If you want a bronzed, just-back-from-vacation glow without actually baking in the sun, the best self-tanners are the way to go.
While streaky, orange formulas may haunt your memories, today’s options are much more sophisticated. There’s something for every preference. Lotions are ideal for buildable, low-commitment color you can layer daily and can even help you maintain a spray tan. But body and face drops allow you to customize the depth of your glow and build over a few days.
As for mousse formulas, these “require a little more effort, but are great when applied the day before a big event,” says Jess Glaser, spray tan artist at On The Glow Studio in New York City. “Just make sure you use a mitt and blend carefully, especially around your hands and knuckles.” A clear mist “works well for a soft glow”, but Glaser advises that they “need blending around the hairline and jaw to avoid streaks”.
To find the best of the bunch, I tested 20 different self-tanners, paying close attention to how each one looked, felt, and wore on my skin, wittling it down to this list of the top nine.
How I tested
I kept expert self-tanner Jess Glaser’s advice in mind when selecting and testing the formulas. To evaluate each self-tanner, I applied the product to clean, freshly exfoliated skin using a mitt, gloves, or bare hands as directed by the packaging. For drops and gradual lotions that didn’t call for a mitt, I followed the brand’s specific instructions and made sure to thoroughly wash my hands afterward, reapplying over the course of a few days to build a gradual tan. I wore loose, dark clothing after application and closely monitored dry-down time, finish, and transfer.
I rated each tanner from one to five (with five being the best), based on the following factors:
- Ease of application: I considered how easy the formula was to work with and whether it blended well. I also kept an eye out for a guide color — in the instances where there wasn’t, I considered whether the formula was beginner-friendly.
- Drying time and residue: I tracked how long each tanner took to dry, and whether the product left a sticky or greasy residue.
- Color result and longevity: I considered how believable the tan looked on my light-to-medium skin, how long it lasted, and how evenly it faded over several days.
- Scent: I noted which scents felt fresh or light versus strong.
- Transfer: There is nothing worse than white sheets or clothing being ruined by self-tan stains, so I closely monitored whether any of the formulas transferred.
Looking for the best self-tanners in the UK? Find our top picks here
Why you can trust IndyBest U.S. reviews
Brigitt Earley has more than 15 years of experience in reviewing beauty products. She has written about everything from the best drugstore makeup to the heat protectant sprays. As for self-tanner, Brigitt is an expert on the topic — she has tested countless face and body formulas over the years (including finding the best drugstore self-tanner) and consulted experts on the different formulas and application tips.
The best self-tanners in the U.S. for 2025 are:
- Best overall – St. Tropez self tan supreme violet bronzing mousse: $48, Ulta.com
- Best budget self-tanner – St. Moriz professional medium self tanner mousse: $14, Amazon.com
- Best self-tanner drops – Isle of Paradise self-tanning firming body drops: $38, Amazon.com
- Best drugstore self-tanner – Beauty by Earth self-tanner: $29, Amazon.com
- Best self-tanner for face – Lux Unfiltered no12 self-tanning face drops: $42, Amazon.com
- Best clear self-tanner – Tanologist express medium self tan water: $18, Amazon.com
St Tropez self tan supreme violet bronzing mousse
Best: Self-tanner overall
Type: Mousse
Shades: One
Development time: 30 minutes to eight hours, depending on your desired shade
Why we love it
- Long-lasting color
- Believable bronze tone
- Dries quickly with minimal transfer
Take note
- May be too dark if you are very fair-skinned
St Tropez’s self-tan supreme violet bronzing mousse is the product that I’ve found myself reaching for years — it’s what really converted me into self-tanning. It does go on dark — almost alarmingly so if you’re fair-skinned — but don’t panic, that’s just the guide color. The formula rinses off to reveal the perfect olive-toned tan underneath.
The mousse is light and airy and super easy to apply (with a mitt), spreads evenly, and dries quickly. What I like most is that the violet base in the formula neutralizes any potential orange tones, so it delivers a very natural color. There is a slight scent during application, but it doesn’t linger.
This St Tropez mousse lasts nearly a week before gradually fading without any major patchiness. And, I experienced very minimal transfer onto sheets and clothing.
Buy now £48.00, Ulta.com
St. Moriz professional medium self tanner mousse
Best: Budget self-tanner
Type: Tinted mousse
Shades: Medium, dark, ultra dark
Development time: Four to six hours
Why we love it
- Fast-drying mousse
- Easy to apply
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Take note
- Scent is noticeable
St Moriz’s tanning mousse has earned cult status for good reason. The vegan, cruelty-free formula delivers impressive results at a low price. It is also often compared to high-end brands — such as St Tropez — thanks in part to skin-nourishing ingredients like aloe vera and vitamin E.
The tinted mousse is ideal for beginners — the dark foam makes it easy to see where you’ve applied it — and it spreads evenly. It dries fast without any sticky residue, and I was able to get dressed in under five minutes.
The color develops into a flattering, natural-looking tan, with no hint of orange, and lasts a solid four to five days. As with all self-tanners, I’d recommend applying body lotion daily to prevent patchy fading.
The only downside is the slight scent that lingers for a few hours, but I didn’t notice any transfer onto clothes or bedding.
Buy now £14.00, Amazon.com
Isle of Paradise self-tanning firming body drops
Best: Self-tanner drops
Type: Drops
Shades: Light, medium, dark
Development time: Four to six hours
Why we love it
- Customizable glow
- Easy to use
Take note
- Some transfer onto clothes while exercising
You need to mix Isle of Paradise’s self-tanning firming body drops directly into your favorite body lotion. But the drops deliver a buildable, natural-looking tan — what I appreciated most was how easily I could control the intensity of my tan simply by adjusting the number of drops I added. The brand recommends one to 12 drops, depending on the color intensity you want — I used eight drops, and the color developed into a warm, believable bronze without any streakiness.
As the lightweight serum mixes into my normal moisturizer, I found it absorbed quickly and felt comfortable on the skin. I did detect a slight self-tanner smell, but I was mostly able to offset this with a fragranced lotion. While I didn’t experience any transfer on my sheets overnight, I did notice a little bit when sweating during an outdoor run.
Buy now £38.00, Amazon.com
Beauty by Earth self-tanner
Best: Drugstore self-tanner
Type: Gradual lotion
Shades: Fair to medium, medium to dark
Development time: Six to eight hours
Why we love it
- Nourishing texture for dry skin
- No strong scent
Take note
- Slower to develop
If you have dry skin, I couldn’t recommend Beauty by Earth’s self-tanner more. The formula is rich and creamy, so it feels more like a luxe moisturizer than a traditional self-tanner. (I loved it so much when testing for my review of the best drugstore self-tanner that it took the top spot.)
The color develops more slowly than others in this list — it looked its best after two applications — but the results were worth the wait. The formula was easy to apply, didn’t have a tell-tale self-tanner scent, and the resulting warm brown tan was streak-free and natural-looking. Owing to its hydrating formula, the tan didn’t cause any patchiness when fading — but as ever, I’d recommend applying a body lotion daily after using a self-tanner to lock in moisture.
Buy now £29.00, Amazon.com
Kopari gradual self-tanning mousse
Best: Gradual self-tanner
Type: Gradual mousse
Shades: One buildable shade
Development time: Eight hours
Why we love it
- Pleasant scent
- Moisturizing
- Nice glow
Take note
- Lack of color guide makes application a little trickier
Kopari’s gradual self-tanning mousse differs from other mousses I tested because of how light it is. Despite looking golden in the bottle, there is no color guide, which can make application a little tricky, which is worth noting if you’re a first-timer. But I didn’t experience any issues.
I’d recommend this formula to someone looking for something light. As it’s a gradual tanner, it builds over time with more applications. But it was one of the more believable shades I tested, and produced a subtle sun-kissed glow with no orange tinge or streakiness.
Even better, it has a nice, tropical, citrus-forward scent, which is a nice departure from the smell of other tanners. And I experienced no transfer.
Buy now £36.00, Ulta.com
Coco & Eve sunny honey Bali bronzing foam
Best: Believable-looking tan
Type: Mousse
Shades: Medium, dark, ultra dark
Development time: Two hours to overnight
Why we love it
- Deep color payoff
- Skin-loving ingredients
- Great scent
Take note
- Transfers a bit when sweating
This Coco & Eve bronzing foam was one of the formulas I had the most compliments on during testing — multiple people asked if I had just returned from vacation. That’s because the color payoff is rich and golden, giving a just-off-the-beach glow that looks impressively natural. The foam is a real multitasker too — the brand claims it’s been formulated to even the skin tone, which I think it did well.
The scent is a standout — lightly floral with tropical notes, and zero trace of that classic self-tanner smell. Take note, though: the tan itself looked amazing, but it did transfer slightly onto my clothes during workouts. That said, any marks washed out without effort.
Buy now £38.00, Ulta.com
Lux Unfiltered no 12 self tanning face drops
Best: Face self-tanner
Type: Drops
Shades: One
Development time: Two to eight hours
Why we love it
- Hydrating formula
- Fragrance-free and good for sensitive skin
- Delivers a natural, even glow
Take note
- Can take a couple uses for more pronounced color
When it comes to the face, Lux Unfiltered’s no 12 self-tanning face drops are my go-to for a subtle, believable glow. I mix them into my usual nighttime moisturizer, and they blend in seamlessly, with no streaks, no sticky or greasy finish, and no telltale self-tanner scent. Thankfully, there was no trace of color on my white pillowcase either.
As someone with dry skin, I appreciate that the drops don’t leave my skin parched (likely thanks to the inclusion of hyaluronic acid, which is known for its skin plumping and hydrating benefits).
For a deeper color, I would recommend applying additional layers — I found two applications over a week provided me with a natural sun-kissed look. Once I was ready to let the tan fade, it did so evenly and without any patchiness within a few days.
Buy now £42.00, Amazon.com
Tanologist express medium self tan water
Best: Clear self-tanner
Type: Clear mousse
Shades: Light, medium, extra dark
Development time: Four to six hours
Why we love it
- Dries quickly
- Non-comedogenic
- Comes in three shades
Take note
- No color guide, so application takes practice
Tanologist’s express self-tan water feels more like a weightless body mist than your typical sticky lotion, thanks to its water-based formula. The downside of its clear formula is that it can be a little tricky to see where you’ve already applied it. With a little attention to detail, though, I still ended up with an even, streak-free golden glow (minus one little spot around my ankle).
I tested the medium shade (there are three different options) and was impressed with how natural the color was. I gave it a full eight hours to develop and woke up looking like I’d just come back from a sunny vacation. The formula took around five to 10 minutes to dry, but I didn’t notice any transfer on my clothes, and the color lasted about four to five days, fading evenly.
Buy now £18.00, Amazon.com
Dr. Dennis Gross alpha beta glow pad self-tanner for body
Best: Self-tanner for travel
Type: Wipes
Shades: One shade
Development time: One hour
Why we love it
- TSA-friendly
- Mess-free, easy to use anywhere
- Exfoliates skin
Take note
- Color is a bit orange
These pre-soaked towelettes are perfect for tossing in your carry-on — no liquids, no mess, and no mitt required. Each individually wrapped pad contains just the right amount of self-tanner for a full-body application, making them a go-to for travel or quick touch-ups on the fly. (The brand also makes a face-specific version I also tried.) As a nice bonus, the wipes also contain exfoliating acids, the brand says help to smooth skin while the tan develops.
I was surprised at how quick and easy the application was — just wipe on and let dry for a few minutes, with no rinse required. I definitely appreciated the convenience and was pleased that the finish was streak-free, but the resulting color was a little too orange for my taste. It wasn’t over-the-top — I still felt comfortable wearing it out and would use these again during travel — but I personally preferred formulas that delivered a deeper, more bronzy tone for regular use.
Buy now £48.00, Sephora.com
What is the best self-tanner?
I found St. Tropez self tan supreme violet bronzing mousse to be the best self-tanner in my tests. The mousse stood out for its easy application, realistic shade, and lasting power. For something more subtle, I’d recommend Beauty by Earth self-tanner, which worked as a daily moisturizer and builds gradually — I loved it so much that I named it the best drugstore self-tanner in my review.
