The 12 Best Tanning Drops According to Our Editors (and One Even Kelly Ripa Swears By) (2024)

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Sephora/Candace Davison

Best Overall Tanning Drops

1. Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Face Drops

Isle of Paradise

of our editors have tried this bestselling bottle of tanning drops, and allof themconcur that ityieldsa very effortless looking tanandthe bottle lasts quitea while.“You just have to be very careful with the amount of drops you use because it can get wild fast,” advises Assistant Editor, Sales and DealsDestinee Scott. The product has a slightly thicker consistencyto it, whichmakes it easier to mixinwithyourmoisturizerwithout creating a runny mess.

Fast Facts

• Size: 1-ounce, 0.33-ounce
• Shades Available: light, medium, dark
• Promising Review: “This provides the perfect tan—I use about five drops in my moisturizer about every four days and it gives me a slightly golden glow, [and] it’s not orangey or patchy.” — a Sephora customer

Charlotte Tilbury/Catrina Yohay

Best Gradual Glow Tanning Drops

2. Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Island Glow Easy Tanning Drops

Charlotte Tilbury

Slow and steady wins the race, right? This bottle of drops is meant to develop eight hours after use and last up to four days after application. "I love that the formula is a bit more viscous than other versions I've tried, which makes it way easier to be more precise with the amount of drops I use—especially since a little goes a long way," says Executive Editor Catrina Yohay. According to the brand, 100 percent of people who tested the formula agree that it's not sticky when applied to the skin, and 97 percent of people agree that it's transfer proof, too. "I mix it in with a bit of moisturizer, spread evenly over my face, neck and ears (don't forget the ears!) and a few hours later I have a noticeable, streak-free glow."

Fast Facts

• Size: 1-ounce
• Shades Available: fair/medium and tan/deep
• Promising Review: "These drops are a game-changer for achieving that sun-kissed glow all year round. They are easy to use and customize, allowing you to control the intensity of your tan. The formula is lightweight and doesn't feel heavy or sticky on the skin." — a Charlotte Tilbury customer

Sephora

Most Hydrating Tanning Drops

3. St. Tropez Tan Tonic Glow Drops

St. Tropez

Long-lasting with added benefits, these glow drops aren’t just for tanning your skin. They’re formulated with hydrating ingredients to keep your skin looking plumped up and quenched during the driest of summer days. “I like that they have added skincare benefits (like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid). They feel really hydrating, smell nice and I've never had issues with orange tones,” attests senior food editor Katherine Gillen.

Fast Facts

• Size: 1-ounce
• Shades Available: one shade
• Standout Review: “I have really sensitive skin, but this product did not make me break out. I used it in the evening and the following day everyone was telling me how beautiful my face looked!” — a Sephora customer

Versed

Best Shimmery Drops

4. Versed Mood Lighting Glow Drops

Versed

of adding these to my moisturizer, I love adding a couple drops to my tinted SPF orfoundation.This technique gives me the best glow, in my opinion. I'm pretty fair, so I use the sheer golden ones and find that theybrighten upmy face,as thoughI've been usingvitamin C serummyentirelife. The formula is very easy to blend and it's not too thickorrunny,which is lovely for adding to other liquids. It's dermatologist tested and non-comedogenic, which is great because I haveacne-prone skin.

Fast Facts

• Size: 1 ounce
• Shades Available: sheer golden and sheer bronzed
• Promising Review: "I add two drops to my foundation and it gives me the slightest extra glow. [I] love how easy it is to add onto my routine." — a Versed customer

Amazon

Most Lightweight Tanning Drops

5. +Lux Unfiltered No. 12 Bronzing Drops

Lux Unfiltered

These drops haveawatery consistencyto them, so it’s very easy to use too much or get it inunintended spots. However, if you are a seasoned self-tanner, you’ll find that the color is super natural-lookingand less orangethana lot of tanners.Since these drops areon the pricier side,I alternate them with a few others, but thesegiveme my favorite glow out of all of them.To get the most flawless finish, Ilike to apply my moisturizer,thenadd a few drops to my handsandblend immediately,while my face is still damp. It only comes in one shade, so if you want something darker, this may not be the tanner for you.

Fast Facts

• Size: 1-ounce
• Shades Available: one shade
• Promising Review: “[It’s] not patchy or orange. I mix with my night cream about 2 times a week. Gives such a nice glow!” — an Amazon customer

Revolve

Best Anti-Aging Tanning Drops

6. Tan-Luxe The Face Anti Age Self-Tan Drops

Tan-Luxe

Us Weekly reports Miss Kelly Ripa is a huge fan of these tanning drops. The brand claims this shade is good for those with pink and red undertones to their skin instead of olive skin tones or darker. "[It's] a very easy, forgiving [and] buildable tan. [It] looks pretty natural on fair skin; not an orange tan, and the smell is much more mild than most tanners. [I] haven’t experienced any breakouts with it," attests one Sephora customer. You can mix a drop or more with your favorite moisturizer or serum to apply seamlessly to your face.

Fast Facts

• Size: 1-ounce
• Shades Available: light/medium
• Promising Review: “These drops are perfect for achieving a [subtle] sun-kissed look and is so easy to apply! I've been using this [it] once a week as a part of my routine.” — a Revolve customer

Revolve/Dana Dickey

Most Illuminating Mist

7. Iconic London Prep Set Tanning Mist

Iconic London

Asun-kissedtan is nice,but adda little shimmerto the mix andyou’re ready for the beach or a night out on the town. This tannerhasa mist applicator, which can be less messy for some. “The two shades, 'Original' and 'Glow,'give an immediate subtle tan and it builds a little every day. It’s a mist but I use it likedrops.I sprayitintomy palms,then patitontomy face, because I don’t wantto get it on myT-shirt,” says Senior Editor,Dana Dickey.

Fast Facts

• Size: 2.53-ounces
• Shades Available: original and glow
• Promising Review: “Every time I wear Iconic London Prep Set Tan everyone is like 'wow, you look rested' or 'have you been to the beach?' Or some other compliment." — Dana Dickey, Senior Editor

Sephora

Best with Skincare

8. Coola Sunless Tan Face Serum

Coola

This organic, vegan formula is made to nourish your skin while giving you an effortless tan. It’s got vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, plant cell cultures and argan oil for hydration and other skin benefits. “I have used this serum every day for the last three years at least. I have sensitive, breakout prone skin [and] a typical face tanner leaves me greasy with clogged pores. This stuff has never done that! Just be careful on your hairline—if you end up with too much product there, you’ll really notice the difference in scalp to face color,” reports one Sephora customer.

Fast Facts

• Size: 1.7-ounces
• Shades Available: one color
• Promising Review: “This is my favorite sunless tan face serum. It makes my face look tan and sunkissed without having to sit in the sun!” — a Sephora customer

Ulta

Best Value Tanning Drops

9. Indeed Labs Nanobronze Bronzing Drops

Indeed

Faced with dullness at the start of summer?Blendina few drops of this serum with your moisturizer for an easy applicationand subtle tan, and it will wash off at the end of the day. “As a brown skinned girl, this really helped my skin tone get an even [looking] complexion! I look so glowy and bronzed…and [it] applies smoothly with my moisturizer,” says one happy customer.

Fast Facts

• Size: 1-ounce
• Shades Available: one color
• Promising Review: “Beautiful finish, non-greasy, highly pigmented and works well mixed with moisturizer or tinted moisturizer. Highly recommend!” — an Ulta customer

Amazon

Most Buildable Tanning Drops

10. Sol by Jergens Deeper by the Drop Self Tan Drops

Sol by Jergens

Kourtney Kardashianclaims to frequently use this tanning serumby“[mixing]in drops with daily moisturizer,” according to E! News. Aside from the fact thatthe drops areextremelyaffordable,they're alsoknown to be buildable and can be used almost daily instead of every few days like other tanning drops.Thebrand recommends using three to six drops for a light tan, seven to 10 for a medium glow and 11 to 15 for a deeper bronze.Plus, the formula is cruelty-, oil-, dye- and paraben-free.

Fast Facts

• Size: 1-ounce
• Shades Available: one color
• Promising Review: “Cute little bottle, easy to use and I just add a few drops every time I moisturize my face. I even put it in my lotion when applying to my arms and neck. Beautiful, easy tan.” — an Amazon customer

Ulta/Olivia Dubyak

Best Temporary Tan Tanning Drops

11. Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Sunshine Drops

Drunk Elephant

You’ll get a beautiful temporary tan that will wash off with your nightly skincare routine, and it has some skin benefits too. The brand claims that the antioxidants in the formula mimic the benefits of vitamin D. It also defends against environmental stressors on your skin. When I'm not already tan,I mix these drops with moisturizer to dilute the color for a lighter glow, but when I am self-tanned, I apply these directly onto my skin for a darker wash of color to match my body (since I don't use self-tanner on my face).

Fast Facts

• Size: 1-ounce
• Shades Available: one color
• Promising Review: “I got these when they went viral on TikTok and haven’t looked back. The formula doesn’t have an overwhelming scent and it gives my face a very beachy glow.” — Olivia Dubyak, commerce editor

Ulta

Best Body Tanning Drops

12. Tan-Luxe The Body Self-Tan Drops

Tan-Luxe

These hydrating tanning drops are formulated with caffeine and cellutone complex,aswell as some other hydrating ingredients to give you a plump, quenchedcomplexion. It’s available in two shades and like the otherson this list,itcan be added to yourmoisturizer.“I mix this with my moisturizer at night to let it process overnight. It's subtle but noticeable and[it]give[s]me that super healthy glow that you get when you drink tons of water and eat greens on a regular basis. Also, I have super acne prone skin. At one point I was even on Accutane so I'm very careful about the products that I put on my face and this doesn't break me out,” raves one customer.

Fast Facts

• Size: 1.6-ounces
• Shades Available: light/medium and medium/dark
• Promising Review: “If used as directed, it gives you the perfect summer glow that looks natural. It does not look orange and is not streaky at all, it just looks perfect. I truly do not feel as if I have had tanning drops work this well before.” — a Revolve customer

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Commerce Editor

Olivia Dubyak is PureWow's Commerce Editor and textbook Capricorn. She studied journalism at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but has gone from New York City to...