How To Get a Bronzy Glow—Sans Sun Damage

There’s no denying the appeal of tanned, bronze skin—a healthy-looking sun-kissed glow is flattering on everybody. But laying out in the sun for hours on end to achieve a golden tan can leave you at risk of sunburns, accelerate the signs of skin aging, and increase your skin cancer risk (none of which are ideal). 

Fortunately, there are ways to get a bronze skin color (at home!) sans the sun damage. All you need are a few self-tanning products—and a little patience. If you haven’t self-tanned before, that’s okay: We’re going to teach you everything you need to know about how to get a tan without sun exposure. Keep reading for tips on applying self-tanner evenly, getting your faux glow to last, and more.

How To Prep Your Skin for a Faux Tan 

Before you self-tan, it’s important that you take the proper steps to create a smooth base for your self-tanner to adhere to. If your faux bronze skin color fades prematurely or gets blotchy almost immediately, it’s probably because you didn’t prep your skin correctly. Below, learn how to get tanner to apply evenly for a believable faux glow. 

1. Exfoliate

Self-tanner can cling to patches of rough, try skin, which could result in a blotchy, uneven-looking tan. To ensure a smooth application, you’ll want to exfoliate your body with a scrub, exfoliating mitt, or clean washcloth the day before you smooth on your tanner. For your face, we recommend using a chemical exfoliant, like the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift 3.5% Glycolic Acid Cleanser. The mild facial cleanser helps gently resurface the skin while removing dirt, oil, and other impurities that your self-tanner can cling to. 

2. Shave

It’s a good idea to shave the day before you apply self-tanner, too. In addition to removing unwanted hair, shaving can help exfoliate the top layer of skin for a smoother faux tan application. (If you shave after applying self-tanner, it may disrupt your newly bronze skin color and leave you with an uneven tan). 

3. Moisturize

Moisturizing is a must after you’ve exfoliated and shaved, because if your skin is dry, your self-tanner could apply unevenly (or wear more quickly). So after exfoliating, smooth on body lotion, putting a little extra on dry areas like your elbows, knees, and hands. Be sure to give the moisturizer plenty of time to absorb before applying your self-tanner—we recommend at least an hour. If your skin still feels wet or tacky from the lotion, the self-tanner won’t adhere well.

For your face, a gentle moisturizer is best. Try the L’Oréal Paris Collagen Filler Moisture Filler Facial Day Cream Fragrance Free. The non-greasy formula provides intense hydration and helps plump the skin for a smoother, more nourished appearance. 

1. Use self-tanner

Having a tan and laying out in the sun seem like they go hand in hand, but with the right self-tanner, you can have glowing, bronze skin all year round—no sunbathing (or sun damage) necessary. Self-tanner comes in a wide variety of formulas and formats to suit every preference and skill level, from wipes and mousses to sprays and lotions. There are even self-tanners that feature active ingredients to help nourish and exfoliate, further enhancing your bronze skin. Here are a few of our favorites: 

L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Facial Drops, Fragrance-Free

Mix a few drops of this concentrated self-tanning serum into your facial moisturizer each night to gradually build your glow. The fragrance-free formula suits all skin types and allows you to achieve a completely bespoke, streak-free tan without any unnatural orange tones. Plus, you can customize your tan to your liking. For a subtler glow, add five to seven drops to a dime-sized amount of moisturizer and apply to your face and neck. If you want a deeper bronze, use eight to 10 drops. Reapply each night until you reach your desired level of bronze. 

L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Water Mousse

If you love the look of hydrated bronze skin, we have a good feeling you’ll really enjoy this self-tanning water mousse. The lightweight foam goes on clear and develops into a bronzed skin color within a few hours (and it’s transfer-resistant, so there’s no need to worry about staining your clothes or sheets). Plus, it boasts a fresh, coconutty fragrance reminiscent of an exotic tropical vacation.

To use it, prep your skin as outlined above, then smooth the airy, vitamin E and coconut water-infused formula evenly onto your skin. Wash your hands with soap and hot water once you’re finished with your application, then allow the self-tanner at least four hours to develop before showering. 

L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Body Towelettes

If you need to boost your glow on the go, reach for these ingenious towelettes. They’re infused with vitamin E and gentle alpha hydroxy acids and provide an even, bronzy tan that looks completely natural. Plus, using them is a breeze. Just unwrap the towelette and smooth it onto your skin for a streak-free bronze that develops in two to four hours—no rinsing needed. 

L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Salon Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist Medium Natural Tan

This self-tanning mist with a wide-angle applicator and quick-drying finish is perfect for a full-body at-home spray tan. The continuous mist provides even application and a streak-free bronzed skin color and makes it easy to cover those hard-to-reach areas like your back and behind your knees. Just hold the bottle about a foot away from your body and mist the quick-drying formula onto your skin in long, even sprays. There’s no need to rub it in or rinse it off—though you’ll want to wait about six to eight hours before hopping in the shower. 

L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion Medium Natural Tan

Smooth your skin and add a gorgeous bronzy glow with this classic self-tanning lotion. The vitamin E-infused formula is tinted, to help guide your application, and instantly leaves the skin up to two times darker than your natural skin tone. You can use it daily or as needed to gradually build up to your perfect sunless tan. 

2. Use a tinted moisturizer

Help amplify your glow by smoothing on a tinted moisturizer, such as the L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer. The illuminating formula with shea butter and glycerin is available in five sheer, glowy shades that provide a subtle hint of color and tons of natural-looking radiance. You can wear it alone, layer it under foundation, or even mix a few drops into your makeup for an ultra-glowy finish. It also doubles as a highlighter—just tap a shade slightly lighter than your skin tone onto the high points of your face for a lit-from-within effect. 

3. Add bronzer

To level up the sun-kissed glow you achieved with self-tanner, add bronzer to your makeup routine. The L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear Soft Matte Bronzer is among our favorites, as the long-lasting formula is buildable, breathable, and wears for up to 24 hours without a cakey finish. Dust the waterproof and transfer-proof powder onto your cheekbones, along the bridge of your nose, and along your hairline to add dimension to your bronzed skin look. You can also use it on your décolletage to give your shoulders and collarbone extra definition.

4. Apply natural-looking blush

While you can skip blush, a swipe of color across the cheeks helps make a faux tan look even more believable. For a glowy, sun-kissed bronze skin effect, reach for a cream blush, like the L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Le Liquid Blush. The buildable, weightless formula comes in six vibrant shades in both dewy and glowy finishes. We suggest reaching for a warm-toned shade, like Dewy Rich Coral, to help accentuate the golden undertones of your bronzed skin.

5. Add a glow with highlighter

Bronze skin and glowy skin often go hand-in-hand. To give your faux tan an extra-glowy finish, apply highlighter to the high points of your face (namely: the tops of your cheekbones, your brow bones, your Cupid’s bow, and along the bridge of your nose). You can use the aforementioned L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer for this, or try the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24HR Highlighter Longwear Powder. The long-lasting formula is heat, water, humidity, and transfer-resistant and offers buildable coverage so you can customize your glow to your liking. 

How To Maintain Your Bronzy Glow

Now that you’ve put all that effort into learning how to get a tan without sun, you’ll want to maintain your results, right? The great news is that many of the techniques you’ve already mastered to achieve that bronze skin can help you extend the lifespan of your faux tan, too. 

Exfoliate regularly

We know it seems counterintuitive—you’d think that exfoliating after self-tanning would just slough away the bronze skin color you meticulously applied. But the truth is that flaky dead skin cells can quickly make a tan look fake and patchy. Exfoliating them away from head to toe—with a scrub, chemical peel, or even just a damp washcloth—can help make your bronzed skin look smoother and more even. Bonus: If you’re faithful to your exfoliating regimen, it’ll make your next application of self-tanner go more smoothly (literally!).

Moisturize daily

While this step on its own won’t help you achieve bronzed skin, prioritizing moisture is how to get a tan to last longer. To maintain your tan, continue to apply moisturizer daily—hydration can help enhance your bronze skin and ensure your self-tanner fades more evenly. For your body, you can use a bronzing moisturizer, like L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Luminous Bronzer, which instantly illuminates the skin and helps build a gradual tan over time. For your face, we love the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Micro Hyaluronic Acid + Ceramides Line-Plumping Water Cream. It helps deeply moisturize the skin while plumping the look of uneven texture, leaving your bronze skin looking healthy and luminous for longer. (Don’t forget to mix in your tanning drops at night to keep your bronze going strong).

Maintain a consistent skincare routine 

Bronze skin courtesy of self-tanner only looks fresh and healthy if it’s applied to hydrated, healthy-looking skin—and that requires maintaining a consistent skincare routine. While your skincare routine should be tailored to your skin type and concerns, there’s one step everyone should follow daily, and that’s applying sunscreen. After all, you just put plenty of effort into learning how to get tan without the sun—it’d be silly to undo all your hard work by exposing yourself to UV damage. After finishing your skincare routine each morning, apply a generous amount of the L’Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Daily UV Lotion to your face and neck. You’ll also want to take care to reapply your SPF every two hours (or after sweating or swimming) and seek shade whenever possible to help keep your skin protected. 

Next Up: Should You Wear Sunscreen Every Day?