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Sunless Tanning Guide: How to Apply & the Best Drugstore Buys

A guide to the best drugstore self tanners and gradual tanning lotions plus tips on how to apply sunless tanner for a flawless bronze glow.

Last Updated on February 25, 2019 by Carina - Ohio University
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase through our links. Please read our full disclosure here.
Best sunless tanners 2013 - Tan girl on a beach

Photo Credit

Tanning has received a bad rep in the past decade – and for good reason. Prolonged sun exposure is incredibly dangerous, and can lead to everything from premature aging to deadly forms of skin cancer. It’s just not worth it.

Whenever my friends forgo their SPF 35 or step into a tanning bed, I can’t help but have a mini panic attack. But, I also get jealous of their glowing skin. Why does something so dangerous have to look so gorgeous? Not fair, guys. That’s where sunless tanner comes in.

I’ll admit, I’ve been terrified of self-tanner since I showed up to my ninth grade homecoming with Oompa Loompa legs. And don’t get me wrong, I love my pale skin. I can rock bold brows and a vampy lip like no other, but I also love experimenting. Sometimes, I just want to look like a bronzed beach goddess.

We’ve done lots of posts on sunless tanning in the past (see our guide to our favorite self tanners from different categories, and how to apply our favorite high-end tanner, St. Tropez) but since it’s a new soon-to-be-summer season, I thought I’d share my best tips for applying sunless tanner, as well as my favorite drugstore self-tanners with you guys!

If you want that bronzed glow on a budget, read on and find out how to do it the healthy way.

Application 101: How to Apply Sunless Tanner

  1. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. This is by far the most important pre-tanning step. Dry skin is the number one culprit behind blotchy, uneven tans, because those rough patches absorb more color – hence that dreaded orange glow. Slough away dry skin with an exfoliating body wash – I like Olay’s Daily Exfoliating Wash – making sure to focus on rougher areas like the knees and elbows for a glowing, even tan.
  2. Shave. Shave before applying your tanning lotion to ensure you get the smoothest tan possible, as shaving afterwords can create blotchy patches.
  3. After you’ve shaved and exfoliated, let your body dry completely. Never apply self-tanner to wet skin – the streaks are a nightmare!
  4. Apply a thin layer of moisturizer to your entire body, again focusing on dry areas like the knees and elbows, to keep them from absorbing too much color. (I use Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion for this.)
  5. Apply the self-tanner! Use broad, circular strokes and make sure the lotion is completely rubbed in. Don’t forget about places like your neck, behind your ears, and your mid-back. You can wear gloves if you want, but I think they make it harder to get the lotion to absorb.
  6. Wash your hands thoroughly. Grab your exfoliating wash again and scrub between your fingers and around your nails to keep them from turning that dreaded shade of orange.
  7. Wait. Ideally, you’ll need about an hour to prance around your room au naturale, but you should definitely wait at least 30 minutes before getting dressed to avoid staining your clothes. (Many girls apply self-tanner before they go to sleep – this works great, just so long as you wear dark clothes and don’t use your best white sheets!) After 20 minutes or so, apply another layer of moisturizer. This will even out your tan and help eliminate streaks before they’ve even formed. The color will start to show after 2-3 hours, so you’ll be bronzed and gorgeous in no time!

Best Traditional Self-Tanners

Self tanners come in two main varieties – traditional self tanners (which develop in a few hours), and gradual lotions (which slowly add color and require repeat applications over the course of a few days to a week). If you want to go from pale to bronzed in a few hours flat, traditional self-tanners are your best bet. Here are two of the best drugstore options:

1. Banana Boat Summer Color Sunless Lotion

Best self tanners 2013 - banana boat summer color

Banana Boat Summer Color Sunless Lotion, $6.54 at Drugstore.com

This is definitely my Holy Grail sunless tanner. It takes me from ghostly pale to subtly bronze overnight, and the color is super buildable and completely natural. If you have a warm skin tone, this product is perfect for you. It’s yellower than most other self-tanners, which makes my skin look absolutely golden.

The best part is, I’ve had absolutely no streaks. The formula is tinted, so you can see where you’re spreading it, which speeds up the application process. The only thing I’m not a huge fan of is the smell. Although it’s not as heavy as most self-tanners, I can still smell it when I wake up the next morning.

2. Hawaiian Tropic Island Radiance Self Tanning Lotion

Best drugstore self tanners - Hawaiian tropic island radiance self tanner

Hawaiian Tropic Island Radiance Self Tanner, $7.99 at Drugstore.com

This is a classically good drugstore buy, and comes in a few different strengths, depending on how dark you want to go. “Medium” is subtle and works great for super pale girls, but all other skin tones should opt for “Medium-Dark”. The color is natural, the smell is pleasant, and the creamy formula means no streaks.

This product is great for those with dry skin – the lotion is ultra-moisturizing and has ingredients that help lock in moisture to keep skin soft for hours. The downside, however, is that this lotion can feel sticky for a few hours after you apply, so it’s not the best if you need to put it on in a hurry.

Best Gradual Self-Tanning Lotions

If you’re super pale, a regular self-tanning lotion might make your skin too dark, too fast. If that’s the case, (or if you just want to ease into self tanning), then a gradual self-tanning lotion is the way to go! Here are my two drugstore faves in this category.

1. L’Oreal Sublime Glow Daily Moisturizer

Best drugstore self tanners - loreal sublime glow

L’Oreal Sublime Glow Daily Moisturizer, $11.49 at Drugstore.com

You’re about to call me crazy, but I promise you, this stuff smells AMAZING. The active ingredient in most sunless tanners, DHA, smells… bad. You know what I’m talking about. But this wonderful moisturizer smells like oranges and tea, and it gives my skin a beautiful, buildable glow.

Of all the self-tanners I’ve tried, I think this one gives the deepest base tan, but you have to apply it more often – at least 3-4 times a week. It’s worth noting that this moisturizer is not meant to be used on your face. Additionally, it does contains a subtle silver shimmer, and although I’m not a huge fan of that, if it doesn’t bother you I definitely recommend this product.

2. Jergen’s Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer

Best gradual self tanning lotions - jergens natural glow

Jergen’s Natural Glow Firming Moisturizer, $6.79 at Drugstore.com

Let me start this by saying Jergen’s formula has vastly improved over the years. I remember borrowing this lotion from my mom in high school, and it turned my skin into an orange, streaky mess. But, after giving this newly reformulated brand another shot, I’m impressed!

This is one of the many gradual tanning lotions that claims to zap away cellulite like magic. While no lotion, drugstore or high end, is really capable of that, this product does have some firming qualities. It doesn’t give me supermodel legs, but it did temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite while giving my skin a healthy, warm, brown glow.

Compared to other drugstore brands, the self-tanner smell is minimal, and it even gives your skin a bit of sparkle. Definitely one of the best gradual tan products on the market.

Your thoughts?

How do you get your spring glow? Which self-tanners do you swear by? Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Tags : self tanner, Summer, summer beauty, Tanning

8 Comments
Originally published on April 28, 2013
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Comments

  1. J says

    April 15, 2019 at 11:27 am

    damn why can’t white girls just be happy with the color of your skin

    if you all are gonna be constantly painting your skin, why not do an interesting color like blue or something

    Reply
  2. Tanning Tanya says

    May 29, 2019 at 5:34 pm

    I prefer sunless tanners with moisturizers, they seem to really prolong the effects of the tan and keep my skin glowing.

    Reply
  3. Myla M says

    April 15, 2019 at 11:25 am

    Im happy in my brazilian skin. I have the perfect skin tone and dont get burnt in the sun. I can go to the beach without any problems. What im trying to say is;

    Love yourself, your skin, your hair and ethnic background. Your beautiful no matter wat 🙂

    Reply
    • Raven says

      May 29, 2019 at 5:49 pm

      You should protect your skin from the sun, to prevent premature aging and skin cancer. Just because you don’t get burnt doesn’t mean you can’t get skin cancer. That’s why others use self tanner, so they can get the glow without the harsh UV rays.

      Reply
  4. Julia says

    May 29, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    I used Nivea gradual tan lotion last couple years and now can’t find it in stores near me, (I’ll probably end up ordering online) wondering if anyone has tried and if so which one of the above is similar? I hate jergens, it’s too thick.

    Reply
  5. Dbike chic says

    May 29, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    Finding that, certain brands of gradual self- tanners are “too thick”, can be tricky.
    However, I have experimented with a few friends with self tanning issues. The results are basics. Dry skin? Use a non oily moisturizer all over body that is easy to absorb and REALLY good and healthy for the skin. It’s thirsty, needs nutrients (besides internally-water) considering it IS the biggest oragan we have as humans.
    If your face, elbows, hands, knees and feet are extra dry; use a ‘coconut based lotion’ on those areas effected, after you’ve applied your basic lotion all over the body.
    When exfoliation has been met in the shower, make sure to hit your feet with a good scrubber around the soles of your feet if your want good blending in that area as well!
    Apply extra a little extra coconut oil lotion on your dry areas. This will help when your developing after 20min.. You will see if you need to take a soft rag with blended lotion in it to soften these parts up. As this has been a problem with dry skinned self tanners.
    Remember, experimenting with natural products is usually a good ending result. Small quantities and be liberal with applying lotions, gels, sprays and any other design of tanners.

    I’ve found that prepping two days in advance, proper hydration, mixing oil blends with self tanners has made A HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!

    Reply
  6. jennifer says

    April 15, 2019 at 11:36 am

    i like the Millenium Tanning Solid Black Bronzer it’s good for my skiny type i use it after seeing a how to apply in blog : http://besttanninglotionreview.com/best-tanning-bed-lotion-review/
    i use it for 2 years, thank’ for sharing this very helpful how to

    Reply
  7. Angela Bassett says

    May 29, 2019 at 5:39 pm

    Personally I just love Unreal which for me has to be the best. It’s a real high quality tanning product and I use it on my face. It has lots of great ingredients to keep your skin from drying out which is what I find annoying about other tanners I’ve used. I use their Unreal Personal Tanning Mist, usually opt for the Light version in the winter and the Medium version all other times. I don’t like to go too dark though, best to keep it natural looking. I think other brands should have the different degrees of bronzer to suit all skin tones. A great tip for hands is to just use the excess on your tanning mitt without adding any more product. Always moisturise your feet before you tan those as well.

    Reply

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