I Tried 8 Natural, Non-Toxic Self Tanners. Here Are My Reviews.

FINE. I’ll do it. 😆

I’ve gotten a lot of requests to review non-toxic self tanners over the years, and I’ve resisted… until now.

While I grew up laying out in the sun and going to tanning beds (something I seriously regret now), I decided years ago to embrace my pale skin for several reasons that I won’t get into right now.

But, I’ve been hearing that tanning beds are back in style for Gen Z, which is concerning. Tanning beds are a Group 1 carcinogen according to the IARC, which means there is ‘definitive’ proof that they cause cancer. (This is the same group as asbestos and tobacco smoke.)

I’m in my mid-30s and I’ve already had to get five moles removed. Yes, I’m a ginger and therefore more prone to skin cancer development than others, but still. I wish I would have taken my sun/skin care more seriously when I was in high school and college.

Anywayyy, if tanning is going to be trendy, then I’d much rather folks use safe, natural self tanners rather than tanning beds. And THAT is why I decided to finally try out several clean brands and give you my reviews!

(Lastly, because I know someone will bring this up: yes, a lot of people are vitamin D deficient and should be getting more sun. But going for a 30 minute walk each day is different than lying in a tanning bed or baking at the pool sans sunscreen for hours.)

This guide contains product recommendations, and we may receive compensation through affiliate links or editorial fees. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine!

Dihydroxyacetone (DHA): The active ingredient in self tanners. Is it safe?

Dihydroxyacetone, aka DHA, is the active ingredient in BOTH conventional self tanners (such as St. Tropez and Jergens) AND in most of the clean self tanners below.

This is the ingredient that actually gives you the tan.

It works by reacting with amino acids on the surface of your skin to produce brown pigments called melanoidins.

It actually only affects dead skin cells on the surface layer, which is why these tans only last a max of about 10 days (because the skin cells slough off).

DHA is actually pretty safe, but it does depend on the context, with topical application being safer than inhalation. The only research that has shown carcinogenic potential has been through very high doses in lab-dish cell studies via inhalation (mostly from vaping, not spray tans). But if you want to be safe, I’d recommend just sticking with the lotions and foams, and skipping the sprays. Although I did review a couple of sprays below, I’m not super eager to re-buy them.

There is also no evidence that it has endocrine-disrupting potential. (DHA is a simple three-carbon sugar that your body metabolizes through normal energy pathways and therefore there isn’t a hormonal mechanism that would lead it to being a suspected hormone disruptor.)

Lastly, is DHA okay for people with sensitive skin? In general, yes. DHA allergies are rare. Those with sensitive skin would actually be much more likely to react to other ingredients in self tanners—like essential oils, surfactants, or alcohols—rather than the DHA itself.

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My process + application tips

Most of the directions on the self tanners had similar directions. Here was my general process:

• I exfoliated my whole body beforehand with a non-toxic body scrub. This helps the tan last longer by removing the outermost layer of dead skin that is about to slough off anyway. It also helps create a more even tan and prevent patchiness around the armpits, knees, elbows, etc.
• I used a tanning mitt for all of them. (I just used the Beauty By Earth one, but all of the body tanner brands below offer a mitt and/or brush for you to purchase with the tanner.) Yes, these mitts are made of plastic, which is not ideal, but it is what it is. Maybe I should try just using my hands and washing them really well afterward and see what happens…
• I didn’t put any clothes on for about 20-30 minutes after applying. Some directions said to only wait 15 minutes, but I wanted to wait a little longer to be safe.
• I also put regular lotion on a little bit after applying as well. This tip came from the Elan Pure instructions, which suggested to apply lotion to the hands/wrists to get a more even tan.
• After that, I put black/dark clothes on. I don’t really know if any of these products have the potential to stain light-colored fabrics, but I didn’t want to risk it.
• Most directions suggest you wait at least an hour before showering. Personally, I timed my applications so that I didn’t have to shower until the next day so that I could make sure I got the max result.
• Heads up that all of the body tanners will leave your skin with a slight warm tingle for the rest of the day.
• I waited at least two weeks in between testing the different brands in order to give the previous product’s color a chance to fully fade.

A few other things worth knowing:

• All of the products below take about 24 hours for the tan to set in. (It’s not immediate.)
• All of the products below are also buildable, meaning if you want a darker tan, you can apply another layer the next day or a few days later.
• Lastly, it’s worth noting that the self tanners below do not offer UV protection. They’re totally separate from sunscreens.

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Beauty By Earth (lotion version)

Shade range: Light or Medium

Price: $27+

What I tried: Light

Other formats available: Mousse (see below), drops for the face, bronzing face mist, body spray, + a vegan version of the self tanning body lotion

My Review:

This one comes out looking like a pretty standard body lotion. It’s white and semi-thick. I applied it pretty generously and rubbed it in well using the glove.

I bought the Light version and it definitely made a noticeable difference on my (usually pale) skin. My husband, not knowing that I started reviewing the best natural self tanners (and this being the first one I tried), even made a comment about me being tan the next day.

Actually, I would say this one gave me the darkest tan out of all of the ones I tried. I suspect this might be because of the lotion format. I think the tanning foams are just naturally less concentrated because they’re more airy.

There was definitely a chemical-y smell to it. It reminded me of conventional sunscreen. It’s not terribly strong and it didn’t bother me at first. But then as the day went on, I got kind of tired of that lingering smell. It lasted about 12 hours.

I did leave a very slight tingling feeling on my skin for several hours (as they basically all do), but it’s not painful at all.

They recommend re-applying about every 4-6 days and I would say that’s about right. My tan had noticeably faded after about 7 days.

This one is also alcohol-free, so it might be better for people with dry skin.

Would I re-buy it? Yes, I feel like you get the most bang for your buck with this one. It’s one of the most affordable options, but because it’s a thicker lotion, I think it goes further than the watery/airy foams.

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Beauty By Earth (mousse/foam version)

Shade range: Light, Medium, Dark, or Extra Dark

Price: $27+

What I tried: Extra Dark (oops)

Other formats available: Lotion (see above), drops for the face, bronzing face mist, body spray, + a vegan version of the self tanning body lotion

My Review:

First and foremost, this one smells much better than the lotion going on. It’s not as strong and it’s more pleasant and less chemical-y. It’s more on the sweeter side. For that reason, I would re-buy this option instead of the lotion one.

That being said, I DID get that same chemical-y smell later on. So even though it wasn’t there at first, I did smell it several hours later. And like the lotion, it basically lasted until the following day.

You could argue that the foam is also slightly easier to apply because it just rubs in faster. But it didn’t make that big of a difference to me. I applied it in the same way—generously and with the lotion.

Funny story on this one: I accidentally bought the Extra Dark version and didn’t realize it until after I’d put it on! 🙈 I realized it about an hour after application and then had to decide whether I was going to jump in the shower or not. I chose to embrace the experiment and see what would happen.

And honestly, it was not bad AT ALL. Honestly, the level of tan was very similar to the Light lotion that I used, and it made me wonder if the darkness levels are really there more for marketing purposes rather than practicality.

Lastly, if you have any sensitivities to essential oils and/or surfactants, the Lotion version above would be better for you than the Mousse one.

Would I re-buy it? Technically yes, but I’d choose the lotion first.

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Elan Pure

Shade range: Just one shade (but it’s buildable)

Price: $38

What I tried: Natural Tanning Foam

Other formats available: Face Tanning Mist

My Review:

This foam has an actual tan tint to it, whereas the others are white.

It immediately smells better than the Beauty By Earth ones when putting it on. It doesn’t have that chemical-y smell at all; it’s more of a sweet, warm, vanilla vibe. And unlike the Beauty By Earth mousse, that chemical-y smell did not show up later. The fact that I don’t have to deal with that smell for a day is one of the reasons why it’s my top pick.

One small downside to this one is that there was a slight sticky/tacky feeling to my skin, even after it dried. This went away after showering the next day, but it was a little annoying from a sensory perspective.

My tan lasted 5-6 days, which was slightly shorter than what I got from the Beauty By Earth tanners.

Would I re-buy it? Yes, especially considering the smell issue. This is one of my favorites overall.

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Saltyface (body foam)

Shade range: Light to Medium or Medium to Dark

Price: $59

What I tried: Coconut Scented Light to Medium Tanning Foam for Body

Other formats available: Tanning Mist (see below), Tanning Moisturizer, Liquid Bronzer, Freckle Paint

My Review:

I wanted to try this one because it’s got a pretty clean formula, but it’s still really popular in the more conventional skincare world.

I got the Coconut scented one (honestly, not sure if I did that on purpose or not), but it also comes in Original (unscented). The Coconut one does contain “natural flavour,” which is an unspecific ingredient. So if you prefer to skip that, you can choose the Original Unscented instead. It definitely smells like coconut as soon as I put it on, which gives ‘summer’ vibes.

Would I re-buy it? Meh. It’s not bad, but the results are pretty similar to the other foams I wrote about above. The level of tan was about the same, and it lasted about a week. I didn’t dislike it, but it’s honestly very comparable to Beauty By Earth and Elan Pure, but like twice the price. So I can’t really strongly recommend it for that reason.

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Saltyface (face tanning water)

Shade range: Light to Medium or Medium to Dark

Price: $42

What I tried: Coconut Scented Light to Medium Tanning Water

Other formats available: Body Foam (see above), Tanning Moisturizer, Liquid Bronzer, Freckle Paint

I actually don’t mind the face spray as much as the body spray (see below), probably because it’s just 2-3 sprays and you’re done.

It works in the same way the other products do, where you spray it on your face, blend it in, and then a subtle color shows up over the next 24 hours.

It’s also worth noting here that many of these brands carry not only application mitts but also blender brushes. You can use the blender brushes on your body (in place of the mitt), but I think it’d make even more sense to use those for your face.

Would I re-buy it? Maybe. It’s the same price as the other sunless face tanners (below). So I think whether or not you would choose this one or the Pai one would just come down to if you’d prefer a spray mist or a serum.

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Inika Organic

Shade range: Just one shade

Price: $39

What I tried: Natural Tanning Mist

Other formats available: None (besides regular makeup bronzers)

My Review:

This organic self tanner seems great. It’s got several third-party certifications, including ACO Cosmos Organic, PETA Approved Vegan, and Certified Halal. It’s 100% natural and many of the ingredients are certified organic.

But I’m honestly not a huge fan. The biggest reason is because it’s a spray.

As I discussed before, I don’t really recommend sprays because DHA (the active ingredient) is not as save when it’s inhaled as it is when applied directly to the skin.

But also, I didn’t love the sensory experience of using this spray. I just hate inhaling this type of thing and I found myself holding my breath the whole time.

In terms of the actual results, the tan was more subtle for this one. This was probably because of the format. I think you just naturally end up applying a lot less product with a spray than you do with a thicker lotion. If you wanted to get a deeper tan, you could sit there and keep spraying, and/or add an additional layer every day or every other day.

I will say, however, that the spray application did make putting it on faster. It was easier to rub in (I still used the glove, since the directions said to), it dried faster, and it overall felt more lightweight than the others.

Would I re-buy it? No, I didn’t like using the spray format.

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Pai

Shade range: Just one option (but you can add more drops to make it darker)

Price: $49

What I tried: The Impossible Tan™ Hydrating Self-Tanning Drops

Other formats available: None

My Review:

This self tanner for the face is certified organic by COSMOS (it’s 100% natural and uses 41% organic ingredients and is also certified vegan and cruelty-free.

It’s actually one of the gentlest formulations on this list (as I think it should be since it’s for the face!). It’s fragrance-free and does not include any potentially sensitizing essential oils, making it one of the best options for sensitive skin.

Another thing I like about it is that you can either apply it on its own OR you can mix it into your other skincare products, like your regular serum or moisturizer. That way, you control the strength of the color.

They recommend using 2-6 drops at a time, and I did experiment with using less or more. Honestly, I didn’t notice a huge difference when I used 6 drops versus 2 or 4. Overall, this product gives a very subtle tan. Unlike the other self tanners where you apply it once and then your tan shows up the next day and lasts for a week, this facial serum is meant to be applied every 1-3 days and provide a softer sun-kissed look. I definitely prefer this method for the face; I don’t want anything drastic!

They’ve included skincare ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid in there too. So you’ve not only got a dose of glow, but also hydration and skin-barrier support.

It doesn’t really smell like much of anything.

Btw, you don’t need to use a mitt for this one, although they do recommend washing your hands after applying.

Would I re-buy it? Yes, this is my favorite sunless tanner for the face.

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Typology (DHA-free face tanner alternative)

Shade range: Just one

Price: $41+

What I tried: Tan-Complexion Serum P31 Botanical Blend with Buriti

Other formats available: Gradual Self-Tanning Serum L31 10% Plant-Based DHA + Carob Pulp (this is their actual self tanner for the face, which contains DHA), Self-Tanning Body Gel L95

My Review:

I wanted to try one DHA-free self tanner. Well, to be fair, they explicitly say this is not a self tanner, but rather that it “delivers an instant subtle sun-kissed effect.”

Instead of DHA, it uses 6 plant extracts that are rich in beta-carotene, which help to ‘subtly warm the skin tone.’ They specifically recommend it for dull skin.

I like that it has a pretty minimal ingredient list (11 ingredients), that it’s 100% natural, and that 55% of the total ingredients are sourced from organic farms.

It’s got pretty much no smell to it.

They do have a regular self tanning serum that does contain DHA, but I haven’t tried that one yet. I would be interested in trying their Self-Tanning Body Gel too, mostly because I haven’t tried a gel option yet and I’m curious to see if it would feel different on the skin or dry faster.

Would I re-buy it? Tough to say. I don’t dislike it, but I probably would choose the Pai one first. Unless for some reason I decided I didn’t want to the DHA.

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Even more self tanner brands I looked at

Here are even more self tanners that I looked into but did not try:

• Maya Chia WATER | COLOR™ sunless face tanner: This one is clean and I’d try it. It looks similar to the Pai one.
• Era Perez Guava Gradual Tan Drops: Here’s another non-toxic self tanner for the face that I’d be open to trying at some point.
• Self Glow by James Read: They have several different product types (moisturizer, drops, serum, toner, and more), which are mostly clean but do contain phenoxyethanol, which some folks choose to avoid.
• Suntegrity: This one is pretty good overall, but it does contain undisclosed natural fragrance, so I’d choose one of the others above instead.
• Coola: Same here. It’s a mostly clean formula, and is even ECOCERT certified, but it contains undisclosed “fragrance,” so I wouldn’t choose it. (And this one is not even ‘natural fragrance.’)
• Luna Bronze: Not the best, not the worst. The main concern is that their products contain several ethoxylated ingredients.
• Alba Botanica: Not a big fan of this one because it contains several “iffy” ingredients, including dimethicone (a potential liquid plastic), a couple of ethoxylated ingredients, and a heavier-than-average essential oil stack.
• Lux UnFiltered: This is a popular brand, but unfortunately it contains a list of not-great ingredients, including ethoxylated ingredients, liquid plastics, undisclosed fragrance (which is not even natural), and synthetic musk. Overall would not recommend this one.

Self tanners vs glow drops

Several skincare brands, including Pai, Typology, True Botanicals, and Rowe Casa (who has a body lotion version) carry “Glow Drops” or “Bronzing Drops.” Think of these as more of a ‘tinted serum/moisturizer,’ rather than a true self tanner. Rather than actually change the color of your skin the way DHA-containing self tanners do, they layer a little bit of shimmer bronze color on top of your skin, which then gets washed off the next time you wash your face.