Editor Tip: Apply this directly to the face or body before the rest of your routine, go to bed, and wake up glowy and tan.
Type: Lightweight serum | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, soybean fiber, beetroot extract | Shades: 1 | Development Time: 3 to 4 hours
More to shop from Tan-Luxe:
- The Complexion Brightener: The Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops, $50
- Easy Application: The Water, $48
- A luxe, skin-conditioning self tanner: The Crème, $49
What should you look for in the best self-tanners?
One of the most popular ingredients featured in fake tan products is dihydroxyacetone, a sugar-based compound most commonly known as DHA. As cosmetic chemist Ginger King explains, DHA reacts with the amino acids on the top layer of the skin to provide a gradual tan. The problem? It can be tough to stabilize, hence the dreaded tangerine tint, cosmetic chemist Randy Schueller previously told Allure. Luckily, self-tanners have come a long way and many of today's options impart natural-looking tans that are indistinguishable from the real deal — and a much healthier habit in the short and long term (bye-bye, sun damage). Other common ingredients found in mousse, lotions, and spray tans is erythrulose, another sugar that stabilizes DHA, moisturizing emollients for a smooth and streak-free glide, and different forms of encapsulation technology to enhance the product's finish and neutralize DHA's usually-pungent smell.
How long does a self-tan last and how can you prolong it?
Here's the thing: every self-tanner's longevity is totally up to the formula and pigment intensity. A subtle, faux sun-kissed glow can wash down the drain in a matter of days, while a dramatic bronze may last for upwards of two weeks. As a rule of thumb, Evans previously told Allure that faux tan products of any kind last about five to 10 days. "Your skin will naturally shed over five to ten days, and no self-tan will last longer than ten days," she said.
There are quite a few tips our editors have garnered over the years to make a self-tan last for weeks, which you can read here, but here are a few key takeaways. First off, beauty treatments like waxing and manicures can impact your self tan, so make sure you take care of those before your self-tan session. "All of those treatments can remove self-tanner," spray tanner Anna Stankiewicz of Louise O'Connor Salon in New York City previously told Allure. Other things to note include washing with a gentle cleanser, making sure your skin is always moisturized, and avoiding intense actives like retinols and acne treatments, which can dissolve color on your face.
How to achieve a streak-free tan with self-tanners
One of the golden rules of self-tanning starts with your skin-care routine: Exfoliate beforehand. Spray tanner Anna Stankiewicz of Louise O'Connor Salon in New York City, suggests sloughing dead skin with an oil-free cleanser laced with glycolic or salicylic acid. Just be sure to remove any and all residue before proceeding, so you can start off with a clean, dry, and product-free slate that'll maximize your self-tanning results. This is a crucial step because oils "could interfere with the binding of DHA to the stratum corneum," according to New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Shari Marchbein, MD, and lead to uneven development.
