The 12 Best Tanning Drops According to Our Editors (and One Even Kelly Ripa Swears By)

For an effortless glow, I, as well as other PureWow employees, turn to tanning drops. Together, we've tried many brands and have settled into our favorites, but that’s not to say that there aren’t a ton of other great options on the market (like, tons). Spoiler alert: the top choice for multiple editors is the Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Face Drops ($29)—VP of Editorial Candace Davison even reviewed them herself. We also included some celeb faves like the Sol by Jergens Drops ($20), which are a go-to for Kourtney Kardashian-Barker and the Tan Luxe Face Drops ($55), which are Kelly Ripa's top pick. If you’re in search of a sunless summer glow, I've got you covered with the 12 best tanning drops ahead.

Finding a natural looking glow by way of a bottle of fake tanning drops is a hobby for some of our editors here at PureWow. I, as well as some of my fellow editors, offered up our opinions on the best tanning drops we’ve tried that we found to be the most effective at giving us the dreamy tan we love. From there, I looked through countless reviews and considered other factors like color range, ease of application and how long the results last to bring you this list of our 12 faves.

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First thing’s first, you always want to apply tanning drops to freshly cleansed and preferably exfoliated skin. You can use an AHA or BHA exfoliant to slough off dead skin for a smooth base. Note: If you’re doing this in the morning, you’ll want to follow up with SPF since exfoliants can make the skin more sensitive to sun during the daylight.

Tanning drops are most commonly used on the face, and the most popular way to apply them is by mixing a few drops in with your moisturizer for a more even (and a little more diluted) application to your face and neck. I’ve also used the moisturizer technique on my body, too, and it works just fine, but you don’t get a substantial tan like you would with a mousse or other body self-tanner. You also have the option to apply the drops directly onto your skin, sans moisturizer, but we recommend only attempting this if you are a seasoned self-tanner. Because tanning drops don’t have a color guard (immediate color that guides you where to apply), it’s important to make sure you’re getting an even blend across your face and neck or you’ll end up with patchy spots. And the final important step some people forget: Wash your hands!

These two products are quite different in their application process and color. Tanning mousse is better suited for body tanning since most mousses have a pigment added to show you where you’ve applied the tanner and where you still need it. If you're an avid self-tanner, however, there are tanning drops made for the body to mix with moisturizer so even though you can’t see where you've already applied it, being thorough with your blending will ensure a smooth and natural-looking tan. In short, tanning drops are great if you want something more subtle, whereas tanning mousse typically has a deeper pigment to it.