The Best Self-Tanners of 2025

Applying the Bali Body Self Tanning Mousse is easy; the self-tanner has a "color guard" that lightly tints the skin so you can see what areas you’ve covered. I was able to coat my whole body in the mousse quickly enough that I didn’t need a protective mitt to keep my hands from getting stained, and it helps provide an even application.

The pleasant, clean scent is light enough not to bother you once the formula dries, though, like all the rest of the self-tanners on this list, it is not unnoticeable. The self-tanner comes in two shades, dark and ultra dark, and I chose the lighter of the offerings.

The instructions for the self-tanner recommend leaving the solution on for one hour for a light tan, up to four hours for a medium to dark tan, and eight hours for the deepest tan possible. I applied one thin coat at the beginning of my workday and showered it off after seven hours. The result on my pale skin was a noticeable but not overdone tan that wasn’t orange or too golden. I was happy with the color, as anything too dark would appear unnatural on me, but I’d suggest applying a thicker layer or a second coat for the full eight hours if you want an even more profound effect.

The self-tanner faded evenly over a week, making it great for either one-time use or a multi-day vacation or event where you don’t want to keep reapplying. And once on my skin, the product left behind no noticeable residue or staining on my clothes or bedding.

Unlike the Bali Body, the L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Mousse lacks a color guard, which is where the self-tanner lost a few points with me. Instead, you must use the colorless sheen that the formula leaves on your skin to help guide you through the application process. I’d recommend using a tanning application mitt to apply this self-tanner, because the longer the product sits on your fingers and palms, the more likely they are to become unnaturally stained.

While all of this makes an even application more challenging, the tan you end up with is subtle and forgiving. The tan I achieved was a good surprise, as the product is only available in one "medium" shade. This tanner has a coconut scent that, while pleasant, is strong. If you don’t enjoy a fragrance other than your perfume lingering, you may find this bothersome. Luckily, it fades away after washing, like others on this list.

The instructions recommend letting the tan develop for anywhere from four to eight hours before showering. Initially, the tan looked patchy, but after washing my skin within the recommended time frame, the color appeared much more natural-looking and not blotchy the next day. The only problem area was around my ankles and feet, where the contours are more complex to cover evenly, which was true of many of the other self-tanners on this list.

After I applied the self-tanner, my sun-kissed tan lasted a few days, fading evenly throughout each day. While I would have liked a more noticeable tan from one application, the instructions recommend applying the solution three times throughout 12 to 24 hours if you want a deeper tan and longer-lasting color. If you’ve been hesitant about trying self-tanner, this is an affordable option that’ll give you a taste of what the application process and wear experience are like.

While the L’Oréal self-tanner is a great entryway into the self-tanning world because of its affordable price and natural-looking hue, the Clarins Self-Tanning Instant Gel is the easiest to use of all of the products I tried and the most subtle, making it one of the best self-tanners for beginners.

The gel texture of this product, which mimics the texture of a body lotion that you’d likely already be familiar with, makes up for its lack of a color guard to guide you. The lightweight consistency glides with ease over the whole body without the need for an application mitt or any real skill, adding to the reasons why it is a top-notch choice for nervous beginner self-tanners.

The gel has a clean, floral scent that makes it stand out from all of the other sweeter self-tanner fragrances. The tanner also doesn’t require you to leave it on for any specified amount of time or wash it off, like many others. The instructions only suggest waiting until the product dries before getting dressed. In my experience, it remained tacky even after 30 minutes, so you may want to build in time to sit around in your skivvies for a while after application.

Once fully dry and developed, the tanner left my skin with an even, light tan that could fool anyone into thinking I’d just spent a couple of days in the sun. I was impressed that I could still see a slight hint of it a week after application, as it evenly faded away. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this self-tanner for beginners as well as for people with very light skin who want a guaranteed subtle glow and easy-to-achieve tan.

If you love a tanning mousse formula, the Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam is the best self-tanner I’d recommend after the Bali Body one because it has a good shade range, a long-lasting formula, and gives a beautiful glow to the skin. That said, prepare to work quickly when you apply this self-tanner. The mousse formula seemed to froth up rather than blend into the skin at first, so I had to spread it quickly to avoid a patchy finish. However, the color guard helped.

The instructions recommend waiting at least two hours—or overnight, for a deeper tan—before showering. I used the shade "Medium" (also available in "Dark" and "Ultra Dark") and received a noticeable but not-too-dark tone that looked akin to what I’d get from several days in the sun. This self-tanner wore away evenly over about a week, and I enjoyed the tan while I had it.

The smell of this mousse has a strong and lovely scent. I described it as caramel-esque, but Coco and Eve say the sweetness I’m smelling is actually from tropical Balinese mango and guava. Almost all of the self-tanners had a strong scent that lingered until the formula was washed off and sometimes even for a few hours after a shower and this was no different.

If you’re not a fan of the typical self-tanner fragrance (which multiple brands refer to as a "biscuity" scent), you might enjoy the St. Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse. The brand refers to this product’s smell as its "mood-boosting signature fragrance" with notes of bergamot and green apple.

To me, the tanner smells similar to the fresh scent of hair products I’ve used, like dry shampoo. Either way, you won’t get an overly sweet cover-up scent or the as-is chemical smell.

This is another excellent option for a self-tanning mousse, and I think most people would be happy with the results. This self-tanner has a dark color guard that makes it easy to apply in an even layer. I showered this self-tanner off after four hours—the instructions recommend waiting four to eight hours, and I wasn’t sure what to expect color-wise, as this only comes in one shade called "Classic." Post-washing, I was impressed to see zero blotches around my knees, ankles, or feet—quite the feat for me. I’m not sure if I should toot my own horn or the self-tanner’s, but I know I was pleased with the results.

However, I noticed that my upper thighs appeared tanner than my calves. This could be user error or because below my knees never gets as tan as the rest of my legs (I blame 10 years of wearing shin pads while playing soccer), and my base color in those two specific areas may have differed.