- Pros: Easy to apply; feels undetectable on skin; buildable glow; long-lasting; moisturising ingredients like aloe vera, raspberry seed oil and vitamin E
- Cons: Has that very recognisable fake-tan smell
Best Glow-Boosting Face Tanner: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Island Glow Easy Tanning Drops
These just-launched drops, the first self-tanning products from Charlotte Tilbury, have been a big hit in the Glamour office. Unlike some self-tanning products, these don’t leave your skin dry or stripped, thanks to skin barrier-boosting ingredients and hydrating hyaluronic acid.
“What sets this product apart for me is the light-reflecting pigments that give my skin that instant, almost pearly glow,” says Glamour‘s website director, Ali Pantony. “There’s only two shade options – Fair/ Medium or Tan/Deep – but the drops are easily buildable. When I want a more natural glow, I use 2-4 drops, but when I want a deeper tan, I go for around 5-7.”
Type: Drops / Usage: Wear under, mixed with or on top of your daily moisturiser / Development time: 6 to 8 hours
- Pros: Easily buildable; transfer resistant and streak-free; adjusts to your skin tone
- Cons: Not the best for instant results.
Best Overnight Tan: Self Glow by James Read Dusk to Dawn Facial Overnight Tan
James Read’s overnight facial tanner is so hydrating and smoothing, it can be used in place of your night cream to help simplify your evening skincare routine. It’s packed with hyaluronic acid, a fine line-smoothing microalgae active, and fermented mushroom to nourish the skin barrier.
Reviewers say they love the healthy, natural-looking tan they woke up with, and that it had a pleasant fragrance instead of the tell-tale fake tan smell. Plus, the serum is colourless, so you don’t have to worry about any nasty pillow transfer while you sleep.
Type: Serum / Usage: Two pea-sized pumps directly to the face / Development time: Overnight.
- Pros: Lovely scent; packed with skin-boosting ingredients; natural, buildable colour
- Cons: Pricier than some other face tanners.
Best for Blemish-Prone Skin: Bondi Sands Technocolour Emerald Self-Tanning Face Serum
Type: Serum / Usage: Apply to clean, dry skin, ideally on its own until development time is complete / Development time: 6 hours.
If you’re prone to blemishes or excess oil and are worried about a face tanner breaking you out or clogging your pores, the new self tan serum from Bondi Sands is the product for you. The formula adds an instant, olive-tinted warmth to the skin, while the non-comedogenic composition and the brand’s Blemish Control Complex makes it suitable for those prone to blemishes and sensitivity. There’s also antioxidant vitamin C to help brighten and nourishing chamomile extract to soothe and calm.