It isn’t just the product itself that gives your skin a glow — this luminizing fluid features brightening vitamin C to add extra radiance to your complexion over time, too. You can choose from two different shades, Sunkissed (a soft bronze) and Pearly Glow (a pearlescent champagne). We would love to see a deeper, coppery bronze added to the lineup in future, but we will say that because these shades are so sheer, we’d expect them to blend well into most skin tones. Our panel of more than 450 testers tried 28 brands of tanning drops over a two-week period to find which ones left skin looking sunkissed with minimal effort. They'll develop over just a few hours to leave you looking beautifully bronzed. How long will my tan last for? For those who love Fenty for more vibrant products like the powder highlighter, keep in mind that you’re not going to get the same level of intensity from Drop’lit. This truly is not a liquid highlighter but a subtle luminosity booster. While this may disappoint some who like a serious gleam from their shimmer formulas, we appreciate this glow enhancer for its more subdued finish, as it makes for a more versatile addition to one’s makeup kit.

In particular, Claghorn recommends keeping an eye out for cosmetic preservatives, specifically parabens. “The main reason some individuals choose to avoid methylparaben and propylparaben is due to their potential endocrine-disrupting properties,” she says. Endocrine disruptors can negatively interact with your body’s hormonal function. While more studies are needed, it’s often better to be safe rather than sorry. While we love the ability to control our dose of self-tanner, note that mastering this formula will take a bit of practice. It’s intuitive to use, but you’ll have to first ensure that you’ve evenly applied the skincare product you’ve blended with your self-tanner to avoid streaks or patchy spots. We suggest starting with the lowest number of drops recommended by the brand (four) then working your way up to more as you become an expert in achieving an even glow. It’s a great product to throw in your bag when you are going on vacation so that you can adapt your foundation as you have more time in the sun,” says Thomas.They are super simple to use, you can apply two to three drops directly to your face, and let it sink in, similar to a moisturiser, or you can blend with a serum as a tan enhancer. The only caveat to this product is its size — it’s less than half an ounce, so the bottle has a petite presence. That said, if you’re someone who only uses a formula like this in the summer months, you’ll have more than enough to get yourself glowing through the season. We recommend dabbing this product directly to where the sun would hit your face (the forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin) and blending it in with your fingertips to fake your warm-weather look. You don’t need to use much of this product to get a high-wattage glow — just two drops or so is all it takes to make your skin gleam with a champagne gold or copper glow. You can apply it directly to bare skin, mix it into your foundation or tinted moisturizer, or concentrate it on your cheekbones for a dramatic highlight. We do wish that the product came in just one or two more colors to suit super fair and very rich complexions, but in the meantime, this formula sheers out nicely to flatter a variety of skin tones.

Once you’ve hit your desired color, maintain it by applying your custom blend every couple of days. Don’t forget to exfoliate a few times a week — this will make sure your tan wears evenly and won’t look patchy or spotty. For those who are looking for a bronze shade that will suit all complexions, you may have to be very careful with your dosage of this formula as the color may not be a good match for those with very fair skin, especially if you have pink undertones (Rose Gold will be best for you). However, if you have a warmer skin tone or don’t mind mixing this formula into self-tanner or moisturizer, you’ll likely love this product. These drops from Isle of Paradise are of the most highly-regarded self-tanning formulas around (including on TikTok). This option from the brand is one of the few out there that makes our ultra-fair skin glow in away that implies jetsetter, not Oompa Loompa.

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While gradual self-tanner sprays and mousses can sometimes leave you with blotchy and streaky skin—or even worse, looking like an Oompa Loompa—self-tanning drops are fuss-free and take the guesswork out of the process. "What I like about the drops is that you can customize your shade and you have full control over what your color is going to be," says celebrity airbrush artist and Tan-Luxe global tanning expert Alexandra DiMarchi. "They’re the most beginner-friendly because all you do is mix them in with your lotion." Celebrity makeup artist Melissa Hurkman agrees, and also says she prefers them over other formulas since they can seamlessly be worked into your beauty routine.