I'll just stash this mini in my bag with a disposable mit (or when I'm really in a pinch, an extra sock that I don't mind messing up) and apply all over my body. I usually wash it off in the mornings, letting it develop overnight, but if I'm really in a rush, one to two hours gives me a nice glow.
Pros
- The sandalwood fragrance smells so luxe and nothing like self-tanner
- Provides a natural, soft bronze with one application, or can be built up for a more standard all-over tan
- Loaded with moisturizing skincare ingredients
Cons
- Some reviewers said the color developed too warm for their skin tone
I love this smoothing, moisturizing, gradual self-tanning body cream so much, I gave it a 2025 Holy Grail Beauty Award. This gradual tanning cream not only helps slowly build up a sunless tan, it also hydrates skin with shea butter, cocoa butter, squalane, and avocado oil, all while smelling like my favorite fresh, clean woodsy santal perfume.
- Type: Lotion
- Shades: 2 (original and deep)
- Development time: 6 to 8 hours
- Fragrance: Sandalwood
- Lasts: 3 to 4 days
Why I love it: It's thoroughly the best-smelling self-tanner I've ever used (it pairs well with all my Santal-33-esque perfumes, actually). And it provides a soft color that lasts for a few days without the usual fuss of self-tanning with a mitt. But if you want a stronger shade, apply it for three to four days straight.
How I use it: After a shower, I dry off, then smooth this all over my body with my hands. Make sure to wash your hands afterward, though, to avoid the dreaded orange hands.
Pros
- Has the most natural deep-tan color
- Blends into a variety of medium to tan skin tones
Cons
- Strong chemical-y smell that lingers (not unlike many other self-tanners, though, so I get over it)
Australians know self-tanning really well, btw, because sun-safety regulations are top-notch there (it makes sense—it's sunny as hell). Loving Tan hails from Brisbane and has a zillion formulas that influencers, beauty editors, and reviewers swear by. Our go-to, though, is the 2-Hour Express Platinum. It's the deepest shade the brand makes, but don't let that scare you. It's buildable for a range of skin tones (I wear it all year-round, whether I'm my palest winter color or do have a bit of a tan from the sun). The mousse feels lightweight on my skin and is super spreadable and easy to buff in exactly how I want it.
But best of all: This only takes two hours to develop. Feel free to apply this all over on a Friday afternoon, finish your workday, and shower it off. By your evening plans, you'll already be glowing.
- Type: Mousse
- Shades: Only 1 platinum shade, but 2-Hour Express comes in 3 others (medium, dark, ultra-dark)
- Development time: 2 hours
- Fragrance: No masking scent, so it has a classic self-tanner smell (lingers a lil bit, unfortunately)
- Lasts: 7 to 10 days
Why I love it: A natural tan that I get from the sun—bad!—looks exactly like this two-hour express self-tanner. Truly. I slathered it all over my body before going to Tulum last spring, and everyone was confused how I showed up on the trip with a tan before we even hit the beach. The olive undertone of the 'platinum' shade blends into my natural skin tone perfectly, so it doesn't even look like I'm wearing anything.
How I use it: The guide color on this makes it pretty easy to know exactly where you placed it. I always buff it on in circles with a mitt, starting at my feet and slowly moving up to my neck. It only requires two hours, but I often will sleep in this overnight since I shower in the mornings.
Pros
- Easy to find at many drugstores
- One of the most affordable self-tanners I've tested
- Doesn't transfer onto sheets
Cons
- Scent is pretty strong (especially if you sweat while wearing it)
A quick trip to Target is all you need for a pretty damn natural-looking fake tan. This Tanologist mousse is as effective and easy to use as expensive formulas. It'll give you a soft tan for up to a week for less than $20 (the least expensive on this list).
- Type: Mousse
- Shades: 2 (medium and dark)
- Development time: 1 to 4 hours, depending on how deep of a tan you want
- Fragrance: No masking scent, so it has a classic self-tanner smell (but doesn't linger on skin too long)
- Lasts: 5 to 7 days
Why I like it: This was the first self-tanner I used that I actually liked. It provides a subtle tan and is basically impossible to make look bad in my experience (and I genuinely first started using it without a mitt because I had no idea what I was doing, so...)
How I use it: I massage the mousse all over my body (starting at my feet and moving upward, area by area) and leave it on overnight, then wash off in the morning. This has a pretty strong self-tanner smell, so I make sure to use a body wash to remove all of the excess sitting on my skin.
Pros
- Comes in a light shade
- Can adjust the shade based on how many drops you use
Cons
- I wish there was a jumbo size, since I like to use this on my body and face
When you wanna look like your glowiest self, you turn to these drops from Isle of Paradise. “It is like taking a one-week vacation overnight,” one Cosmo reader wrote in our 2024 Readers' Choice Awards survey. But you can really choose your adventure here depending on how many drops you add to your moisturizer. It's also filled with niacinamide and azaelic acid to soothe and hyaluronic acid to hydrate for even more skincare benefits.
- Type: Serum/drops you can add to moisturizer
- Shades: 3 (light, medium, dark)
- Development time: 4 to 6 hours
- Fragrance: No masking scent, so it has a classic self-tanner smell (but doesn't linger on skin too long)
- Lasts: 5 to 7 days
Why I love it: Being able to completely adjust the shade based on how many drops go into my moisturizer makes this so easy, especially when my skin is at its fairest.
How I use it: I simply drip a few drops into my go-to body cream, rub it from neck to toes, and then always give my hands a good wash. It'll develop throughout the day or overnight.
Pros
- Fine mist is one of the easiest formats to apply on this list
- Gives a subtle tan after 30 minutes (but can wait longer to rinse off for more pigment)
Cons
- Can be streaky if you don't blend it in
Sure, a profesh spray tan looks good, but it's $$$. Instead, just mist this Tan-Luxe water all over your body. The mist format helps get an even, airbrushed-looking tan at home and is so, so, so easy to apply. But unlike a normal spray tan, this goes on completely clear and develops in 30 minutes (although, as you'll read below, I leave it on a lil longer when I want a deeper tan).
- Type: Mist
- Shades: 1
- Development time: 30 minutes (!), but I leave it on for around two hours
- Fragrance: No masking scent, so it has a classic self-tanner smell (but because it rinses off in 2 hours, it's not too bad)
- Lasts: 7 days
Why I love it: I've had this formulas spray tanned all over my body by professionals, but I can do it at home just as well. The mist is filled with aloe vera and glycerin, which give my skin an immediate hydrated look, but also makes sure my skin doesn't dry out in the tanning process (some self-tanners are so strong that they can make my skin look tan, but not glowy, ya know?). Although the spray goes on completely clear, it develops in just 30 minutes, which saves me sooo much time.
How I use it: On clean, exfoliated, dry skin, I'll spritz this on my legs, then blend with a mitt in large circular motions to fully distribute all over my entire body. After two hours, I'll rinse off in the shower.
Pros
- Lightweight formula is easy to add to your skincare routine
- Doesn't break me out (unlike many, many others I've tried)
Cons
- Can look a bit orange as it's developing, but washes off to a soft shade on my skin
Even though the majority of self-tanners can be applied on your body and face, I've never had success (I usually end up looking like I coated my face in a mixture of too-dark foundation and dirt). That's why I love this bronzing serum so g'damn much. It develops into a golden, glowy tan in four to eight hours. And it's also pretty good for your skin too. Aloe vera and cucumber extract hydrates and soothes, while green tea and calendula extracts act as antioxidants to protect your skin from free radicals that deplete your collagen.
- Type: Serum
- Shades: 1
- Development time: 4 hours minimum, but continue to develop for up to 24 hours
- Fragrance: Non-scented (and actually, genuinely don't really smell like anything)
- Lasts: 4 to 6 days
Why I love it: Another beauty editor swiped these on her face during a layover on a trip to Turks and Caicos earlier this year, and by the time we landed, she looked like she'd legit already been on the trip. I immediately requested a sample to test when I got back and have used no other facial self-tanner since. It adds a natural-looking bronziness to my face that matches my body well. But the best part ever is that this formula doesn't contain any pore-clogging ingredients (a must for my oily, acne-prone face) and is gentle for sensitive skin.
How I use it: After washing my face, I smooth on drops to your face and neck in a gentle circular motion, avoiding your eyes. Wash your hands ASAP, and wait for it to dry. After that, you can apply moisturizer and makeup as usual, and you'll have a bronzy glow in just a few hours.
Pros
- The lightest weight formula I've ever tried (thanks to the unique milky-toner-like consistency)
- Doesn't need to be rinsed off (!)
- Hydrates skin with ceramides
Cons
- If you have very fair skin, don't apply multiple days in a row, as the color will build up and might be too deep for your liking
In love with milky toners for hydrating your face? Now there's one for your body that also doubles as a self-tanner. (I love living in this generation!) This nourishing self-tan milk works its magic over the course of two to three days. It's gradual and subtle and the formula doesn't feel sticky or heavy at all. Best of all, it won't transfer onto your clothes or sheets.
- Type: Mousse
- Shades: 1
- Development time: 4 to 6 hours
- Fragrance: No masking scent, so it has a classic self-tanner smell (but doesn't linger on skin too long)
- Lasts: 5 to 7 days
Why I love it: I'm very adverse to rich, heavy creams on my body and avoid them at all costs. Hence why I freakin' love the lightweight, milky formula of this gradual self-tanner. It really feels like nothing on my skin and absorbs immediately, but slowly builds up to a glowy tan after a few days. And of course, it's pretty hydrating too, so my skin also looks moisturized.
How I use it: I apply to clean, dry skin with a mitt, starting at my ankles and working my way up using long, circular motions. I usually do this in the mornings after showering, so I'll wait a couple of minutes to make sure the product has absorbed before getting dressed.
Pros
- Packed with coconut oil that makes my skin look extra radiant
- Reviewers love the three shade options for varying levels of bronziness
Cons
- I wished it lasted longer on my skin
BTW, if you've avoided other tanners because you feel they seem too chemical-y, you can rest easy with this one. The formula's MVP (aside from the DHT that helps develop your tan, ofc) is coconut oil, which makes your skin feel so smooth and hydrated. But there's also a mix of moisturizing and skin-loving botanicals too that turn this into a whole skincare moment while you bronze.
- Type: Mousse
- Shades: 3 (medium, dark, ultra dark)
- Development time: 6 hours
- Fragrance: No masking scent, so it has a classic self-tanner smell (but doesn't linger on skin too long)
- Lasts: 4 days
Why I love it: This leaves me with a smooth, never splotchy finish, likely thanks to all the hydrating ingredients in the formula. It feels more like a skincare product than a tanner, although I still get the same level of tan as I do with any other mousse I've ever tried.
How I use it: I put it on my entire body before bed with a mitt, then rinse off in the morning to reveal a bronzy glow.
How to prep before self-tanner:
Prepping your skin before self-tanner is key for the formula to apply evenly. Evans suggests exfoliating your skin with a body scrub. For face self-tanner, you can use a physical face exfoliator beforehand, or opt for a chemical exfoliant a few days before. Regardless of where you're self-tanning, make sure to do any shaving or waxing at least 24 hours before to ensure the smoothest possible tan.
What is the proper way to apply self-tanner?
How you apply self-tanner will completely depend on the type of formula or format you're using. See above for my go-to application method for each of my recommended tanners. But if you want a general idea, specifically for tanning mousse and water, here's a guide tanning expert Jordan Cook previously told Cosmo:
- Exfoliate and remove all existing tan beforehand with a body scrub or exfoliating glove in the shower. You want a clean canvas to apply your self-tanner to, so make sure to buff away any tan still left on your skin, dry patches, and dead skin.
- Dab on some oil-free body lotion on the dry areas of your body to prevent splotches. Self-tanner is prone to getting stuck on your dry patches—think elbows, knees, and wrists—and can appear streaky and orange.
- Slide on your tanning mit and apply self-tanner directly on it, whether you're using a lotion, mousse, serum, milk, or liquid.
- Start at your toes, and smooth on in long, circular strokes. Work on one section at a time, and take your time. Stand in front of a mirror to make sure you're getting every lil crevice for the most natural-looking tan. "To get those hard-to-reach areas of your back, my favorite tip is to slide a hairbrush inside your mitt and secure it with a hair tie," Cook explains. "Then, holding it by the brush handle, you can use it as an arm extender to reach those spots!"
- As soon as you finish, take off the mit and wash your hands. Your hands are prone to over-developing, which is why they can often look super orange and splotchy.
- Allow the tan to develop, and shower after the proper amount of time depending on how long your specific tanner takes.
- Slather on a moisturizing body cream to make your skin glow even more and prevent dryness from fading your tan quicker. And if you'll be outside, make sure you're using a body sunscreen with at least SPF 35.
How to choose the best self-tanner for you:
Consider the format.
In 2025, you have a whole buncha options for self-tanners, not just the sticky mousse of years past. Above, you'll see a range of lotions, serums, drops, sprays, mousse, milks—but which should you pick?
Generally, self-tanning mousse is the best if you want a deep tan, but you can decide between a clear one that's less likely to transfer or one with a guide color to help you apply. But lotions and milks are great for a more gradual, light application, especially if you want a moisturizing formula.
Serums are the best for your face, since they're more lightweight and less likely to clog pores. But drops are also fab for this—just drip some in the palm of your hand and mix with your moisturizer before bed.
Choose the right shade.
Half of the battle with self-tanners is going with a shade that's way too deep for you, hence why your skin looks orange or muddy.
Be on the safe side by choosing a self-tanner one to two shades deeper than your skin tone. Try a medium self-tanner if you have fair skin, a dark self-tanner if you have medium skin, etc. Or if you're still unsure, go with a formula that only comes in one shade, which often means it's gradual or buildable. This way you can adjust the color depending on what will work best for you.
Meet the experts:
- Sophie Evans is the St. Tropez skin finishing expert and a celebrity spray tanner based in New York, NY.
- Jordan Cook is a global tanning expert and an SFX (special effects) makeup artist. Cook has worked with brands such as St. Moriz, MAC, and Urban Decay.
Why trust ‘Cosmopolitan’?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories that range from sunscreen sticks to bronzing drops. She's been testing self-tanners for the last decade in effort to get the same bronzey glow she once got from the sun before she realized how bad it is for your skin. She's (finally) sharing her favorites, plus tips she's collected from experts over the years on the best application methods.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
Ruby was the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covered beauty across print and digital. Her work has appeared on The Zoe Report, Fashionista, and StyleCaster. Follow her on Instagram.
These 2026 Bag Trends Are My New Obsession
This $19 Cream Is Lily Collins' Glowy Skin Secret
22 Best-Selling Gifts Cosmo Readers Keep Buying
That ‘Emily in Paris’ Phone Case Just Restocked!
