Oh, to be tan. It is my favorite thing and self-tanners are my favorite products to try out and review. Being everyone has different shades and skin tones; it is important to try out different types to see which works best for you and your skin. Something that works for someone else may not work best for you. Self-tanners give that beautiful glow we all long for. Having that glow all year long just makes you feel like a 10 out of 10. These are our top picks for 2022 so far in self-tanning water drops & mousses. You really can’t go wrong with any of these I have reviewed below. I like them all for different reasons.
I went through each product and gave the pros and cons of each. My favorite out of all of them and one I use religiously is the Loving Tan- 2 hr Express. It gives instant color and is the perfect natural olive tone for me. I promise you though none of these below will make you look orange. Ultimately, the key to a good self-tanner is finding one that has green undertones to it. Most of the self-tanners below are common favorites for a reason. They rate very high and have favorable reviews. We hope you love the review we have on each self-tanning water drops & mousses below and can’t wait for you to try them! Here’s to a sun-kissed you!
The Best Self Tanners
BONDI SANDS- AERO LIQUID GOLD
PROS
- Coconut scent
- Lightweight mousse applied with a mitt
- Light & natural looking tan that isn’t too dark.
- Green undertone to mousse, which won’t turn you orange.
- Streak free
- Super-fast drying
- Won’t stain clothing
- Best of Beauty Allure 2020 award
- Affordable price point at approximately $30
CONS
- Apply every few 2-3 days to maintain tan.
- Lotion is a greenish white (not brown), which makes it harder to see where you are applying it.
- Color can transfer onto sheets
- Bottle is bigger, but it is an aerosol so you will go through it quickly.
IL MAKIAGE 85/66 Sun Foam
PROS
- Ingredients include hyaluronic acid & aloe vera for an added hydration & anti-aging benefit
- Vegan formula won’t clog skin
- Cruelty/Paraben Free & Dermatologically tested
- Fresh scent
- Light & natural looking tan that isn’t too dark.
- Non-sticky formula and dries quickly
- Won’t stain clothing
- Color lasts for a few days
- Comes with a velvety soft mitt and Kabuki Brush (*We love IL MAKIAGE because you can try their products for 14 days without any commitment and return it if you don’t like it.)
CONS
- Tan takes a few hours to develop
- Tan isn’t as dark as I hoped for.
- Price point is on the pricier side at $59
Isle of Paradise
PROS
- Ingredients include coconut oil, avocado oil and chia seeds for hydration and omega 3 fatty acids
- Cruelty/ Gluten Free & Vegan
- Clean scent
- Self tanning water drops get added to your face and body moisturizers
- You control the level of glow with the amount of drops you use.
- Non-sticky formula and dries quickly
- Won’t stain clothing
- Color lasts for a few days
- 3 different types of drops depending on your skin tone and what glow you want to achieve (light, medium, dark)- I used the medium drops.
- Price point is moderate at $32
CONS
- Tan develops in 4-6 hours
- No mitt to apply so wash hands immediately to avoid stained hands.
- The number of drops is a lot if you want a darker glow, so it is hard to gauge what is right for your skin tone (2-4 sun kissed; 4-8 golden; 8-12 bronzed).
- A few people commented how tan I looked, which I can’t tell is a pro or a con!
- Ever so slight orange tint
- My face broke out a little from this product and I typically don’t break out.
Loving Tan
PROS
- Ingredients include aloe vera to soothe and nourish skin
- Paraben and alcohol free
- Nice scent
- Brown mousse so you can see where you are applying it.
- Instant color and then bronzer can be washed off after 2 hours. Great product if you want immediate color. Tan develops further after a few hours.
- Dries in less than 60 seconds
- Won’t stain clothing
- Non-streaky
- Natural olive colored tan
- Color lasts 1-2 days.
- The dark formula is perfect for medium to dark skin tones. Don’t let the “dark” name scare you. I like this one the best.
- Price point is moderate at $42 for 4oz.
CONS
- I wish the tan lasted longer than 1-2 days.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion as mentioned, I really like all of these self-tanners in the form of self-tanning water drops & mousses. It just depends on the day or occasion and the tan I’m looking for. If I want a deeper tan, a light glow or something in a hurry, I will reach for different products. I have also reviewed a bunch of others that are also really great options. They were all reviewed a few years ago and are still great contenders. To see those products, be sure to check out our post on The Best Self-Tanners that Won’t Make You Look Orange & How to Apply Them. That post also gives great tips on how to prep before you self-tan, which is super important for gaining that beautiful glow and having the product last.
Above all, we hope these products we reviewed help you and give you that perfect glow you are looking for. We can’t wait to hear what you think of them. Let us know in the comments below.
Interested in other beauty posts? Most certainly make sure to read our posts on:
- The Best Self-Tanners that Won’t Make You Look Orange & How to Apply Them
- The Secret to Beautiful Hair & Skin
- Sephora Must-Haves
Don’t forget to pin these to Pinterest for later or to share with a friend!
