10 fake tans that'll make a celeb-level bronze glow a cinch this summer

If you ask us (beauty editors, the exact people you should ask when it comes to self-tanning), we've all been going about our fake tan purchases a little wrong. We won't deny that we die for a bargain buy, but let's just say there's a reason why your latest DIY tan doesn't look as gloriously rich, golden and glossy as say, the caramel-coloured glow Sabrina Carpenter's been sporting lately.

There are areas to save your change in the beauty realm for sure (mascara and cleanser are two products we'd recommend going bargain-status on), but when it comes to the literal colour you're covering your skin in, a little more research/investment/effort is required. We're set on elevating our entire looks this summer, and a lacklustre fake tan just isn't going to cut it.

Here's the hard truth: if you're wondering why your tan always looks 'cheap' (AKA patchy, streaky, or orange) despite your best efforts, it might be because, well, it is cheap. Like, there's a reason the spray tan you got for your best friend's wedding left you looking the best you ever have, y'know? We're not saying you've got to commit to a weekly salon bronzing appointment, but there is something to be said for the longevity, and realistic look of more luxurious tanning formulas.

So in the name of colour you can believe is real, scents that don't leave you needing three showers to feel fresh again, and a skin care-infused tan that lasts more than three days, here are the beauty editor-approved fake tan formulas we'll be slathering on all summer (plus all party season long)...

2024's top 3 fake tans for summer

1. Loving Tan Platinum Express 2HR Mousse, $70, Sephora
2. Tan-Luxe Hydra-Mousse Hydrating Self-Tan Mousse, $57, Sephora
3. Clarins Radiance-Plus Glow Booster For Face, $40, Myer

Loving Tan Platinum Express 2HR Mousse

from $70 at Sephora

Best for: Believable colour that actually develops in 2 hours

 
The 'I don't have enough time to let my tan develop' realisation is one filled with horror. And despite the many 'express' tan formulas on the market claiming that they're able to give you results in just an hour or two, most tend to lead to 'why did I bother?' frustrations upon rinsing. Not with this Loving Tan formula. It actually manages to work in the small window of time it swears to, leaving skin cloaked in olive-toned colour. And we know you might be gawking at the price tag, but allow us to explain: A) it's a big bottle, and B) it's professional grade, which is exactly the type of tan we implore you to try. The difference is notable, and we promise you'll be hooked.

Key features:

• 2 hour development time
• Rich but natural olive colour
• Built-in colour guide for streak-free application
• Dries quickly
• Professional strength formula
  
  

Available at:

• $70 from Sephora

Tan-Luxe Hydra-Mousse Hydrating Self-Tan Mousse

from $57 at Sephora

Best for: A glowy tan that doesn't compromise your clothes or sheets

Tanning guide colours are both super helpful and super annoying. They might make it easier to triple check your tan application for streaks, but damn, do they take a toll on the cleanliness of anything that comes into contact with your skin while your glow's developing. Protect your clothes and sheets by opting for a clear mousse like this lush formula. Not only is the transparent foam totally transfer-proof, but the formula's infused with a nourishing trio of vitamins B, C and E, plus raspberry oil and aloe vera to leave skin as nourished as it will be bronzed. 

Key features:

• Clear in colour
• Transfer-proof for a clean tanning experience
• Infused with skin care ingredients
• Light, easy-to-apply whipped foam
• Delivers a natural tan without clogging pores
  
  

Available at:

• $57 from Sephora

Clarins Radiance-Plus Glow Booster For Face

from $40 at Myer

Best for: A face tan that doesn't give 'Oompa Loompa'

Ah, the art of the face tan. Besides the hands, feet and elbows (we're stressed just thinking about them), it has to be the hardest tan area to get right. You want something that looks natural, sure, but you still need the level of golden glow you're left with to be worth the effort. This Clarins 'glow booster' strikes just the right balance, and its 'slip into your skin care' application style means you don't have to sacrifice your regular steps on face tan nights. Simply add your desired amount of drops into your moisturiser; the formula is actually impressively concentrated, so a little goes a long way in the colour depth department. The shade is warm in a good way (think golden-bronze), but not orange in the slightest.

Key features:

• Made-to-measure face tan formula
• To be added to your existing moisturiser step
• Delivers a golden glow that looks believable
• Doesn't feel like you're wearing heavy face tan
• Enhances glow as well as colour
  
  

Available at:

• $40 from Myer

Three Warriors Radiant Complexion Serum by Sonia Kruger

from $80 at David Jones

Best for: An overnight face tan that hydrates the skin as it develops

Can you tell we're fans of a face serum? Good. We make no apologies because they truly do offer the easiest and most elevated (read: not throwing your same body mousse onto your precious and easily congested face) face tanning option. This gem from Three Warriors doesn't need to be added to your moisturiser, as it houses hydrating benefits all its own; solo step alert. Concocted to leave skin hydrated, luminous and refreshed, it develops into a subtle golden glow as you sleep. The glow won't just be in the form of the actual colour it delivers, either; the formula comes loaded with brightening niacinamide and moisturising hyaluronic acid to ensure skin is both golden and glossy. And you only need 1-2 drops per application, so you'll get multiple months' use out of every bottle.

Key features:

• A skin care-face tan hybrid
• Features hyaluronic acid and niacinamide
• For the face, neck and décolletage
• Hydrating and lightweight in feel
• Enhances moisture retention as well as glow/colour
  
  

Available at:

• $80 from David Jones

Luna Bronze Radiant Self-Tanning Lotion

from $59.89 at Revolve

Best for: Looking like you've always got body gloss on (and smelling like citrus)

Despite the fact we all refer to getting a good fake tan as having a 'glow', most formulas are actually matte. But not this one. So if it's a true-to-the-name glowy tan you're seeking, you've found your winner. Luminous in appearance and luxurious in feel, it's truly a tan formula with results that'll reward your investment. Designed to develop into a deep caramel colour over a six hour period, it's enriched with an array of glow-enhancing ingredients to ensure the tan you're left with reads as 'body gloss over your natural colour' rather than anything artificial. It also smells more like a chic fragrance than a traditional tan, with hints of zesty mandarin, lemon myrtle and orange blossom.

Key features:

• Natural caramel colour
• Radiant finish
• Fresh citrus fragrance (and no fake tan smell)
• Delivers a rich colour
• Enriched with nourishing natural and organic ingredients
  
  

Available at:

• $59.89 from Revolve

Alba Professional Spray Tan Machine

from $152.95 at Myer

Best for: Salon-quality spray tans from home

For some, the ultimate goal is to have a bowling alley in their home. But because we've got better taste, we say owning a spray tan machine means you've made it instead. There's just something about the streak-proof magic of a spray tan - the nozzle dispenses the tan mist so finely that the results are always natural, believable, and yet entirely transformative. And we don't see any reason why results like those should be saved solely for special occasions. This spray tan machine kit is actually surprisingly affordable considering the quality of gear you're getting; all you have to do is recruit a fellow tan-obsessed friend to take turns as the sprayer/sprayee with.

Key features:

• Salon-quality spray tan machine for home
• Quiet and powerful motor
• Dispenses tan evenly over body
• No mitt or brush required
• Streak-free coverage
  
  

Available at:

• $152.95 from Myer

Dior Solar Self-Tanning Gel

from $89 at Myer

Best for: A gradual, refreshing, luxurious face tan you can apply every night

Dior doesn't do anything by halves, and so we've come to expect a certain level of quality from any product boasting the brand's logo. And while we'll never go past a Dior fragrance, we can confirm the world is sleeping on their self-tanning range. Our favourite formula? This gradual tan face gel. It's the rare type of tanning formula you're actually going to look forward to applying, thanks to its cooling, refreshing gel formula. And any tanning product, particularly for face, that feels like classic skin care but happens to impart the exact 'I don't even need foundation now' glowy colour depth we're after is a summer essential through and through.

Key features:

• Gradual, buildable tan for face
• Apply one light layer for subtle colour, or up to four for a deeper bronze
• Spreads evenly and easily across skin
• Leaves no streaks on face
• Buildable and blendable
  
  

Available at:

• $89 from Myer

Dolce Glow D'Oro Self-Tanning

from $83.96 at Revolve

Best for: The type of tan you see on celebs

Considering Miley Cyrus, Olivia Culpo and Sabrina Carpenter are all Dolce Glow fans, it should come as no surprise that their tanning solutions are simply superior. Celebs always manage to have a faux glow that is both deep and light at once (wizardry!) and this formula offers that same effect. It's an easy-to-apply lotion (like, as easy as applying your daily moisturiser) that works up to a medium to dark radiant glow with stellar colour coverage. Aussie macadamia oil, jojoba seed oil, and vitamin B5 are all in the blend, ready to hydrate and enhance skin's elasticity (great for prolonging the tan and locking the stunning results in for longer).

Key features:

• Feels like applying your daily moisturiser
• Contains hydrating macadamia and jojoba seed oils
• Infused with green tea and cranberry extracts
• Delivers medium to dark colour
• Luminous finish with impressive colour depth
  
  

Available at:

• $83.96 from Revolve

Coco & Eve Tan Masters Kit

from $98 at The Iconic

Best for: Maintaining a flawless tan whilst travelling

A (fake) tan is essential on a getaway, but the maintenance and packing process can be tricky to master. This colour-boosting kit will set you up for success in any suitcase: it features a body tanning mousse, a face tanning mist, and a Kabuki brush for buffing the formulas into skin. The colour you can expect from Coco & Eve is precisely what you've been looking for: a deep, believable olive-toned tan that is built to last, even when swimming is in the equation. And the cute pink neoprene bag they come packed in means that leaks are contained (a necessity, as anyone who has experienced the utter *devastation* of a holiday tan spill will understand).

Key features:

• Housed in a handy neoprene bag
• Ideal for travel
• Features a face tan, body tan and brush
• Blesses skin with a natural olive-toned tan
• Hydrates and helps to firm skin
  
  

Available at:

• $98 from The Iconic

Ella Baché Great Tan Without Sun

from $44 at The Iconic

Best for: An all-over bronzing formula for face and body

We get it: sometimes you don't have the space/energy/budget for multiple tans, and you simply need a bronzing formula that will do the job across the board. This Ella Baché pick is precisely that; it's been formulated for both face and body, and comes in a velvety-smooth, moisture-rich cream that feels more akin to applying a rich body butter than fake tan. But hey, when was the last time your regular body butter blessed skin with a deep, rich coating of European vacation-inspired colour? This one will gift you just that, on top of being wearable whilst it develops. Just wait half an hour after applying before you get dressed, and you should be golden. Literally.

Key features:

• Moisture-rich and deeply hydrating
• Delivers a 'European'-esque faux glow
• Powered by antioxidants
• Instantly bronzes skin and develops over time
• Designed for both face and body

Available at:

• $44 from The Iconic

Main image credit: @sabrinacarpenter

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