The 10 Best Self-Tanners of 2025, Tested and Reviewed

Type: Mist | Shades: 1 | Size: 5 oz

While we’ve historically loved a mousse or a serum, this fine mist spray from Tan-Luxe has gotten our attention. This particular formulation is in partnership with Paris Hilton, and if the name is any indication, it’s the future of self-tanning. It reminds us of a professional spray tan, and it’s designed to be that way—the 360-degree airless mister allows you to reach every angle by yourself while the superfine mist creates a flawless, natural-looking tan every time. The brand’s new Triple Tan+ Technology works with each person’s unique undertones to create a tailor-made tan. The only con is that the canister will likely last only three uses, so if you love it as much as we do, you may want to stock up.

Type: Mousse | Shades: Medium, deep | Size: 5 oz 

If you’re in a pinch and need a self-tanner to work as soon as possible, look no further than this drugstore darling from Sol by Jergens. It develops pretty much as soon as you apply (and builds a little more after a few hours) and provides a subtle glow with one application. We appreciate that this mousse has a light texture that blends evenly, making the entire process take about 20 minutes or so to cover skin from neck to toe. It does feel a little sticky at first, but once it dries down, there’s minimal transfer on sheets or pajamas. The end result: A flattering, splotch- and streak-free tan that lasts for days.

Type: Mousse | Shades: 1 | Size: 6.7 oz

One of the biggest giveaways that you’ve used self-tanner is uneven fading—we’re talking speckled, blotchy skin. Out of all of the self-tanners we’ve tested over the years, this mousse from Australian brand Sontse has the most natural fade. The tan lasts an impressive length of time—we’re able to go two weeks without reapplying, and that’s with hours spent soaking in the pool. And even when we start to approach the end of those two weeks, the tan fades evenly without splotches or streaky areas. It looks so natural, we often catch ourselves not knowing if that’s our skin’s natural tone or the self-tanner.

While a lot of self-tanners are drying, this is one of the few formulas that doesn’t leave our skin parched the next day, thanks to the nourishing blend of aloe vera, coconut oil, and vitamin E. Needless to say, Aussies know how to make a good self-tanner.

Type: Drops | Shades: 1 | Size: 1 oz

These self-tanning drops are everything one could ever want in a facial self-tanner. You choose how many drops you use, so you can control how dark or light the outcome will be (though, at first, it can feel like trial and error to find that sweet spot), and they blend seamlessly into the rest of your skincare routine. All you have to do is mix a few drops into your moisturizer and apply to clean skin in the morning. In our experience, a subtle tan can be achieved with two to four drops, while a deeper tan takes about six. It dries fast without stickiness or residue, which is huge if you’ll be layering makeup on top. Color can start to develop in a few minutes, but the brand says it can take up to a few hours to fully develop. After the initial application, the tan lasts anywhere from two days to a week—it just depends on how much you exfoliate your face.

Type: Mousse | Shades: Medium, dark, ultra dark | Size: 6.7 oz 

This one is the best mousse self-tanner because of its ingredients (which contain a bunch of hydrators like coconut oil and mango butter), its velvety smooth texture, and the fact that it comes in three shades. It comes with a mitt applicator that helps distribute the formula nicely, although it’s worth noting that it can dry rather quickly, so you’ll want to make sure you’re somewhat precise with the placement. We usually see a difference in the color of my skin right away, but it gets darker as time goes on and achieves a deep bronze after eight hours.

Type: Mousse | Shades: 1 | Size: 6.7 oz 

If there’s one self-tanner that marked our college years, it would be this express formula from St. Tropez. The mousse dries on contact and develops faster than any other tanning product on the market. You can customize the color payoff based on how long you keep it on—wash it off after one hour for light, two hours for medium, and three hours for dark. Depending on how carefully you apply it, the resulting tan looks streak-free with minimal harm done to your bathroom. The only con is that it has an unpleasant scent that can linger. If you’re planning on doing what we used to do (aka apply, shower, and go), make sure you change into a fresh pair of clothes so you don’t walk around smelling like a biscuit.

Type: Lotion | Shades: 1 | Size: 6.7 oz 

Whether you’re looking to build up color naturally or are hoping to maintain an existing tan, a gradual tanning lotion is the way to go. This formula takes eight hours to develop and can be used daily to maintain a tan. Most tanners are dehydrating, as DHA, the color-depositing ingredient in tanners, can be very drying. With a blend of organic glycerin, aloe vera, and hyaluronic acid, this formula ensures your skin will never dry out, and you’ll never have to worry about shocking people with such a stark difference overnight. The only con is that the lotion is colorless, so you won’t have a guide color to ensure you’ve reached every nook and cranny of your skin.

Type: Mousse | Shades: 4 | Size: 6.7 oz

Self-tanner for Black women was previously neglected from the market, but there are now many formulas that can add a subtle glow to all tones and amplify melanin-rich skin. This express formula from Bondi Sands comes in four different shades, ranging from a natural cool tone to a warm golden tone. The brand did exhaustive research to find the best tanning actives and colors that complement every skin tone, so it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll get a flattering, luminous finish. This one is designed to be used with a mitt, which makes the process that much easier. It glides beautifully across the skin, and while it can feel tacky for a little while, it’s incredible that it doesn’t transfer onto clothes, pajamas, or sheets.

Type: Foam | Shades: Light to medium, medium to dark | Size: 6.8 oz

There are a lot of things to love about this self-tanner from Saltyface—the light-as-air foam, the recyclable bottle it’s housed in, and the fact that it comes in two universal shades—but perhaps the most impressive is the ingredient list. This formula is chock-full of hydrating and calming ingredients (glycerin, aloe vera, chamomile extract, cucumber, and calendula extract) that will nourish the skin as it’s being tanned. As for the tan itself, it lasts a while and looks very natural. The only con here is that although the packaging is on the bigger side, in our experience, we needed to use more than we wanted to so that we could achieve an even tan.

Type: Towelettes | Shades: 1 | Size: 20 towelettes per pack; 0.07 oz each

If you’re skincare-obsessed, then you know about the many benefits of exfoliation. If you don’t, we’ll explain: Exfoliation speeds up skin cell renewal, bringing newer, fresher skin to the surface with the help of chemical exfoliants like alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) or physical exfoliants such as sugar or salt grains. Ironically, exfoliating can speed up a faux tan, but in the case of these wipes from Dr. Dennis Gross, AHAs and BHAs like glycolic and lactic acids simultaneously reveal brighter, more radiant skin underneath while also tanning the skin with encapsulated DHA. All you have to do is sweep one wipe across your face, neck, and chest, and let the product work its magic. 

We’re fans of the brand’s original Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pads, so we love that these have the added step of tanning. The results are subtle at first, so you’ll need to use the towelettes for a few consecutive days to really see dramatic results. Once you build up the desired color, it lasts for days without needing touch-ups.