Let’s be honest: getting a golden glow on your face isn’t as easy as giving your body a quick once-over with your favourite fake tan. Your face is a different story – it’s more sensitive, and (hopefully) more protected from UV rays thanks to wide-brim hats and religious sunscreen application. But while that’s great for skin health, it often means your face ends up a few shades lighter than the rest of you. Enter: the best face tanners.
Unlike your go-to body tan, facial self-tanners are specifically formulated with your complexion in mind. They’re typically lighter, non-comedogenic (a must for acne-prone skin), and packed with skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin E to hydrate and nourish as they bronze. “The perfect self-tanner for the face not only delivers a natural-looking tan but also considers skincare concerns,” says Laura Kay, makeup expert and founder of beauty clinic Laura Kay London. “Many of these products are formulated to hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin barrier while adding that sun-kissed glow.”
To help you find the best facial self-tanners on the market, we asked the pros — dermatologists, makeup artists, aestheticians, and our own GLAMOUR editors and contributors — for their top self-tanning products, then put the most promising ones to the test. These are the bronzing drops, lotions, serums, and tanning mists that impressed us all-around: ease of application, transfer-resistance, longevity, and overall quality of glow.
How we test face tan:
At GLAMOUR, we believe a great face tanner should work for everyone – no matter your skin tone, skin type, or experience level. That’s why we tested a wide variety of formulas (think drops, mists, serums, and gradual creams) across different skin tones, from fair to deep, and on a range of textures including dry, oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin.
We assessed how easy each product was to apply (streak-free glow only, please), how natural the colour developed, and how long it lasted without patchiness or fading unevenly. Transfer-resistance (hello, white pillowcases) and skincare benefits were also high on our checklist — because why settle for bronzed when you can have bronzed and hydrated? Every product in this guide has been tried, tested, and loved by GLAMOUR editors, beauty contributors, and industry pros alike.
Original photo by Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle
Ahead, your definitive guide to the best face tanners:
1. Best Customisable Glow: Coco & Eve Bronzing Face Drops
Coco & Eve Bronzing Face Drops
If you like your glow made-to-measure, these tanning drops from Coco & Eve are a dream. Designed to be mixed with your favourite moisturiser, serum, or face oil, they let you control the depth of your tan — from a subtle sun-kissed tint to a full-blown holiday bronze. The formula is enriched with hydrating hyaluronic acid, antioxidant-packed dragon fruit, and coconut water to plump and nourish skin while delivering an even, streak-free glow.
Fans rave about how natural the colour looks (no orange tones here) and love that there’s zero sticky residue. The lightweight, fragrance-free formula also gets bonus points for being kind to sensitive and breakout-prone skin.
