To find the best self tanners (including tanning drops), the Good Housekeeping Beauty Lab regularly tests the best self-tanning products from both high-end and drugstore products, in a wide range of formulas. In our last self-tanner test, we sent products to 218 women who used the tanners to reach their desired color, observe how the tan faded, and rank 10 products based on performance, ease of use, and overall satisfaction, keeping things likes streaks and depth of color in mind. What We Don’t Love: If you have a very deep skin tone, these formulas may make your skin appear a bit ghostly. The brand suggests using anywhere from three to six drops of this product for a subtle glow to up to 15 for a deeper bronze. If you’re familiar with the gradual tan formulas from Jergens, you may be tempted to use this product every day to achieve a similar result. Don’t be fooled, though — these are not gradual tan drops, so if you have fair skin and go for a deeper glow on a daily basis, the result may look a bit orange. For best results, regardless of your skin tone, we recommend spacing your usage out to every few days. To ensure an even tan, squeeze 2-6 drops into the palm of your hand, then sweep around your face using your fingers as you would your serum. While some bronzing drops may work well applied directly to bare skin, this one can be a little patchy if you use it that way. You’ll get the best results from this product by mixing it into something silky, which will help it spread smoothly across the skin. They’re also best used on light to medium complexions — it may not do much for deeper skin and it could be too dark for very fair skin tones.

After four days, or as your tan begins to slowly fade, it’s recommended that you exfoliate to help your colour fade evenly, ready for a new application. This is especially important if you have drier skin. After 24 hours you can apply more product to build your tan and get that sun-kissed glow on the go once more. Your time to tan Let it dry, and develop, and you will notice your skin will be glowing. Best tanning drops for the face Garnier tanning drops for the face The only downside to this fake tan formula is that, due to the nature of application, it can leave your eyebrows slightly stained. To avoid this, I wash my hands well after application and then take a dark coloured towel and wipe it over my eyebrows and lightly along my hair line, right at the roots. An initial deep tan using five drops means the hue lasts approximately a week and fades incredibly well without a steak in sight. While we love the ability to control our dose of self-tanner, note that mastering this formula will take a bit of practice. It’s intuitive to use, but you’ll have to first ensure that you’ve evenly applied the skincare product you’ve blended with your self-tanner to avoid streaks or patchy spots. We suggest starting with the lowest number of drops recommended by the brand (four) then working your way up to more as you become an expert in achieving an even glow. Self-tan has gained a bad rep over the years of being drying, smelly, and unnatural in shade. But we’ve made it our mission to develop a self-tanning range that not only mimics the result of basking in the sun, but also provides endless skin benefits at the same time.

The best Tropic Skincare products for 2021 are:

Less about colour and more about glow, this summer must-have will transform your skin in an instant. Fragranced with Tahitian and Bourbon vanilla, you’re left with a subtle scent and sparkle, while the sustainably sourced mica provides an eco-friendly sheen. You'll wonder how you ever lived without it! Tanning Mitt Using unique natural agents, our expertly-crafted formulas mimic the skin's natural melanin production, as well as preventing from oxidative stress. They also slow down the production of DHA – the culprit of those infamous orange streaks – meaning there'll be no nasty surprises after you’ve applied. With the addition of hydrating natural ingredients such as coconut water and aloe vera, you can enjoy soft and nourished skin alongside your healthiest tan yet. Still can't decide take our Tanning Routine Finder to find your perfect match! Sun Drops gradual tanning facial serum

Caught off-guard by an unseasonably sunny day? Reach for our Instant Glow Perfecting Leg Serum to immediately bronze skin. Hart adds that “building your tan gradually will ensure you don’t end up feeling too dark or with an uneven base.” If you hate how most glow boosters call attention to fine lines and coarse skin texture with shimmer, this PerriconeMD product is the one for you. It features a very sheer texture that buffs into skin seamlessly, infusing it with anti-aging ingredients like firming and brightening vitamin C as well as Chinese ginger plant extract, which combats discoloration and dullness. This product even contains SPF 15 for enhanced sun protection as you fake your glow (just be sure to apply your go-to sunscreen, too).Self-tanning drops are innovative because they're a concentrated form of self-tanner, making your self-tanning journey ultra-customizable. They're easy to apply — you can mix however many drops you want (most recommend somewhere in between one and 12) into your favorite face cream, body lotion or SPF — the more drops, the darker your tan will be — or you can apply directly to skin for the ultimate bronzed appearance. In particular, Claghorn recommends keeping an eye out for cosmetic preservatives, specifically parabens. “The main reason some individuals choose to avoid methylparaben and propylparaben is due to their potential endocrine-disrupting properties,” she says. Endocrine disruptors can negatively interact with your body’s hormonal function. While more studies are needed, it’s often better to be safe rather than sorry. Tanning drops are a formula which contain a self tan formula to give your skin a faux sun tan, and depending on the product can vary from light to dark shades. Use our Exfoliating Mitt or our Body Smooth Refreshing Polish to get rid of those pesky dead skin cells and leave your skin feeling like a silky smooth blank canvas, eagerly awaiting its impending golden shimmer! Put down the moisturiser

These customizable drops from Aussie brand Bondi Sands are ideal for sensitive skin — the formula features gentle, effective ingredients like hydrating hyaluronic acid, brightening vitamin C, and nourishing vitamin E without containing any potential skin irritants like color or fragrance. And while nearly all DHA-based self-tanners will have some kind of aroma as the color develops, this one is barely noticeable (and, even better, the tan appears in just six hours). Launched in 2004 by Susie Ma, who you may recognise from her appearance on The Apprentice in 2011, Tropic Skincare is a beauty brand with an extensive range of make-up, skincare, body care, hair care and baby products. Transform your skin while you sleep with our most popular self-tanning product to date. Crammed with antioxidants that shield your skin from environmental aggressors, coconut water, and kiwi fruit water, it'll flood the skin with moisture so it doesn’t dry out, for results lasting up to a week. Instant Glow perfecting leg serum What We Don’t Love: You’ll need to apply more than 12 drops to get SPF protection, which may be too sparkly for some. Much like the gorgeous green avocado on your toast, or the golden hummus in-between your pitta, serums are the best, most colourful part of your beauty routine. They’re water-based formulations, bursting with powerful ingredients to target specific skin concerns – from dark spots to clogged pores, oiliness or dehydrated skin. They should be sandwiched between the three daily essentials: cleanser, toner, and moisturiser.

Your tan will develop over the next 10 hours to reveal a perfectly tailored tan. Follow with your usual makeup routine or leave skin bare while Sun Drops gets to work. You’ll notice that your skin looks brighter and more youthful too. That’s all thanks to tropical passion fruit extract delivering a hit of vitamin C, for a ‘lit from within’ glow. If you’re craving a tan though, the good news is that you don't need to risk damaging your skin to achieve a subtle, believable bronze, as face tanning drops are an easy and effective way to get some golden colour. If you’re dressing for a week of warm weather, our Summer Skin Gradual Tanning Lotion will build a natural looking, gradual tan. These drops from Isle of Paradise are of the most highly-regarded self-tanning formulas around (including on TikTok). This option from the brand is one of the few out there that makes our ultra-fair skin glow in away that implies jetsetter, not Oompa Loompa.

Prep for streak-free perfection by doing everything else first – always paint your nails prior to applying your tan. For best results when tanning – if leg grooming is your thing – try to shave 24 hours before application, as shaving opens pores and can cause the colour to deposit unevenly. Scrub up It’s a great product to throw in your bag when you are going on vacation so that you can adapt your foundation as you have more time in the sun,” says Thomas. They usually come in a dropper format, which allows you to customise your shade — the more drops you apply, the deeper the tan.

Remember that when you use a self-tanner, you need to use a scrub to prevent dead skin cells from building up — otherwise, your tan won’t fade evenly. This formula is no different, and it’ll be especially noticeable if you use a deeper shade. But if you’re a seasoned self-tanner user, you’ll have no trouble adjusting to Tanologist’s drops. Don’t use it within 24 hours of Pure Lagoon, as this contains copper complexes that counteract vitamin C! What We Love: This formula delivers a natural and luxurious radiance while saturating skin with intensive nourishment.