I don’t know about you, but as soon as the temps start to warm up, I always love reaching for a sunless tanner; however, one that is actually clean, please! Who doesn’t want to look like a bronzed bunny without worrying about applying questionable ingredients to your skin or sitting out in the sun for hours and possibly compromising your skin’s health due to the damaging UV rays you can be exposed to?! Instead, we thought it would be super helpful to put together a list of our top Organic Bunny-approved sunless tanning product picks!
Finding a sunless tanner that doesn’t contain dyes, fragrances, and other risky ingredients can be tricky! To make it easier for you to find the best sunless tanner, we will lay out all the options we carry! Do you like a lotion? A foam? A spray? Or, perhaps you just want something for your face!? We’ve got you covered!
First, you have to decide which formula is right for you! We have a handful of formula options in the Organic Bunny Store, so it will really just come down to your overall preferences on formula and application method and how quickly you want your tan to develop! Below are the various methods we offer so you can take a peek!
Tanning Foams-
If you need a tan quickly, we recommend choosing the Eco Tan Tanning Mousse! This foam is best applied with their Tanning Application Mitt for a flawless application! The color-correcting formula of Cacao Tanning Mousse is designed to work on both face and body, whether you’re looking to add a little warmth to your complexion, or want to achieve a deep, dark fake tan, our sunless tan has got you covered!
Sunless Tanning Lotions-
By far, my most favorite tanning lotion that does not stain my sheets or smell bad is the Chocolate Sun Tanning Lotions, especially if you like a more moisturizing option. These will develop a beautiful tan in 6-8 hours, so I put mine on before bed and wake up with the perfect glow! Again, the shade you choose will depend on your current skin tone or desired level of darkness.
For good color payoff, I recommend the darkest shade, Absolute Sun for most skin tones (what I always use), and Glow for light to fair skin tones. If you only want a subtle hint of color, the shade Enhance Lite is best for very fair skin tones! While the lotions can be used on the face, for best results, we recommend using their Face + Body Gel in Illuminate as this is specially formulated for the face, although it can also be used on the body as well.
Suntegrity also makes a Sunless Tanning Lotion that is best for those who want a medium bronzed tan. While this can be layered to achieve darker results, this is not initially a super deep tan which makes it perfect for those who want a medium to dark tan depending on layers applied. You can apply more each day to build it darker which is nice as well.
Sunless Tanning Spray Can-
Perhaps my all-time favorite Organic Tan is these spray tans here! You can now get your very own at-home spray tan as Chocolate Sun makes a clean “Tan in a Can” that comes in 3 shades ranging from light to dark, just like their lotions: 1- Enhance, 2- Glow, and 3- Absolute! This Tanning Mist spray formula is designed to bring color to the face and body, which is awesome as well. It is packed full of only the purest of botanicals to nurture your skin with every application, all while creating a professional, natural-looking sun-kissed tan! Plus, this is so beyond easy to apply; you literally just spray and go. If there are any uneven areas, I buff them out with a Tanning Mitt and it’s flawless. I go for their #3 Absolute Sun option, as it’s not too dark at all.
TIP- You can always reapply the Chocolate Sun products the following day to deepen the color, so it is best to start slow until you become proficient with the application!
The Sunna Tan Keep Me Golden is another great go-to “tan in a can” and is also perfect for extending the life of your existing airbrush or sunless tan, or it can be applied alone as a do-it-yourself gradual glow! They also make various mitts and kits for the perfect application every time!
Sunless Tanning For Face-
Looking for a gorgeous new glow for the sensitive face? Check out SunnaTan, especially their Gradual Face Tanning Water and brush, which works perfectly for the face! Then, if you want to turn your moisturizer, serum, or oil into a custom self-tan, Suntegrity now offers their Island Tan Self Tanning Oil Drops! These Hyaluronic acid-enriched self-tan drops are made with Ecocert DHA from sugar beets. They are super-charged with skin-nourishing oils (jojoba, avocado, evening primrose, macadamia, rose hips) and nutrient-dense botanical extracts (calendula, chamomile, meadowsweet) to moisturize and boost your skin’s natural glow. Simply add 2–12 drops to your skincare or body care for your customized glow. The more drops you use, the more of a bronzed glow you will achieve! This tan usually develops in 4–6 hours. I like to add these to my night cream before bed so I can sleep with it on overnight.
TIP– Be sure to wash your hands immediately after use, and do not apply directly to the skin! The oil needs to be blended with skincare!
Zuii Organic also makes a Gradual Tan Face Lotion plus a Gradual Tan Face Water, both of which are designed specifically for the delicate face to slowly add color to your skin so you can work your way up to your desired color!
DHA-Free Sunless Tanners-
Lastly, for those with sensitive skin, those who may be allergic to DHA (even if naturally sourced from sugar beets), or those who want to skip natural DHA altogether, we have an option for you, too! Take a look at Glimmer Goddess’ Organic Sunless Tanning Lotion-DHA Free! This Organic Sunless Tanning Lotion is a chemical-free formula that combines organic ingredients with a lightweight consistency to deliver lasting bronzing effects. This Organic DHA-free natural sunless tanner delivers a gorgeous, natural-looking glowing tan that develops and deepens gradually over 3-5 days (though your skin will begin to show color between 1-3 days), so it will take time!
This is NOT for someone looking for immediate color payoff within hours! This formula also absorbs quickly yet still deeply moisturizes and hydrates the skin for a healthy, long-lasting tan. You can also apply the lotion daily for a deeper and richer glow!
Sunless Tanning Prep & Care-
Always be sure to exfoliate before you tan! I love using a body scrub like the ones I carry in my shop and then doing one final wash with the Aleavia Body Wash to remove any oil or residue from the scrub. You can also use an exfoliating mitt and remove all the dead skin before your tan! Do NOT skip this step, as it really prolongs the life of the tan and slows down cellular turnover.
Once your body is free of dead skin, you then want to use a barrier lotion on your feet, hands, ankles, and elbows, as these dry areas will absorb more of the tan, and you will have spots. I like to use something like the Epic Blend Coconut Vanilla Hydrating Balm. Apply this to your dryest areas before your tan, and then apply your sunless tan! Of course, after your tan, wash your hands and use a tanning mitt to buff any extra onto that area to have some color.
To maintain your tan, you will want to use a body wash and oil that is safe for sunless tanning. Aleavia body wash is perfect for this. Simply wash and then moisturize with this Hydrate Me Body Oil or Dry Oil Tan Extender!
And, there you have it! All of my best, organic, sunless tanning tips! Did I leave something out? Be sure to leave me a comment and I will get back to you. If you are not sure which products are best for you? Reach out to us anytime for help choosing! [email protected]
