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The best face tanners aren’t just for those dreary winter months. Avoiding the sun’s harmful rays is crucial for skin health. But when you’re shading your face with a sun hat and slathering on the best SPF, you might not get that gorgeous midsummer glow you're looking for.
Similar to the best self-tanners for body, face tanners will get the job done with less risk of irritation or breakouts since they’re actually made for your complexion. “The perfect self-tanner for the face not only delivers a natural-looking tan but also considers skin care concerns,” says Laura Kay, a makeup expert and founder of the beauty clinic Laura Kay London in London, noting many of these products contain moisturizing ingredients like vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. Many are also noncomedogenic to keep acne-prone skin happy.
To help you find the best facial self-tanners on the market, we asked the pros—dermatologists, makeup artists, estheticians, and our own Glamour editors and contributors—for their top self-tanning products, then put the most promising ones to the test. These are the tanning drops, lotions, serums, and tanning mists that impressed us all-around: ease of application, transfer-resistance, longevity, and overall quality of glow.
Best face tanners, at a glance:
- Best Face Tanner Overall: Tan-Luxe The Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops, $50
- Best Drugstore Face Tanner: Jergens Natural Glow Face Moisturizer With SPF 20 Sunscreen, $10
- Best Self-Tanning Drops: +Lux Unfiltered N°12 Bronzing Face Drops, $44
- Best Face-Tanning Lotion: Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Lotion, $31
- Best Self-Tanning Face Mist: St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist, $33
Best Face Tanner Overall: Tan-Luxe The Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops
Easy to use and highly effective, these tanning drops came highly recommended by multiple pros and are beloved by our staffers and testers. “I was never a self-tan fan, but this beginner-friendly formula gives you a very natural look,” says Austin-based medical aesthetician Kristin Gunn. “I suggest playing around with what shade you like the best by gradually increasing the drops. I start with three drops mixed with my daily moisturizer for the most natural, sun-kissed look.”
Our testers like that, because it gets mixed with your favorite moisturizer, it’s virtually undetectable on skin. “It does have that fake-tan smell, but there’s no tacky or greasy residue,” says Glamour contributor Brigitt Earley. “It didn’t transfer to my clothes or pillowcase, either.” Overall, we got a solid three to five days from this glow too, which was slightly above average.
Type: Drops / Usage: Mix 1 to 4 drops to your usual moisturizer, serum, or face oil and apply to the face. / Development time: 2 to 4 hours
- Pros: Easy to apply; feels undetectable on skin; buildable glow; long-lasting
- Cons: Has that very recognizable fake-tan smell
Best Drugstore Face Tanner: Jergens Natural Glow Face Moisturizer With SPF 20 Sunscreen
When as natural as possible is your ultimate goal, Jergens is your bestie. The drugstore brand offers both a face lotion and a body lotion, and both are more like daily moisturizers than self-tanners, but offer a hint of color that gradually darkens the more you use it. “I love this because you can get a flawless, quick, gradual tan that mimics results from the sun,” says Rachel Lozina, a licensed esthetician and founder of Blue Water Spa in Oyster Bay, New York. “It’s easy to apply and provides streak-free results without any funny odor.”
We’re big fans too. “I love that this formula has an instant tint—that way I can get the color right away and I can see what I’m doing without streaks,” says Glamour contributor Bella Cacciatore. “It looks great instantly and gradually deepens into the perfect shade.”
Type: Lotion / Usage: Apply as you would any other moisturizer. / Development time: 4 hours
- Pros: Easy to apply; noncomedogenic; oil-free; contains SPF
- Cons: Color may be too light for some users preference.
Best Face-Tanning Lotion: Beauty by Earth Self-Tanner Lotion
Another favorite of Gunn’s, this vegan, noncomedogenic lotion (also available as a tanning mousse, if you prefer) is suitable for both the body and the face, lending it excellent overall value. “It’s quick to dry and will give you a nice glow like you’ve been to the beach in just a few hours,” she says.
Our testers like the US-made product too. “I love that the tanning lotion goes on clear, so you don't have to worry about staining sheets or clothes,” says Glamour tester Isabelle Halpern. “Plus, it smells like coconut and develops gradually over eight hours for the best self-tan I've had.”
Type: Lotion / Usage: Apply as you would any other moisturizer. / Development time: 8 hours
- Pros: Easy to apply; vegan; noncomedogenic; can be used on the face and body; great scent
- Cons: Longer development time than some
Best Self-Tanning Face Mist: St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist
For the ultimate convenience, consider this tanning water face mist by St. Tropez. “It’s super easy to use,” says Gunn. “I simply use a couple spritzes before my nightly skin-care routine and wake up the next morning with beautiful bronzed and glowy skin.” Despite the ease of use, testers told us it offered a long-lasting tan. “For me, applying a few days a week is perfect, but applying each day will help the shade get noticeably darker if you’re looking for that,” says Gunn.
We love that it’s packed with hyaluronic acid too, so the skin benefits go deeper. Our editors note that this makes the product a good choice for dry skin, particularly if you’ve found other face tanners to by drying or irritating.
Type: Spray / Usage: Spray 5 to 6 full pumps onto clean, dry skin. / Development time: 4 to 8 hours
- Pros: Easy to apply; vegan; cruelty-free; suitable for all skin types; contains hyaluronic acid for additional skin benefits
- Cons: Lighter shade than some others
Best Face-Tanning Serum: Coola Hyaluronic Acid Organic Sunless Tan Anti-Aging Face Serum
Our tester called this formula “skin care and a tan all in one.” Celebrity facialist and holistic skin expert Vee Mistry agrees: “It’s an organic product that not only allows you to build a beautiful tan, but also cares for your skin with glycerin and centella asiatica, helping to plump fine lines and improve complexion.”
It's perfect for maintaining a glow, especially during colder months or in the lead-up to a vacation. And it can be used in two different ways: For gradual color, pump two to three drops into your daily moisturizer; for maximum color, dispense a small amount into the palm of your hand and spread evenly across your face. “My favorite way to use this is by mixing a few drops in with my moisturizer before bed, and to wake up with a glow,” says Halpern. “Even though I have sensitive skin, it never breaks me out.”
Type: Serum / Usage: Mix 2 to 3 drops into moisturizer or apply directly to face like a moisturizer. / Development time: 2 to 4 hours
- Pros: Multiple ways to apply based on desired result; contains skin-nourishing ingredients; suitable for all skin types; vegan; cruelty-free
- Cons: Some users say the shade is too light.
Best Self-Tanning Drops: +Lux Unfiltered N°12 Bronzing Face Drops
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It’s hard to find anything bad to say about this sunless tanner. For starters, the clear formula comes in a cute little bottle that looks more like a serum than tanning drops. It doesn’t have that weird scent most fake tanners have, either. It works like other drops: You simply mix the desired number of drops with your favorite moisturizer. (Read: Newbies won’t end up with streaks.) “This makes blending a breeze, and you don't have to worry about tanning lines or uneven application,” says Aimee Car, a professional makeup artist and founder of Voodoo Makeup. “You can control how tan you want your face to be by the amount of drops you apply—the more drops you use, the deeper the tan will be.”
We love that it’s nontoxic, vegan, and fragrance-free too. The ingredients list also boasts hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and pomegranate extract. Plus, our testers reported long wear times. “I can get almost a full week out of this face tanner,” says Earley.
Type: Serum / Usage: Mix 2 to 3 drops into moisturizer or apply directly to face like a moisturizer. / Development time: 2 to 4 hours
- Pros: Highly buildable formula; vegan; fragrance-free; includes skin-nourishing ingredients; long-lasting
- Cons: Not available at as many retailers
Best Shade Range: Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Natural Glow Face Drops
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“I love that this brand comes in both a regular standard size and a mini size,” says Carr. “When you’re tanning your face for vacation, the mini size is perfect to bring with you in your suitcase without weighing you down.” But there’s a lot more to love than the size of the product, she says. “The drops themselves also come in three levels (more than most!): light, medium, and dark.
The different intensity levels make it easier to pick the right one for your skin tone, said testers. “I like that they’re customizable too,” says Earley. “It makes it a little bit easier to control the end result, which is key for those who want the most natural look possible.” The icing on the cake? The clean formula also contains DHA and vitamin C to treat the natural tone and texture underneath that tan.
Type: Drops / Usage: Mix drops to your moisturizer or serum, spreading evenly over the entire face and neck. / Development time: 4 to 6 hours
- Pros: Highly buildable formula; works to even skin tone and texture; comes in two sizes and three shades
- Cons: Has that very recognizable fake-tan smell
Best Instant Glow: Isle of Paradise Sunny Serum Instant Face Bronzer
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When you want that tan and you want it now, reach for Isle of Paradise’s instant face bronzer. The lotion delivers some of the most luminous results we’ve seen. “A little goes a long way with this product,” says Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle. “I would recommend using a moisturizer because it can dry up quickly and you want to be able to apply it all over your face before it does. (I mix it with CosRx face serum.) The first time I used this it gave me an immediate glow—all I needed was blush and I was good to go.”
But perhaps even better than the color is all of the skin-care benefits you’ll reap from slathering it on. Yes, the glow is nice, but so is the improved tone and texture you’ll get from the niacinamide, the hydration you’ll get from the squalane, and the reduced redness and irritation you’ll experience, thanks to the jojoba oil.
Type: Serum / Usage: Wear alone or mix with your favorite moisturizer / Development time: Instant
- Pros: Instant results; can be used alone or with makeup; packs a lot of additional skin benefits
- Cons: It's a more temporary option.
