But even if you’re swathed in sunscreen and ready to get a safe tan, not every day is a sunny one—this is where the best ...

In order to understand how self-tanners work, it’s important to know that the two most common types of self-tanners are instant (which we tested) and gradual.

Self-tanners are the best ways to jump-start your tanning regimen without the sun. We rounded up our favorite self-tanners for face and body (from brands like L'Oréal, Isle of Paradise, St ...

Sloughing off dead skin with a loofah or exfoliating shower gel allows a self-tanner to work on fresh, new skin. Your tan will look more even and will last longer.

Most self-tanners work in 1 to 12 hours, says Evans, though some can take up to 24 hours to fully develop. This St. Tropez formula is one of the speediest around, serving up a light tan in an hour.

Evans explains that most self tanners work off the tanning agent dihydroxyacetone (DHA), and so under the ingredients list, you want to look for “Natural DHA.” “Make sure the product states ...