I tested 5 of the most popular brands to see which gives the best summer glow.

I’ve always been a total sun baby, but with very fair skin. Getting a nice glow makes me feel more confident, somehow makes my hair look lighter, and I miraculously feel more “fit”…or at-least more keen to show more skin. But, getting that color that I love usually takes way too many hours than I have time or patience for.

On top of that, the more hours I’m in the sun, the less long-term results I’ll see from my perfected anti-aging skin regimen. As I enter my mid 30’s I want to be a lot more mindful of my sun exposure - whilst feeling a nice bronze. Thus, this post comes in hand!

Why “fake tan” went out of style

Self-tanners and spray tans were majorly trending in our twenties. There wasn’t an event or vacation I didn’t prep for by getting an extra (too much extra) tangerine glow.

Most formulas weren’t very advanced, and boyfriends complained that they smelled horrible. They were too orange, too tacky, and too expensive to maintain along with our laundry list of beauty appointments. A lot of us gave up on them for several years.

Now, it’s back?

I don’t think being “tan” will be as it once was, but a natural-looking glow has made a comeback. Also, because skincare is majorly en vogue - I find myself trying to find a nice golden color without reversing all the work I’m doing on anti-aging prevention. Staying out of the sun is as top of mind as ever!

If you’re going to get some sun, using self-tanner in combination with laying out occasionally is better because it puts less pressure on surviving the heat that extra hour to two just to achieve that golden color. I started my self-tanner tests last summer, and it was so nice to not worry about getting that perfect tan that I usually strive for.

I decided to ask on Instagram what everyone’s favorite self-tanners were AND then go crazy $$$ and purchase the most popular answers to test them all for you. Here we go!

body results

face results

Final scores

Overall winners

Like any beauty routine, it requires a cocktail to get that perfect natural glow. The good news is, I’ve perfect a 3-product regimen for you. The other news, is I recommend 3 different products to get, but I’ll tell you why!

#1 Body: St Tropez Express Mousse | find here

#1 Gradual Tanner: +Lux Unfiltered by @sivanayla | find here

#1 Face: Isle of Paradise Drops | find here

product breakdowns

1. St Tropez | Express Tanning Mousse | grade: A

Pro’s:

My favorite of all 5 products! The tan was the deepest and most natural looking. It was the LEAST streaky out of every brand and also lasted over a week. Plus, I only had to keep it on for around 3 hours and then got to shower it off before bed.

Con’s:

Not a lot of cons. It goes on dark (almost green) so you can see every spot you miss. It’s a bit sticky and you have to deal with it for a few hours but after that it’s fine. I suggest just sitting on a towel in your house.

Body score:

Best deep tan color and least streaky product I used out of the 5. This is the one I will recommend to everyone from now on for body.

Face Score:

It did turn my pores dark and made them look like blackheads (similar to loving tan). It faded after a day or so but I still suggest Isle of Paradise face drops instead of using this on your face.

2. Loving Tan | 2 HR Express Self Tanning Mousse Dark | Grade: A-

Pro’s:

It had a really nice tan/bronze color and was only a little bit less than St. Tropez. It also is a little less stickier than St. Tropez.

Con’s:

Not a lot of cons, it was slightly more streaky than St Tropez but nearly the same and lasted a little bit less. This comes in a close second for the body.

Body score:

Comes second to St. Tropez, not bad but if I had to choose between the two this would lose because it’s not as fast and the color is slightly inferior. It was a little more streaky around my armpits.

Face Score:

It made my pores dark and resembled blackheads. They faded after a day or so but I didn’t like it very much for face and would want to use something different.

3. isle of paradise | water + drops | Grades for body: C & face: A

Pro’s:

Smells amazing and very un-self-tanner-like. It has a tropical scent and because it’s water based, and isn’t very sticky.

Con’s:

EXTREMELY streaky. Because it’s a clear water you can’t see what spots you’ve missed. Also, the spray bottle doesn’t work very well. I ended up spraying all over my bathroom just to get anything out and it got on my floors.

Body score:

The ONLY positive I have is it smelled nice and was the most pleasant to sleep in. It wasn’t sticky at all.

Face Score:

Amazing! The face drops were a different story though! They did not turn my pores dark like the other brands and it went on evenly. It lasts 5 or so day if you’re using serums/products. It also did not make me break out! I have tried Tan Lux face drops and they have made me break out every time I use it. Overall, I would buy the face drops for Isle of Paradise.

4. Dennis Gross | Tanning Towels | Grade: B-

Pro’s:

Nice Brown/Olive color vs. orange. Made by a luxury skin-care line, the products multi-tasks by giving you a dose of skin vitamins including Vitamin D, exfoliators, and an ingredient called Capislo which reduces shaving frequency.

Con’s:

Towels dry up pretty fast so you have to use quickly. It’s hard to get it even as the first spot on your body gets the “wettest” aka the most product. It has medium streak tendencies because you can’t see where you’re applying it.

Body Score:

Great color + long lasting but the streaking from the towels get me! This used to be my favorite before St Tropez. My ankles and back are hard to reach without the mitt.

Face score:

Didn’t make me break out and lasted a solid week. Had a nice tan/brown glow and wasn’t too orange. Didn’t dry out my skin.

*Final Thoughts: Good for vacations if you’re already tan and streaks won’t show. Also, if you’re super tight on space.

5. +Lux Unfiltered | Grade A for Gradual tanner

Pro’s:

Smells amazing and is made of shea butter, cocoa butter, rose, and passion fruit oil. It’s a very luxurious night cream. It’s also invented by one of my favorite lifestyle bloggers @sivanayla.

Con’s:

Not a lot cons for a gradual tanner, it’s great! BUT, this will not magically change your color overnight. It’s a good purchase for in between self-tans during the week or when you’ve been outside for real Vitamin D and want a little more color .

Body score:

Nice buildable color and isn’t sticky. Very pleasant to sleep in or wear clothes after.

Face Score:

You can’t use on your face as it might clog pores, stick to body.

final score chart

extra application tips!

• Exfoliate using a hand glove to exfoliate the hard to reach areas

• Always put lotion on your knees, heels, feet, hands before applying anything! When the color goes over it, it will come out less strong and you’ll thank me!

• A tanning mitt REALLY does makes a difference when applying s mousse for an even and smooth color

• Use baby powder to combat the stickiness - it shouldn’t impact the color!

• Use an old makeup brush on chest and neck to get color to apply evenly