Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Fall & Winter Self-Tanner Guide at Ulta: Tanning Drops, Mousses, Gradual Lotions & Mitts
24
items Here is the one tip that fixes most streaky tans: exfoliate the day before, then rub a little plain moisturizer on knees, elbows, ankles and hands before you apply anything. This fall and winter guide sorts the best Ulta self-tanners by how you like ...
Drops are the lowest-risk way to start because you control the depth. I put two to four in my regular face moisturizer in the morning, and six to eight in body lotion when I want more color. At about $15 for 1 oz it is an easy first purchase, and win...
ULTA Beauty Collection Gradual Self Tan Drops
A mitt is the difference between a salon finish and orange palms. The velvet side blends in circular motions and the lined back keeps your hands clean, so you are not scrubbing stained fingers before dinner. It is washable, works with any formula on ...
St. Tropez Luxe Double Sided Applicator Self-Tan Mitt
This is the foam to grab when you want real depth for a holiday dress or a winter trip. It sprays on as a light foam that is touch-dry in seconds, then develops over six to eight hours. The coconut smell is far better than classic tanner odor. It is ...
Bondi Sands Aero Aerated Self Tanning Foam (Ultra Dark)
If you are nervous about color, a gradual lotion is the forgiving choice. Use it after the shower as your normal body lotion and the glow deepens a little each day, with hyaluronic acid and squalane keeping dry cold-weather skin comfortable. It is of...
Tanologist Hydrating Daily Glow Gradual Self Tan Body Lotion
Tanning water is clear, dries fast, and does not rub off on sheets or sweaters, which matters in layered fall outfits. You can leave it on for thirty minutes for a light glow or two to three hours for bronze. Spray, buff with a mitt, and you are done...
TAN-LUXE Hydrating Self Tan Express Water
Every tan needs an off switch. After a few days of color, I smooth this on dry skin, let it sit about five minutes, then wipe away with a wet mitt for a clean slate. It is gentler than a hard scrub, and aloe keeps skin soft, so I use it before re-tan...
Bondi Sands Self Tan Eraser Gentle Foaming Cleanser
A face mist keeps color even without any rubbing. Four to five pumps over face, neck and chest, and it doubles as a primer or a setting spray over makeup. I like it in winter because hyaluronic acid and macadamia oil keep my cheeks from looking dull ...
Dolce Glow Acqua Hydrating Self-Tanning Face Mist
When a party is the next night, an express mousse earns its price. The tinted guide shows where you have been, it dries in about a minute, and you rinse after two hours. Tip: do it right before bed and shower in the morning to avoid wearing it all ev...
Loving Tan 2 HR Express Self-Tanning Mousse (Medium)
The back is where every home tan goes wrong, because you simply cannot reach it. This mitt has loops on both sides so you can drag it across your shoulder blades like a towel and get an even coat solo. At $13 it saves you from asking someone for help...
ULTA Beauty Collection Back Self Tan Applicator Mitt
These are my pick when I want a subtle tan on my face without a heavy product. Mix one to four drops into serum, moisturizer or face oil, and the glow shows up over two to four hours, with raspberry seed oil making it nourishing. It is $55 for 1 oz, ...
TAN-LUXE The Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops
If you want a body lotion that happens to tan, this is it. It gives a medium to dark golden glow over four to eight hours and layers hyaluronic acid for hydration. It is a great winter swap for your normal moisturizer. Wait a few days before judging ...
St. Tropez Gradual Tan Classic Daily Firming Lotion
This is the prep step I never skip. Use it on wet skin in circular motions, pressing harder on elbows, knees and ankles where tan piles up, and it also buffs away mistakes. It rinses clean, air-dries quickly, and costs only a few dollars, so it is th...
St. Tropez Tan Buildup Remover Buffing Mitt
A budget-friendly face mist at around $12 on sale, and non-comedogenic, which matters if your skin gets breakouts when it turns cold. Hold the bottle at arm length, close your eyes, mist in an even pass, and leave it for a few hours. Vitamin C and li...
Tanologist Self Tan Face Mist
A luxe mousse with squalane, jojoba oil and vitamin E, so it feels more like a skin treatment than a tanner. You choose how long to wait: two to four hours for light, four to six for medium, six or more for dark. That flexibility is why I reach for i...
Dolce Glow Lusso Self-Tanning Mousse (Medium to Dark)
These are fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, so they work if your skin is touchy. Mix four to twelve drops into body lotion, or fewer for your face, and leave it on at least six hours. It is rated 4.8 stars on Ulta. I mix a few drops into my cold-we...
Bondi Sands Hydrating Self Tan Drops for Face and Body
At $13 for 7.9 oz this is the best value on the page. The lotion is white, so there is no guide color to stain towels or pajamas, and it contains caffeine, shea butter and vitamins C and E. Daily use builds the color, then twice a week keeps it going...
ULTA Beauty Collection Gradual Self Tan Body Lotion
A two-size set solves the face problem. The standard mitt handles arms and legs, and the mini keeps product from reaching your hairline and eyebrows. Both are machine washable, they work with mousse, lotion, water and mist, and the price is under $10...
Tanologist Face + Body Self Tanning Mitt Duo
A clear gel is the answer if tinted tanners make you nervous about stained sheets. It dries quickly, leaves no trace on clothes, and the 13.5 oz bottle is huge for the price (about $25 on sale). Smooth it on after a shower, wait for it to dry, and th...
Bali Body Clear Self Tanning Gel
Light to medium color with no rinse, no streaks and no self-tan smell. You can spritz it under makeup, over makeup, or instead of it, and it develops over four to eight hours. It is the one I use on busy mornings when I want my skin to look rested wi...
St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist
A transparent water-to-foam formula that gives zero transfer and no orange cast, at about $14 on sale. It works on face and body and develops in one to four hours, so you control the depth. If you are trying mousse for the first time, this is an easy...
Tanologist Self Tan Mousse
This lotion dries in about a minute and has a pleasant, modern scent rather than the usual biscuit smell. Shea butter, coffee and acai extracts keep skin hydrated while the tinted guide helps you apply evenly. At $30 it is pricier than other lotions,...
Loving Tan 8 HR Deluxe Gradual Self-Tanning Lotion (Medium)
The $9 mitt that does the job. A water-resistant barrier protects your hands, and the two-sided design lets you switch angles without twisting. I apply in long sweeping strokes and use a bit less product on ankles and knees. Over 240 reviews average ...
ULTA Beauty Collection Double-Sided Sunless Tan Applicator Mitt
These come in light, medium and dark, so you can match your skin tone rather than guess. Add drops to the moisturizer you already use and build the shade up over days, which is the safest way to get a natural winter glow. Test on your inner arm first...
Tanologist Face + Body Self Tan Drops
Use this to fix patchy spots or clear the canvas before your next tan. Massage it onto dry skin for five minutes, then rinse in the shower, ideally with a buffing mitt. Reviews are mixed, so I would keep expectations realistic and use it right after ...
St. Tropez Tan Remover Prep and Maintain Mousse