Over the years, I’ve really perfected the self-tanner mousse game (my review here!). However, in the winter, my skin gets so dry that traditional mousses start looking patchy almost immediately—not the best look. I’ve been on a mission to find the perfect moisturizing formula and have tested at least 5 different ones over the last couple of months. Honestly, several of these are great, but I tend to find a favorite or two in every batch.
Here is the breakdown of the self-tanning lotions I’ve tested and how they actually performed. (One quick tip, I wear latex gloves when I apply the lotion. Most of them will say to wash hands immediately after application, but no matter how quickly I do just that, there have been too many instances where my palms look tinged. The worst!! The gloves have been a life saver and I love to use a kabuki brush for my hands and feet.)
My Review of Self-Tanning Lotions
Beauty by Earth Self-Tanner Lotion
This one I keep returning to because it’s incredibly moisturizing and natural and DHA-free. The catch? You do have to be patient. It takes around 4 applications to really see the color build. One thing to note: it’s a thick white lotion that takes a while to rub in. My best advice? Massage it in until you can’t anymore, and then plan on hanging out naked for about 10 minutes—it will eventually soak in on its own! I love that it’s DHA-free (sometimes I’m sensitive to DHA, and you can build up a tolerance to it) and packed with aloe and coconut. so it is moisturizing.
Lux Unfiltered No. 32 Gradual
The texture of this one is amazing, rubs in quick, is not sticky at all and it’s very hydrating. I got the Santal scent, and it smells divine. I saw results after the first application, and felt bronze after 4. I did notice if I don’t rinse off after 24 hours, and moisturize, it can feel drying.
Loving Tan Deluxe Gradual Tan (Dark)
If we are talking strictly about color, this is the winner. It’s a gorgeous, deep tan. Unlike the others, this has a built-in bronzer guide, so you get that immediate gratification. Because of that guide, I do find it transfers a little bit if you don’t let it dry for a solid 15 minutes. It’s also the most drying of the bunch, but again—the color is unbeatable. Unfortunately, my skin got soooo dry after using this and it accentuated every dry spot I had. So if you struggle with dryness, I would skip this one.
Tanologist Hydrating Daily Glow
This one has great reviews and feels nice going on, but I just didn’t feel like the color “stuck.” It didn’t seem to have the staying power I was looking for compared to the others.
Coco & Eve Daily Gradual Tan
This is probably the most consistent performer overall. You just know it’s going to look good every single time. It gives a very natural, “sunny glow” rather than a deep brown. I used the entire bottle and would go back for another if I felt like my skin could handle it. There’s something citrus-y in it that makes me itchy after using it over time. :( The smell isn’t my absolute favorite, but for the reliability, coverage, and color–I would definitely recommend this one if the ingredients don’t bother you.
BONUS: What I Use for Face Tanning
Coco & Eve Antioxidant Face Tanning Micromist
This has a really easy application—I apply it right after my nightly face routine once or twice a week. It’s a very soft tan. The smell isn’t unpleasant, just a bit tropical. It develops gradually so it’s not an instant upgrade, but it has incredible staying power. (It made my list of cures for the “winter uglies“!)
Looking for more of our product tests and reviews? Check these out:
- Product Test: Portable Phone Chargers
- The Ultimate Test: The Best Steam Mops
- Putting Kitchen Towels to the Test
- We Tested the Top 5 Amazon Pillows–Here’s My Favorite!
- Putting Bed Pillows to the Test
- Ranking the Top 7 Duvet Inserts on Amazon
- The Ultimate Cordless Stick Vacuum Test!
- We Tested Rug Pads–Here’s Our Favorite!
- We Tested 30 Hand Soaps to Find the Best of the Best
- Hunting for The Best Can Opener
- The Quest For the Best Hair Towel Wrap
- Unwrapping The Best: Putting Gift Wrap Cutters to The Test
- The Ultimate Test: Finding the Best Nugget Ice Maker
- We Tested Tons of Shaker Bottles For “Sexy Water”—Here Are the Winners
- Let’s Cut to the Chase: The Best Knife Sharpeners
- The Ultimate Test: The Best Waterproof Doormats
- Tried & Tested Dripless Tapered Candles
- Which Holiday Window Candles Are Right for You?
- The 9 Best Chef’s Knives
- Blender Wars! Testing And Ranking 7 Of The Best Blenders
- We Tested 10 Solar Path Lights To Find The Perfect Glow
- Product Test: Mandoline Slicers (Did My Favorite One Hold Up?)
Thank you for doing the important work!!
Best moisturizing tan combo I’ve found is mixing Jergens dark 3 day glow with your regular lotion. You can start slow, control the color with your mix proportions and it builds and stays really well. Dries like regular lotion, but I had lines from leggings once, so I do try not to wear tight clothing for the first 30 mins or so. I use it daily when building color, and 1-3x/week to maintain. There is a bit of that tan smell, you do have to wash it off your hands, but for my money nothing beats it. Also, travel sizes and it’s available literally everywhere.