You’ve surely heard of tanning drops—but what about it’s lighter-weight, translucent counterpart? The best tanning water provides a radiant, natural bronze—no UV rays necessary. It’s especially helpful for those who fear looking orange (shudders!), as the more diluted, colorless formula provides subtle sun-kissed results. According to Bethany Menzel, co-founder and creative director of Saltyface, transparent products that develop gradually are the way to go for everyday glow that’s easy to maintain. “This will make your tan routine feel maintainable and avoid transfer onto your clothing and sheets,” Menzel previously told Vogue.

Miami-based board certified physician associate Paula Brezavscek knows more than a thing or two about a natural-looking tan. “Unlike tanning drops, which are highly concentrated and typically mixed into your moisturizer, tanning waters are pre-diluted and ready to mist straight onto skin,” Brezavscek tells Vogue.

Vogue’s Favorite Tanning Waters

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Ready to get your glow on? Below are the 13 best tanning waters, according to Vogue editors, bronzing buffs, estheticians, and derms.

Best Hydrating Mist: Tan-Luxe The Water Hydrating Self Tan

• Why We Love It: Tan-Luxe’s tanning water formula is enriched with vitamins B, C, and E, along with raspberry seed oil and aloe vera, providing deep hydration while delivering a natural tan. “It’s packed with vitamin E and raspberry seed oil to nourish while it tans,” says Brezavscek of this skincare-meets-bronzer option. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp cosigns it, too, adding the ingredients list boasts deeply hydrating benefits—plus it’s paraben- and sulfate-free.
• Key Ingredients: DHA, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, raspberry seed oil, aloe vera
• Shades: 2
• How to Use: Generously mist the tanning water directly onto skin for a hydrated, healthy glow. The fine mist ensures a mess-free application and zero transfer onto clothes and sheets. The brand recommends using it over or under a finished makeup look for hydration and added bronze.

Best Viral: b.tan Gimme The Glow Down

• Why We Love It: If you haven’t heard of b.tan, you’re missing out—over 47,000 four-star Amazon reviews have given it glowing (sorry, had to!) feedback. Suitable for face or body, the formula is infused with soothing botanically-derived ingredients, such as rose water and jojoba seed oil.
• Key Ingredients: DHA, rose water, argan oil, coconut oil, cucumber seed oil, macadamia seed oil, avocado oil, rosehip fruit oil, jojoba seed oil, grape seed oil, vitamin C, vitamin E
• Shades: 1
• How to Use: The brand recommends spraying your face and body evenly keeping nozzle at least 6 inches away from skin. To ensure best results, allow the product to dry for five minutes before moving onto makeup or SPF.

Best for Sensitive Skin: Dolce Glow Hydrating Face Mist Self-Tan

• Why We Love It: Dolce Glow’s face mist is a luxurious, alcohol-free formula. Its ultra-fine mist ensures a streak-free application, while the blend of skin-loving ingredients provides hydration and nourishment. Thanks to the super fast absorption time, it can be sported on bare skin, as a makeup primer, or setting spray. What’s more—this formula is known to be Miley Cyrus’s signature base layer for glow (not to mention it’s also a go-to for beauty editor-at-large Arden Fanning Andrews and fashion and style writer Christian Allaire). Best of all, the product is free from parabens, sulfates, and essential oils, making it suitable for sensitive skin.
• Key Ingredients: DHA, sugar cane extract, cranberry extract, green tea leaf extract, macadamia oil, squalane, sodium hyaluronate, caffeine
• Shades: 1
• How to Use: Dolce Glow recommends applying to a clean, dry face with eyes closed. Mist four to five pumps evenly over face, neck and décolletage. Tan development occurs within 6 to 8 hours.

Best Color-Correcting: Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Water

• Why We Love It: “Isle of Paradise is a cult-favorite. I particularly love the color-correcting undertones of this tanning water and the tropical scent that makes it feel like vacation in a bottle,” says Brezavscek. Speaking of the color-correcting actives, users can customize their tan to counteract skin concerns—just pick based on the bottle color. There’s no need to rinse—it’s a clear, fast-drying formula that develops over four to six hours.
• Key Ingredients: Glycerin, hydrogenated castor oil, aloe extract grapefruit peel oil, coconut oil, Peppermint oil, avocado oil*
• Shades: 3 (green to neutralize redness, peach to brighten dull skin, and violet to balance yellow undertones)
• How to Use: To get the most even and natural-looking tan, start by exfoliating your skin at least 24 hours before application. Apply a light layer of moisturizer to your face to prevent product buildup. Shake the bottle and mist the tanning water liberally over your skin, holding it about six inches away. Use a kabuki brush to blend the product evenly. Simply avoid water or sweating while the tan develops.

Best Refreshing: St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist

• Why We Love It: St. Tropez’s tanning water offers a rinse-free application that according to Brezavscek is ultra-refreshing and smells nothing like a self-tanner. “It’s perfect to spritz over makeup or as a morning pick-me-up for added bronzed glow,” Brezavscek adds. Infused with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, hibiscus extract, and green mandarin water, this mist not only provides a radiant tan but also hydrates and refreshes the skin.
• Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, hibiscus extract, green mandarin water, DHA
• Shades: 2
• How to Use: Before using, shake the bottle well. Next, mist the tanning water generously over your face, neck, and décolletage, holding it about six inches away. There’s no need to rub or blend in—the mist will absorb quickly and dry clear! For optimal results, avoid water or sweating during the development time. Reapply every few days, as needed.

Best Acne-Safe: SaltyFace Tanning Water

• Why We Love It: “Clean, minimal, and incredibly natural-looking, it’s the glow you get after a weekend at the beach—subtle but sculpted,” says Brezavscek. Sugar beet reacts with the amino acids in the top layer of the skin to create a natural glow. Meanwhile, cucumber, marshmallow root, and calendula flower work together to create soothing hydration, thanks to their anti-inflammatory ingredients. Best of all, the formula is completely free of any acne-causing ingredients, making it this beauty writer’s favorite non-comedogenic tanning pick.
• Key Ingredients: Organic sugar beet, cucumber, marshmallow root, calendula flower
• Shades: 2
• How to Use: Saltyface offers two application options: Using a mist topper and the brand’s application brush, spritz twice on the brush’s bristles and buff evenly across your face, blending into your neck and chest. To apply with your hands, dispense two dropper fulls, rub the palms of your hands together, and then evenly rub into your face and neck—just don’t forget to wash your hands when you’re done.

Best for Legs: Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs Tanning Water

• Why We Love It: Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs Tanning Water is the ultimate shortcut to flawlessly bronzed legs. This lightweight, colorless mist delivers a natural-looking tan that develops in just 4 to 6 hours, leaving your skin with a luminous, sun-kissed glow. Its water-based formula ensures a streak-free, transfer-resistant finish, making it perfect for those spontaneous moments when you want to look effortlessly radiant.
• Key Ingredients: DHA, glycerin, aloe leaf juice, panthenol, vitamin E
• Shades: 1
• How to Use: Shake the bottle well before use. Next, spray the product about six inches from your skin, directly into hands or a tanning. Then, apply the water evenly all over your legs, rubbing it into your skin with your hands or a tanning mitt. Wait about a minute before getting dressed, and wash your hands afterward.

Best Micro Mist: Nuda Cloudmist Face Tan Water

• Why We Love It: This featherlight micro mist delivers a golden, never-orange glow with the same ease of a morning toner. When spritzed and mixed into your favorite moisturizer, it can even double as a tanning drop alternative. “Canadian-made and super gentle, great for sensitive or breakout-prone skin. It gives that ‘I woke up like this’ radiance,” Brezavscek says. Translation? Mist, and mix, away!
• Key Ingredients: DHA, aloe leaf juice, white tea leaf extract, cucumber extract, rosehip fruit extract, chamomile flower extract, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A
• Shades: 2
• How to Use: Start by exfoliating skin before use. Then, apply the water to dry, bare skin on your face, neck, and décolletage by spraying in a fast, sweeping motion, allowing the tan to develop for six hours before washing off. For a more gradual tan, mix a few drops into your facial moisturizer and use daily.

Best Water-to-Mousse: Fake Bake Foam Tanning Water

• Why We Love It: This lightweight, water-to-foam formula delivers a natural-looking tan that develops in six to eight hours, leaving your skin with a luminous, sun-kissed glow. The clear formula ensures a streak-free, transfer-resistant finish and is enriched with passionflower extract to leave skin feeling soft and refreshed.
• Key Ingredients: DHA, glycerin, passion flower extract, citric acid
• Shades: 1
• How to Use: As always, ensure skin is freshly exfoliated before starting your tan. Apply the mouse to it to clean, dry skin using an applicator mitt, ensuring even coverage. Allow it to dry to the touch before getting dressed. For best results, wear loose, dark clothing and avoid showering or bathing for six to eight hours while your new tan develops.

Best for Body: L’Oréal Sublime Bronze Self Tanning Water Mousse

• Why We Love It: Cautious of tanning mousses as a novice? Consider this a fail-proof choice. Enriched with vitamin E and coconut water, it not only tans but also hydrates, leaving your skin feeling soft and refreshed. The quick-drying, streak-free finish ensures a flawless application every time, while the refreshing coconut scent adds a touch of tropical luxury. Ideal for those seeking a buildable tan, this mousse allows you to customize your glow, achieving anything from a subtle hint of color to a deeper bronze.
• Key Ingredients: Glycerin, DHA, castor oil, caramel, cocos nucifera fruit juice
• Shades: 2
• How to Use: For best results, begin with clean skin and shake the bottle well before use. Pump the mousse into your hand or onto a tanning mitt, and apply evenly to your body, smoothing in circular motions. Allow the product to dry completely before dressing, avoiding water contact during the development time to ensure a flawless finish.

Best for Face and Body: Tanologist Self Tan Water

• Why We Love It: Designed for both face and body, this clear, ultra-fine mist makes achieving your ideal glow practically effortless. The formula is featherlight—so it feels like nothing on your skin—but it’s quietly hard at work, hydrating with aloe vera and vitamin E while your tan develops. Because it goes on clear, there’s zero mess, no transfer, and absolutely no tell-tale streaks—just a flawless, custom bronze that builds beautifully.
• Key Ingredients: DHA, glycerin, panthenol, vitamin E, aloe extract, calendula flower oil, grapefruit extract, hydrogenated castor oil
• Shades: 3
• How to Use: Tanologist recommends first moisturizing dry areas (think: hands, elbows, and knees). Next, mist the water thoroughly from head to toe. For your body, use a tanning mitt gently to blend. For the face, blend with the same mitt or a kabuki brush.

Best Drugstore: Sol by Jergens Deep Water Self Tanner Mousse

• Why We Love It: For a solid drugstore formula, look to Jergens’s. lightweight, water-based mousse—infused with coconut water and passionfruit that yields a refreshing tropical scent and a natural-looking tan. Its dye-free formula ensures a streak-free application, and the clear mousse allows you to see where you’ve applied, reducing the risk of uneven color—perfect for those seeking a quick-drying, buildable tan that develops slowly but surely.
• Key Ingredients: DHA, glycerin, citric acid, coconut water, tocopheryl acetate,
• Shades: 2
• How to Use: Start with a fresh canvas—exfoliate the day before to sweep away dead skin and prep for a smooth, even glow. Just before you tan, dab a bit of moisturizer onto dry spots like elbows, knees, and ankles. Give the bottle a good shake, then pump the airy mousse onto your tanning mitt. Glide over your skin in long, confident strokes—this formula blends like a dream. Let it fully dry before slipping into loose clothes, and resist the urge to shower while your tan develops.

Best Hydrating: Self Glow by James Read Tanning Mist

• Why We Love It: I got my first-ever spray tan with expert James Read during my pre-Met Gala prep. He eased my fake tan phobia with his featherlight touch that gave me the same bronze I’d get from a day in the sun. While we can’t all have the pleasure of Read’s expert spray tanning skills every week, his brand, Self Glow, gives a close second, combining all his expertise in one bottle. Infused with 87% rosewater, fermented rose petals, and triple-active hyaluronic acid, the formula hydrates and plumps the skin while you sunless tan. The addition of fermented aloe vera soothes and enhances absorption, making it perfect for sensitive skin.
• Key Ingredients: Rosewater, sodium hyaluronate, DHA, rose extract, aloe leaf juice, glycerin, vitamin C
• Shades: 1
• How to Use: Hold the bottle about six inches away from your face. Ensure your skin is clean, and product-free. Close your eyes and mist the left and right sides of your face. Finish off by misting the front and back of your neck.

Everything You Need To Know