White Jeans | Tan Tee | Straw Hat (Similar) | Apple Watch Band | Gold Oura Ring | Melamine Plate | Striped Pool Towels | Backyard Sources
Few things can boost my self-confidence quicker than freshly applied self-tanner. There’s something about giving my skin a bit of a glow that gives me a pep in my step, especially when it comes to going on vacation! Long gone are the tanning bed days (anybody else shaking their head at their younger self?), so I lather up on sunscreen and rely on self-tanner for that sun-kissed look. We’re headed to Mexico soon, and I’ve always wanted to conduct a test to find the best self-tanner, so I figured there’s no time like the present!
Finding the best self-tanner
I’ve been experimenting with self-tanners for years! I’m a sucker for buying a product, loving it, using it all up, and then wondering if there’s something even better out there. Then I buy something else, and the process continues. Maybe this means I’m afraid of commitment? Or it could be that I’m incredibly committed to finding the best of the best because I need my self-tanner to work overtime!
(P.S. In the wintertime, I’ve switched to self-tanning lotions as they’re more hydrating. Get my picks here!)
Shop Self-Tanners
So we had some fun in the office testing seven of the most-used foaming tanners that I’ve used over the years. I give my full review of each tanner below, but we also wanted to illustrate how the colors compare side-by-side. Personally, I’m all about the tanning mousse. The application is so smooth, and it seems to develop more evenly than any lotion I’ve tried. So everything that we tested is a tanning mousse!
Self-Tanners Immediately After Application
We were all SHOCKED to see the variation between each tanner during application. The coloring varied so much, and all of us office girls had our favorites picked out. But what we were really interested in seeing is how each one developed overnight.
Self-Tanners Developed Overnight (Including a Shower)
What’s crazy is that although the colors were wildly different upon application, they all looked really similar after having time to develop fully. Obviously, some have warmer or pinker undertones, but color-wise, I think they’re all really similar, and it comes down to personal preference! Here are some of my thoughts.
1. Coco & Eve
Honestly, Coco & Eve is a tough one to beat. I keep trying other newer tanning mousse products, and I always come back to my tried and true. It smells delicious, applies evenly, hydrates my skin, and lasts for days! I prefer the dark, but you can see in the first picture that the coloring leans really green upon application. As it develops, it warms up but still has a bit of an olive undertone.
Seeing the overnight results of “ultra-dark” makes me question everything because, compared to the others, it might actually be the lightest shade.
2. Loving Tan
I used this for years and years. As you can see from the pictures, the color is really, really brown and actually leans toward a reddish brown color, but this was definitely a team favorite!
The reason I stopped using it was that it wasn’t very hydrating and sort of dried me out. But I also tend to have pretty dry skin, so it could be the one for you!
3. St. Tropez
St. Tropez was my OG tanning mousse. The reason I ended up switching is that it has more orange undertones. I also remember it being a bit splotchy after a couple of days.
From the test, it also looks a bit lighter and warmer than the other ones, which isn’t a bad thing!
I totally swiped up on this per another influencer’s recommendation. First of all, A+ for the beautiful packaging. The scent is “blood orange,” which smells interesting, but the color is my very favorite one. It’s very comparable to Coco & Eve but less green.
My only critique is that it comes off pretty easily. It looks incredible on days one and two, but by day three, you’re practically back to square one. In some ways, it’s also a good thing because you’re not left with weird splotchy areas that are too stubborn to rinse off.
Where are my Love Islanders at? I fell in love with Molly Mae on that show, and so when she released her own self-tanner, I had to give it a try!
The undertones are a bit more yellow upon application, and I did end up liking this one, but not as much as Coco & Eve.
6. Red Aspen (no longer sold)
We all gasped when we pumped this onto the applicator brush because it was greeeeeen. You can barely even tell it’s there when you apply, but it actually develops into a really lovely warm tan! Kind of shocking.
When I was using Red Aspen, I loved how nourishing and hydrating it was. I stopped because I missed my darker Coco & Eve, and this one only came in one shade.
7. Bondi Sands
The real winner might be this Bondi Sands! It’s practically identical to Coco & Eve, for a fraction of the cost. I grabbed this at a convenience store in London when I ran out of my tried and true and fell in love with it.
I really wish it didn’t dry out my skin; otherwise, this would be such a good option for me!
I continue to love Coco & Eve, but seeing this side-by-side comparison is honestly making me rethink trying out Loving Tan again! I also really love Lux Unfiltered, but maybe I just need to embrace a more frequent application because the color is so good.
Even More Self-Tanning Reviews…
But wait, there’s more! After we did this test, I started hearing about Beauty by Earth — a brand we didn’t test. This self-tanner goes on clear, so it doesn’t stain your sheets or your clothes. I got it and immediately joined the Beauty by Earth bandwagon for, like, four months. I tried all their stuff. I was recommending it to all of my friends. “It’s natural. It doesn’t have any dyes in it. And it builds up really nicely.” I was using the lotion and the mousse. Both felt like I had a great tan, and I continued layering/building on it.
And one day, I thought, “I’m just going to try Coco & Eve again just to compare…” (because it was my favorite self-tanner, the one to beat). Oh, it was like coming home! Most of all, I liked that there wasn’t any guesswork about where I put the tanner: The Beauty by Earth one went on clear, and I was always wondering, “Did I do it right?”
My new self-tanner was good when it was good. But when it was time to exfoliate, my skin was like the desert — it was just cracked. Also, the tan only built upon itself to an extent — then it just… flaked off.
In this experimental phase, I wanted to try the new Loving Tan Platinum Mousse — because everyone seems to love it. Oh my goodness. In my alternate reality, that is the warm, tan color of my skin. It has more reddish, violet undertones that really complement my dark features. I wore this one for about a month. But again, I felt like it dried me out. I would put lotion on every day and still felt like I was dry all the time.
I went back to Coco & Eve, my tried and true. I apply “Dark,” and it’s moisturizing, the color is nice, and it’s foolproof. I just love it. I used it before my recent Bora Bora trip, and it was perfection. While I was there, though, I started breaking out a little on my face, so I switched to using a light mist from Tan-Luxe called The Water. I mist it on at night so when I wake up, my face has just a little bit of color. It’s really buildable — in my opinion, there isn’t a huge difference between the light/medium and the medium/dark.
How to Remove Self-Tanner
The tricky thing about self-tanner is the removal part. Even after a good exfoliation, it doesn’t always come off, so we actually tested this Bondi Sands Tan Eraser for the first time on all of the swatches. The right half of the arm where we applied, definitely decreased by about 50%. It kind of looks like the light is catching it, but it’s been wiped off.
So it definitely works! The directions say to apply it after the tan has been on for 3-5 days, and this was applied the next day. But I’m definitely adding this to my tanning regimen so I can fully remove it before reapplying.
If you want a step-by-step look at my tanning routine, check out this post, where I go into more detail on my exact regimen.
More About My Skin & Hair Care Routines
The product that keeps my skin clear: Product Test: The Best Disposable Face Towels
What’s in my vanity: My Full Makeup Routine: Every Product & Shade I Get Asked About Daily
If it’s winter, I usually switch to this: I Tested Gradual Self-Tanning Lotions—And Here Are My Thoughts
Here’s how I style my hair: My Go-To Haircut, Color & Styling Tips
Make the little moments more special: Romanticizing Life vs. Making the Everyday Extraordinary
LOVE Bondi Sands, have been wanting to try Coco and Eve, as I also have dry skin. To extend the tan, I actually use Jergens Natural Glow Hydra gel .. maybe if you use that with the Lux it would help!! Thank you for this article!!!
You’ve given me a thorough insight into each of the tanning products. Your honest and experienced review is very helpful.
Coco & Eve is my go-to! I love the way it tans me immediately and no one knows it’s a sunless tan! I am super fair so this one works!
Hi Penelope, what shade do you prefer of Coco & Eve? I’ve never tried before but I typically always get the darkest shades of all self tanner since I want to get my moneys worth and make sure I get tan LOL. I am naturally fair though. Thank you!
Hopelessly devoted to all Lux Self Tanning products. I’ve used this mousse with their “the Gradual” in between days to extend and hydrate and they are a great combo! They also DO NOT stain my sheets. I recently tried their newest facial self tanning serum with SPF. Nice color and convenient. Lux has also converted me from St. Tropez which I used for years & Coco & Eve which I’ve fabled with too. Love that they have a suite of formulas – don’t always love their pricing but I try to catch specials and sales!
Have you tried Chocolate Sun?? I keep returning to it…