The 10 Best Self Tanners

For a first self tan that looks like a week at the beach, St. Tropez Classic Bronzing Mousse is the safe bet. The light foam glides on with a mitt, dries fast and settles into a medium golden color without the orange cast that cheap formulas can give. You rinse after up to eight hours, and the tan keeps deepening after that. It fades gradually rather than in patches. The bottle runs out sooner than budget foams do.

People who want a deep bronze without paying salon-brand money should look at Bondi Sands Dark Foam. A brown guide color shows where the foam has landed, so you can catch missed spots before they set. The finished tan reads natural rather than orange, and the foam carries a light coconut smell. It's vegan and cruelty-free. The color tends to fade in under a week, so plan on regular touch-ups, and fair skin may want the lighter shade.

Shoppers who read ingredient labels closely tend to land on Beauty by Earth Self Tanner. This U.S.-made lotion uses plant-based DHA, aloe and shea butter, and it has no added dye, so nothing rubs off on the sheets the first night. The New Knew picked it as its top cream, noting color that showed on the first try without turning orange. It's thick and slow to sink in, and deeper shades may need a second coat.

If you've never tried a fake tan, start with Jergens Natural Glow +Firming. It's a daily body lotion with a small dose of tanning agent, so color builds slowly over several days and a sloppy patch is hard to spot. It moisturizes dry skin too, and the maker adds collagen and elastin for a firmer look, a claim worth taking lightly. The fair-to-medium shade barely shows on deep skin, and the scent divides people.

Loving Tan 2 HR Express suits anyone who wants to tan in the evening and shower before bed. A tinted guide shows coverage, the foam dries in about a minute, and you can rinse after two hours while the color keeps building through the next day. It's made in Australia and has little of the biscuit smell DHA can leave behind. The dark shade can lean slightly red if you overdo it, and the small bottle costs a lot.

A low-cost way to try a mousse, Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun leaves a soft bronze tint right away that develops into a tan over the following hours. The airy foam dries in about a minute, and you can add another layer the next day for more depth. The light bronze shade suits fair and medium skin. Results vary, and on some people the color turns a bit orange or blotchy, so use a mitt on freshly exfoliated skin.

Built for people who want the deepest color in the least time, b.tan Ultra Dark can be rinsed off after one hour, or left on longer for a darker result. The brand says the foam skips the usual fake-tan smell, and it's vegan. Because the color is so strong, mistakes show, so moisturize knees, elbows and ankles first and spread it with a mitt. Fair skin may find it too much for a first try.

Tanning a face takes a lighter touch, which is why Tan-Luxe The Face comes as drops you blend into your usual moisturizer or serum at night. A few drops give a light glow and more give a deeper one, so you set the depth yourself, and a small bottle goes a long way. The formula adds raspberry seed oil, vitamin E and aloe. Wash your hands right after mixing, since the drops can stain palms.

Fragrance can sting sensitive skin, and Isle of Paradise Drops leave it out. You mix them into a lotion you already own, on your face or body, and the formula adds niacinamide and hyaluronic acid for skin that dries out. Color starts to show within a few hours. Results vary: some people get a natural bronze, while others see little change until they add more drops, so start small and build.

Heavy creams feel sticky in summer, and L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Water Mousse goes the other way: it feels closer to water than foam and sinks in fast. It smells of coconut, and the front label says it resists rubbing off on clothes. Apply it at night and the color is there by morning. For a deeper tan, the maker suggests up to three coats spread over a day. It can feel tacky until dry, and one coat is subtle.