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While self-tanners have been marketed to women for years, it’s no secret that lots of men want to show off their tans, too. It gives you confidence and helps you look your best. Nowadays, as women are looking for the best beauty products, more men are finding themselves looking for quality skincare products, as well.
How Do Self Tanners Work?
In 1973, dihydroxyacetone (DHA) was certified safe to use for beauty and skincare by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. Interestingly, the miraculous DHA can be sourced from sugarcanes or sugar beets. It is also a product of the fermentation of glycerin.
As a tanning substance, DHA is widely used in cosmetic products to beget a sun-kissed glow. This it does by reacting with the protein on the keratin layer of the skin surface. The skin’s change of color isn’t permanent, as it wears off within several days. DHA can work alone or hand in hand with another popular sugar-derived compound in tanners, called erythrulose.
Principally, there are two ways to get tanned from cosmetic tanners. You may get it either by using self-tanners at home or having it professionally done in salons, with the help of tanning professionals or professional spray tan booths..
While both are good options, at-home self-tanners are more personally preferred, as it allows the user more control. Not to mention, they are more affordable than the salon services, and can be used in the privacy of your own home–so no one ever has to know you got a ‘fake tan.’
Self-tanners could be formulated as lotions, mousses, towelettes, and aerosol sprays. Tan bronzers are specifically used to tan the face and neck, while self-tanners are used for the rest of the body.
What To Look For In A Self-Tanner
When it’s time to shop for self-tanners for men, there are factors to consider, such as:
Does it Suit Your Skin Tone?
It’s true that there are hundreds of self-tanners for men available in the market but bear in mind that they are not for all kinds of skin tones. While people of a particular skin tone would praise the efficacy of a certain tanner, some others would be spitting out venomous words of dissatisfaction for the same product.
Does it Suit Your Type of Skin?
Perhaps one of the most crucial factors to consider before buying a self-tanner is its suitability on your skin. Unless you have the type of skin that doesn’t react shockingly on new ingredients, it’s best to check the tanning product for indications of which could implicate your skin.
For example, men with sensitive and acne-prone skins shouldn’t use self-tanners containing butylene glycol. This chemical has been identified as a potential skin irritant, which could worsen acne. In addition, self-tanners that are too greasy could easily clog the pores, giving way for impurities to remain trapped in the skin, resulting in skin breakouts. What beauty does a golden skin with hideous rashes hold?
Does it Have Added Benefits?
By itself, DHA–or any other tanning compound–impacts no moisture on the skin. We all know that hydrated skin is supple skin. As a result of that, a good self-tanner should contain moisturizers or humectants, which are ingredients that moisturize and attract water from the air into the skin, respectively.
The ingredients could either be natural or laboratory-produced. Another important constituent of a good self-tanner is antioxidant. This prevents the skin from aging prematurely. You should look for that, too.
How Well is it Rated?
Many men and women have fallen victims to orangey tanners. Some have incredible adventures with self-tanners while others have had to spend a few dollars on products that gave them breakouts, which took hundreds of dollars to control.
Testimonies and complaints are guides for you to choose which self-tanner to go for, and which to avoid. Visit online marketplaces, like Amazon and Macy’s, and product review sites to see for yourself what customers think about it, especially if it has been around for a while. Before buying or using a new product, get satisfactory answers to your questions from the seller.
Which Self Tanners for Men Are the Best?
1. Famous Dave’s Tanning Lotion
Are you fair-skinned and totally upset with the combo of brown bedsheets and self-tanners? Ever had to deal with smelly, sticky, and streaky self-tanners in ways only your pocket would understand? Famous Dave’s Sunless Tanning Lotion has the answers to your sensitive tanning needs.
First off, it was manufactured by a company that has existed for a good 20 years in the self-tanning business. This lotion proves that you can get an even, natural tan without the help of stearic acid, triethanolamine, and mineral oil known for their streaking and staining powers.
Also, you don’t have to wait around naked, as it dries off as quickly as it lands on your skin. Soothe and moisturize your skin with its natural oil components and NaPCA.
Who Is It For?
This product is for people who have white, fair, and light skin tones. Famous Dave’s Sunless Tanning Lotion is also suitable for all skin types, may it be sensitive, dry, or oily.
What We Love About It
What’s good about Famous Dave’s Sunless Tanning Lotion is that not only is it non-streaky, but it also doesn’t rub off easily and doesn’t leave a greasy residue on the skin. The formula is also non-sticky yet moisturizing. It is very suitable to use for beginners, as it comes along with a tanning mitt and it dries off within fifteen minutes of application.
We also love that its ingredients are paraben-free and the formula itself is not irritable to the skin. Also, the product is made cruelty-free. This is a tanning lotion that not only gives a long-lasting tan but also leaves a natural and even one.
2. Famous Dave’s Moisture Tan Dark Self Tanning Lotion
We are tan inspectors, and we know the kind of tan the summer sun gives. That’s why we’ll patiently wait for your blotchy, orange-colored legs, which would have no hiding place in your sexy beach shorts. And yes, we’ll yell at you for being so fake.
We won’t care that your dog or sweetheart is with you. What we care about is that you’ll be safe with Famous Dave’s Moisture Tan Dark Self Tanning Lotion. It contains a top-notch bronzer to give your skin a sunshiny look that won’t give us faux hives at a peek.
It’s also not animal-tested; your pets would be happy with you. Moreover, this tanner doesn’t rub off, which is a great relief to the sweetheart who hates those fake tan-induced bed sheet stains you’ve always denied making.
Who Is It For?
Famous Dave’s Moisture Tan Dark Self Tanning Lotion is for white, fair, and light-skinned men, who are self-tanning experts. This is also safe and suitable for all skin types. This should not be used by beginners in self-tanning.
What We Love About It
It has a non-sticky and non-smelly formula that moisturizes the skin and gives it a long-lasting radiant glow, with just a little amount. Packaged with a tanning mitt, it is relatively easy to apply and doesn’t stain clothes.
This product is also paraben-free and has a good effect on your arms and legs.
3. James Read Hydra Tan Mist For Men
James Read Hydra Tan Mist for Men is uniquely formulated to suit the man who wants a tanner that is safe for his face, neck, and body. Unlike other unisex self-tanners, the Hydra Tan Mist is designed exclusively for men who want to look naturally tanned.
Like the typical mist, it disappears without a trace, and within three hours, a well-formed, natural tan develops. Scented with a refreshing masculine fragrance, this product boasts of plant extracts, like witch hazel, and chamomile, which helps tone the skin by taking out impurities from its pores and calms the skin. It also has Aloe Vera leaf juice, which soothes the skin, and is powerful in tackling psoriasis and dermatitis.
What We Love About It
- Its spray form makes for an easy application
- Dries super quickly
- Gentle on sensitive skin
- Doesn’t stain
- Tan develops pretty fast
4. Tan Physics True-Color Sunless Tanner
In a few years, there would be regrets over sallow and wrinkled skin. The effects of many products we used will come back to taunt us, making us wish we never spent our hard-earned money on misery. Tan Physics True-Color Sunless Tanner stands out as a self-tanner that cares about the present and the future.
It’s an organic product to replenish, hydrate, and protect your skin from aging, while giving a subtle light to medium tan.
Tan Physics True-Color Tanner is enriched with Aloe barbadensis gel, soybean and argan oil to moisturize and enhance the firmness of your skin. Mandarin orange extract, Retinyl palmitate, Ascorbyl palmitate, and Tocopheryl acetate are also included for their anti-ageing properties to keep the skin youthful and radiant.
What We Love About It
- It is organic-based
- Easy to apply
- Doesn’t stain
- No typical self-tan smell
- Keeps skin youthful and glowing
5. Beauty by Earth’s Self-Tanner
Who could remember the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and its little orange characters named Oompa Loompas?
Truth is, as much as we laugh and get entertained by these little orange men, nobody wants to have a skin tone like theirs. Out of concern for many a man’s self-esteem, Beauty by Earth came up with a self-tanner that can produce one of the most even and natural tans you’ve ever seen.
Beauty by Earth’s Self-Tanner is purely organic with shea butter, coconut oil, and green tea extracts to keep your skin moisturized and youthful. Its paraben-free ingredients make the product safe for your skin, and lets it develop into a sunlit tan that lasts for a good number of days.
Who Is It For?
This product is perfect for beginners and men who are white, fair, and pale-skinned.Organic/vegan tanners would also appreciate this product, as it is cruelty-free.
What We Love About It
- Has a natural light scent
- Doesn’t streak
- Doesn’t stain clothes
- Highly pigmented
- Not irritating
6. St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse
Ever been terribly burned in the past by self-tanners that promised a result of bronzed look of a Greek god? Are you a newbie to the world of self-tanning? Have you come to the end of your tethers with self-tanners that instantly turn your skin coffee-brown? Then, you need St. Tropez Self Tan in your life.
Made chiefly from 100 percent natural DHA, this mousse allows you to take charge of how much tan your skin needs at a time, with room for more if you so desire. It also has a quick drying speed of four minutes upon skin application. This is a great self-tanner for moisturization, and its ingredients are also free from chemicals, such as parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.
What We Love About It
- Doesn’t stick and stain.
- Gives an even, long-lasting tan.
- Has a bronzer as a color indicator.
7. Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam 1 Hour Express
When you have less than two hours to get ready and tan up, Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam 1 Hour Express is the ideal eleventh-hour self-tanner for you.
Made in Australia, it’s no wonder it offers the quintessential glowing Australian tan that develops the more you apply. The product takes 30 minutes to dry upon application on the skin, and has a coconut fragrance that stays on your body. The formula is suitable for all skin tones and types, but is best recommended for those with fair to medium skin tones.
What We Love About It
- Perfect for self-tanning beginners
- Forms a non-patchy, natural tan.
- The value it offers is worth its price.
8. Body Drench Quick Tan Instant Self Tanner
If you love the idea of using a self-tanning spray, then you’ll love tanning with Body Drench Quick Tan Instant Self Tanner. It is, hands down, one of the most affordable spray tanners money can buy.
Highly recommended for white to sickly pale skin, this product allows you to easily tan your back by yourself, which is nearly impossible to do with a tanning mousse.
Safe to use on the face, Body Drench Quick Tan Instant Self Tanner has a rich, dark tan color and a cocoa-vanilla smell that sweet-scenting lovers would appreciate.. It also gives you that natural, radiant tanned skin glow in just three hours upon spraying it on the skin!
What We Love About It
- Bronzer as a color indicator prevents misses.
- Fades evenly.
- Sprayer does get to the bottom of the can.
9. Suited By Nature’s Bahama Sunless Spray Tan
This Organic Self Tanning formula is one of the few odorless self-tanners for men that work perfectly for the face, neck, and body. Manufactured by Suited by Nature, which is known for their exceptional customer care service, Bahama Sunless Spray Tan comes in a portable and easy-to-use spray can containing liquid tanner.
It is enhanced with excellent plant-based ingredients including olive oil, sunflower oil, and rosemary oil to protect your skin from accelerated ageing process. Calendula and green tea are also ingredients included in the product that are wonderful anti-ageing substances, as well as great in taking care of any skin inflammation and irritation.
What’s good about this product is that it doesn’t rub off easily and doesn’t leave a tanning smell after application. It is also packaged with a super efficient tanning mitt, and is a good starting product for self-tanning beginners.
What We Love About it
- An easy-to-apply liquid self-tanner for men
- Travel-friendly
- Has a caramel tint as a color guide to prevent misses
- Free from chemicals and chemical preservatives
10. Clinique Non-Streak Bronzer For Men
There’s a deep love in sharing, at least that’s what Clinique had in mind while formulating this gel bronzer. It is a product specifically made for the face and for the women in your lives.
Its tanning effectivity works in such a way that your face could have twice the deeper tone than your natural shade with a dime-size, or twenty times deeper than brown chocolate with a palm-full.
This is a self-tanner for men that gives you an express tan immediately after application. That’s not all. It also moisturizes your face in a non-greasy way, and doesn’t leave a patchy tan. It’s also easy to fix tanning errors because you can lighten your complexion with just a little amount of water or lotion.
What We Like About It
- Shows an instant healthy-looking face
- Lasts longer than a typical bronzer
- No tan smell
- Has no orange hue
- Impacts a lovely natural tan on the face
Conclusion
If you are conscious of your physical appearance and health, invest in good self-tanners for men. Generally, self-tanners should be chosen according to their formula and their skin tone suitability, amongst other considerations.
To achieve the best results, use self-tanners as directed on their specific packages.
