How to Self-Tan at Home and Get Professional-Looking Results

22.04.2026, 12:15 allure.com

There’s never been a better time to prioritize sunless tanning. We know the dangers of sun exposure—especially from UV tanning beds—but many of us still want that post-vacation glow. Enter: a promising array of self-tan options.

Thanks to elegant formulations and expert guidance, sunless tanning is more popular than ever. And I mean seriously popular. Market projections expect the self-tanning category to reach $315 million by 2030. Despite this, many people are still hesitant to add tinted mousses, moisturizers, and mists to their regular beauty routine. Friends regularly compliment my faux glow, but before I can share my hot tips, they hedge, telling me they’re worried about “going streaky” or “looking bad.” There are even Allure editors who remain apprehensive.

I’ve been self-tanning weekly for more than 15 years, a practice I started in my teens when I was Irish dancing, where self-tan was (almost) as important as the footwork. Through this experience, paired with 10 years working in the beauty industry, I’ve learned from every single mistake I’ve made, including bright orange soles, terribly blended wrists, and completely tan-free pits. Now I have it down to a fine art, not only after troubleshooting, but thanks to tips and tricks from the pros.

Self-tanning does require effort and the right products, but once perfected, it gives you a foolproof glow that can last a week. To get the full lowdown on all things tanning, I spoke with four celebrity tanners to learn their ultimate hacks and favorite products. One of them tanned Ryan Gosling for his role in Barbie—suffice to say, they know their stuff when it comes to a sunless golden glow.

First, we’ll cover why prep is key, then explain why application doesn’t have to be intimidating, before moving on to smart post-tan maintenance and easy removal. I promise you, once you’ve got your tanning routine down, you won’t look back.

There are five main self-tanner formulas: Mousses and foams are most popular for full-body tanning; moisturizers are used for gradual or top-up tanning; mists are used for the face (you can get full-body mists but they’re less common); tan drops are mixed with moisturizer for the face; and sprays are usually instant tans.

The primary active ingredient in most self-tanners is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). It’s a sugar that reacts with the amino acids in the top layer of our skin to cause a browning effect (called melanoidins) that mimics the effect of a natural tan. That classic “musty” tan scent (we Brits say it smells like biscuits) is due to this, known as the Maillard reaction, which also causes crisping and colorization when you cook food. Tanning shades come in light, medium, dark, and ultra dark. The higher the concentration of DHA in the formula, the darker the result is.

Some modern formulas are split by undertones. This clever concept was created by Jules Von Hep, one of the cofounders of Isle of Paradise, and his approach has since been adopted by other brands, including Bondi Sands and St. Moriz. These color-correcting formulas are designed to work with your skin tone to create the most natural-looking results. Common undertones in tan include: peach (to brighten), green (to neutralize redness), and violet or blue (to cancel orange and yellow tones in the skin).

Unlike those with lighter skin who focus on depth, people with darker skin tones should focus on "enhancement," says Kimberley Nkosi, the celebrity tanner responsible for Ryan Gosling's impeccable tan in Barbie. “The goal is to add richness and dimension,” she says, “not mask your natural tone.”

The last decisive element of self-tanning: to color guide or not to color guide. As the name suggests, a color guide acts as a built-in bronzer that makes the self-tanner immediately visible. “It helps you see where you are applying your tan to make sure you don’t miss any spots,” explains Guy Cory, spray-tan artist and Loving Tan expert.

You will find color guides in self-tanners that require development time, such as mousses and creams; however, you won’t find this feature in water-based tanning products, such as mists. If you’re a beginner—or just easily forgetful, like me—the pros generally recommend using self-tanner with a color guide to avoid missed areas.

Bondi Sands

Amazon

Ulta Beauty

Dolce Glow

Nordstrom

Sephora

Ulta Beauty

Bali Body

Amazon

Ulta Beauty

“A flawless tan is built before the tan ever touches your skin,” Nkosi says. Preparation starts 24-48 hours before application, with all of our experts recommending exfoliation as the first step. Use a gentle body scrub or exfoliating mitt, such as Dolce Glow’s Exfoliation Mitt or 2025 Allure Best of Beauty winner Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub, to slough off the dead surface cells, leaving a smooth surface to ensure self-tanner doesn’t stick to dry skin patches. Explains Nkosi, “Not exfoliating is what causes patchiness, early fading, and that dull, flaky finish when a tan starts to break down.”

Dolce Glow

Nordstrom

Dolce Glow

Tree Hut

Amazon

Isabel Alysa, celebrity tanner and founder of Dolce Glow, says, “Focus on areas like elbows, knees, and ankles, which tend to hold more product.” And if you want to throw in a little TLC at the same time, Nkosi recommends the Vieve Bath Salts for pre-tan exfoliation and post-tan removal, as it can help break down an old tan and soften the skin before sloughing off dead skin cells. We also love Allure Best of Beauty Winner Oak Essentials Dream Bath Soak.

Oak Essentials

Nordstrom

Ulta Beauty

This is where things can get tricky for people, as a lot of advice out there seems to contradict itself, with differing opinions about how the interaction of self-tanner and lotion impacts proper tan development. Some brands advise moisturizing only the day before, while others strongly suggest moisturizing immediately before using self-tanner.

So let’s answer this query once and for all: Always moisturize right before applying self-tanner. Every expert we spoke to is pro-lotion, with the caveat that it has to be the right formula and applied to the right areas. Hydrated skin holds tan better than dry skin, but heavy oils can disrupt tan absorption. That being said, on the day you apply self-tanner, your skin should be “clean, dry, and free of any [previously applied] lotions, oils, or deodorant [that do not react well with self-tanners], as these can create a barrier and lead to uneven results,” explains Alysa.

Applying lotion to dry areas before self-tanning means you’re “diluting the tan in areas where it would otherwise cling too heavily,” Nkosi says, such as elbows, hands, knees, and ankles, plus any other dry areas that may hold tan unevenly. For example, I like to moisturize my neck and around my collarbones too.

When it comes to formula, the pros recommend choosing a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer that quickly soaks into skin, such as CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. And I find the 2024 Allure Best of Beauty winner Naturium Bio-Lipid Body Lotion works perfectly under every self-tan I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a lot), though it’s not oil-free.

CeraVe

Amazon

Dermstore

Ulta Beauty

Naturium

Amazon

Ulta Beauty

Soko Glam

Application is the most difficult part of the entire process. James Read, tanning expert and founder of Self Glow by James Read, says that many people see the color guide, panic, and then don’t work the tan into the skin properly, which leads to disappointing results.

For traditional tanning formulas like mousses, a mitt is non-negotiable. This gives the best finish and makes application a breeze. “Use a flat hand and light stroke,” says Michaella Bolder, celebrity tanner and St. Tropez ambassador. Once you’ve removed all your jewelry and moisturized key dry areas, you can begin, following these steps:

1. Find a room with good natural lighting. “Daylight reveals any streaks,” Nkosi points out, enabling you to correct them before the tanner has time to dry.

2. Ensure you’ve got enough product on the mitt to avoid dry, patchy areas—as with painting a wall, you don’t want to dry-roll. Says Bolder, two pumps per limb is a general guide, but if you’re nervous or new to tanning, you can start with less and add more as neede

3. Apply the formula in sections, starting with your legs and working up to your chest and arms. Leave your feet, hands, and face until the end (which we’ll come back to).

3. Lightly blend like “you’re buffing the skin, not painting it,” Nkosi adds. You should work quickly (no checking TikTok or grabbing a coffee mid-application), but you don’t have to rush. Use an upwards stroke to apply the self-tanner to the body, followed by a circular motion to blend it in.

5. Move on to your arms. I start at the wrist and swiftly stroke up my arm, front and back, before adding more product to my tanning mitt and using the same process on my upper arm. It’s important to hold your arm in the air to make sure you’re also getting the tricep area and down to the armpit.

6. After your tan has been applied, if it requires blending, use a light circular motion to do so without adding extra product to the mitt. For knees and elbows, says Read, “swipe over once without going over the top.” There’s a fine line, however, between getting a seamless finish and overworking the formula. “The self-tanner should sit on top of the skin, allowing all the tanning agents to absorb and develop perfectly,” explains Bolder. If you overwork it—going over the same spot too many times or pressing the tan into the skin too hard—it can “lead to dreaded streaks where you have pulled and broken the product coverage,” she adds. If the tanner doesn’t glide easily over your skin, pump a little more mousse onto your mitt.

7. Apply a tiny amount of moisturizer to any “stop lines”—the backs of the heels and creases on the back of the wrists—“where your tanning application naturally comes to an end," says Bolder.

The good news is, you can’t overapply a tanning formula if you’ve selected the right shade for your skin tone. P