The summer solstice is my Super Bowl. I was born in the summer, and my name literally means ‘The Sun.’ When the weather gets warmer, I defrost. I relish al fresco dining, summer outfits, and the smell of coconuts and vanilla (my signature summer scents). As a Black woman, I grew up inundated with beauty standards that valorized lighter skin and told me to get out of the sun. But for years, I would bare my skin to the sun in pursuit of my summer shade. I’ve always felt most myself after a sun-drenched day.

Cut to a decade later, and I’m paying for my devotion with endless bottles of sunscreen and piles of protective clothing. While I still enjoy a healthy amount of sun exposure—my serotonin depends on it—finding the best self-tanner has proved to be my sun-obsessed solution. Luckily, the past few years have transformed the self-tanner industry into a certified skincare category. From skin-first formulas to high-end options for all skin tones, sunless tanner is a staple for glowing skin year-round.

How to Choose the Best Self-Tanner

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been burned—maybe literally—by self-tanners. Thankfully, these days, gems abound. To find the best of the best self-tanners, we went to the experts. Ahead, Sabrina Johnson, spray-tan stylist and esthetitian, and Ashley McNabb, makeup artist and founder of Ashley McNabb Artistry, share everything to know about the best self-tanners.

Best Self-Tanner Ingredients

To keep your glow going, avoid anything that will dry out your skin and undo your skin prep. Johnson advises, “Avoid self-tanners with harsh chemicals like parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.” Alcohol, which is found in many quick-drying formulas, can also be harmful, but it can exacerbate dryness and dehydration.

Look for the following ingredients in your self-tanner:

• Antioxidants: (Niacinamide, Resveratrol, Coenzyme Q10, Ferulic acid, Copper, Zinc, Selenium)
• Hyaluronic acid
• Glycerin
• Aloe vera
• Vitamins A, C, and E

What to Do Before Applying Self-Tanner

“The biggest mistake you can make when using self-tanner is not prepping the skin,” says Johnson. Here are some steps to prep your skin for the best self-tanner results.

Dry-brush your whole body. Yes, dry brushing can stimulate circulation and lymphatic drainage, but it’s also worth it simply for the exfoliation factor. Just brush in broad strokes toward your heart—gentle pressure and sloooow movements are best.

Do a body scrub. According to Johnson, “Skipping exfoliation can lead to uneven application and patchiness. Avoid chemical exfoliants like AHA, BHA, and retinol before and after tanning as they will make your tan fade faster.” Buffing away excess dead skin cells with a gentle body scrub helps the results last longer.

Do an everything shower. An indulgent shower routine feels like a luxury, but before you self-tan, it’s a necessity. Since you can’t shower for 8-12 hours after application, the best at-home self-tan starts in the shower. Focus on replenishing your skin’s moisture with nourishing ingredients. For extra exfoliation, I love using the Esker Body Plane with a lightweight body oil to really wick away dead skin while sealing in moisture.

Moisturize. After your everything shower, dry off and use a deeply moisturizing lotion all over your body. Make sure you get your hands (and in between your fingers), your feet, ankles, knees, and elbows extra moisturized.

Prep your face. Just like your body, a smooth canvas makes for better application. Use a gentle (physical!) exfoliator and, depending on the instructions for your self-tanner of choice, moisturize deeply.

Hydrate from the inside out. This is key to maintaining an even tan for as long as possible. Prioritize naturally hydrating fruits and veggies, experiment with DIY spa waters, or consider adding electrolytes to your H20.

How to Apply Sunless Tanners

Though applying a self-tanner at home can be intimidating, a few tips and tricks go a long way toward achieving an even, natural glow that suits your skin tone. McNabb takes us through her top tips for streak-free, sun-kissed skin.

Start small. It’s always smart to test the product on a small part of your skin before applying to your whole body to make sure you like the color.

Work your way around. Whether applying with your hands or a glove, do it in small sections. Blend in circular motions and pay extra attention to the ankles, toes, knees, and elbows, as these areas can be tricky to blend.

Don’t forget the SPF! Some people apply self-tanner and forget additional sun protection. Don’t make that mistake.

The Best Self-Tanners, Tested and Reviewed

Thankfully, finding the right self-tanner has never been easier—and you don’t have to risk turning orange in the process. “Each product offers different benefits, so consider your skin type, desired outcome, and any skin sensitivities when choosing a self-tanner,” says Johnson.

If you’re standing in the self-tanner aisle or toggling between product types, consider this your definitive guide to the best self-tanners.

Best Face Self-Tanner

Saltyface Tanning Water

The TikTok-viral face tanner that actually delivers—a water-light, scent-free mist made with organic DHA from sugar beets that builds gradually for a sun-kissed glow that reads as real. Gentle enough for acne-prone and sensitive skin, it slots seamlessly into your existing skincare routine as a last step.

$42 at Saltyface

Best for Beginners

Brown Bee Gradual Tan Daily Moisturizer

If the idea of self-tanner still makes you nervous, this is your entry point. A 4-in-1 daily moisturizer packed with hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and jojoba oil that builds a natural, hydrated glow over time—no mitt, no stress, no commitment.

$38 at Brown Bee

Best for Pale Skin

Tan Luxe The Butter

The foolproof option for fair skin that wants a genuine glow without the orange. This richly nourishing butter — loaded with cocoa butter, shea butter, and raspberry seed oil—develops gradually over 2-4 hours into a buildable, luminous tan that’s as hydrating as your favorite body moisturizer.

$42 at Tan Luxe

Best for Dark Skin

St. Tropez Self Tan Dark Bronzing Mousse

The one that delivers a deep, rich tan that actually looks like time spent in the sun. St. Tropez’s dark mousse tailors to your skin tone over 4-8 hours, developing into a streak-free, long-lasting bronze with 100% natural DHA and no self-tan smell.

$45 at Ulta Beauty

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The Takeaway

Finding your self-tanner match is a little like finding the right foundation. It takes some trial and error, but once you’re there, you’ll wonder how you ever went without it. Whether you’re easing in with a gradual formula or going full bronze, the most important thing is the prep. Do that right, and the rest is easy. Summer skin, sorted.

This post was last updated on May 12, 2026, to include new insights.

The post Too Good to Gatekeep—These Self-Tanners Are the Secret to Your Glowiest Summer Skin appeared first on Camille Styles.

There’s a particular kind of afternoon that I want to bottle up and remember forever. The kind where nobody is looking at their phones, the wine glasses keep getting refilled, and somehow two hours pass, and no one has moved from the table. That’s how I remember the day that Camilla Marcus joined a group of friends and me for lunch in my backyard to celebrate the launch of her cookbook, My Regenerative Kitchen.

We’d been trying to make it happen for weeks, and when it finally came together on a warm spring day, the afternoon delivered everything we’d imagined. We set big platters of food on the table outside, served everything family-style, and lingered in that easy, unhurried way that only happens when the food is simple and the company is everything.

The menu tasted like spring. Chilled pea gazpacho passed around in little bowls. A fennel salad. Rose dark chocolate bark for dessert with coffee. Natural wine and sparkling water. And these tartines, which were the thing everyone kept talking about afterward.

The Chef Behind the Recipe

If you’re not familiar with Camilla Marcus, she’s one of those cooks who makes everything feel both effortless and considered. Her approach to cooking is easygoing and intuitive, grounded in a deep appreciation for seasonality and the farmers who grow the food. She’s also the founder of west~bourne, her direct-to-consumer brand making feel-good provisions inspired by California’s bounty. I’d known Camilla for a few years and am always excited for a chance to cook together—and these tartines perfectly represent the way she thinks about a meal.

The recipe comes from her cookbook, My Regenerative Kitchen, and her description of them is perfect: the ultimate chef snack. Equal parts creamy and crunchy with peak-season ingredients. No rules, and absolutely no fuss.

Canyon “Essentials” Dinnerware, Set of 12

$385 at Casa Zuma

Cocina Salt & Spice Tray

$249 at Casa Zuma

The Sunday Salad Set

$248 at Casa Zuma

What Elevates This Tartine Recipe

When it comes to food that’s this simple, the beauty’s in the restraint. The last thing we want to do is complicate something where every element is so good it earns its place. That means the bread matters (thick-cut, from a good bakery, fried in avocado oil until golden and crisp). The tomato is key (find the best heirloom you can get your hands on). And the blue cheese—frozen and shaved thin so it melts into lacy ribbons over the warm bread—is the secret ingredient that takes this to another level.

The roasted beet tartine—yogurt or crème fraîche spread thick, golden beets layered on top, finished with toasted pepitas—has slightly more surprising ingredients. Beets and crème fraîche are a combination I knew I loved, but something about the contrast with the crisp fried bread made it feel completely new. Cool and creamy against all that crunch.

The Salt Ritual

$78 at Casa Zuma

A Few Tips for Success

Serve these as a starter, a lunch, or, honestly, the sort of snack that becomes the whole meal because you can’t stop eating them. They’re best when the tomatoes are at their peak, so definitely keep these top of mind as we head into the summer months.

We made these in a large cast-iron pan and kept them coming in batches. (You won’t believe how much the simple touch of frying the bread elevates these tartines.) And keep in mind Camilla’s more-is-more rule when it comes to the crème fraîche. It keeps these tartines feeling absolutely indulgent.

If you’re building a spring lunch around these, the pea gazpacho and a simple fennel salad round it out perfectly. Add a bottle of something cold and pink, clear your afternoon, and linger as long as you possibly can.

This recipe is from Camilla Marcus’ cookbook, My Regenerative Kitchen.

Tartines with Heirloom Tomato, Blue Cheese, and Golden Beets

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• Author: Camilla Marcus
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings

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Description

Chef Camilla Marcus’ tartine recipe from My Regenerative Kitchen — fried bread, heirloom tomato, blue cheese, golden beets. Simple, seasonal, and worth every bite.

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Ingredients

Units USM

• 2 slices thick-cut bread (a simple country loaf or brioche works beautifully)
• 4 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more to garnish
• Maldon salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 1 heirloom tomato, sliced
• 6 slices blue cheese, frozen to firm up, then shaved
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup sheep’s milk yogurt or crème fraîche
• 6 slices roasted golden beets
• 1 tablespoon toasted pepitas

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Instructions

1. Drizzle a cast iron skillet with enough avocado oil to coat the bottom, and get it hot over medium-high heat. Fry the bread evenly on each side, moving it around and flipping as you go, until nicely crisped and golden brown all over. Remove from the pan and drain on a rack or kitchen towel — hit it with a pinch of Maldon salt immediately while still piping hot.
2. On one slice, layer the tomato slices, then top with the shaved blue cheese and finish with a drizzle of avocado oil, Maldon salt, and cracked pepper.
3. On the other slice, spread the yogurt or crème fraîche in a generous layer, top with the sliced golden beets, and garnish with the toasted pepitas. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve immediately, while the bread is still warm.

• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 5
• Category: sandwich

Keywords: tartine

The post This Tartine Recipe Is Peak Spring on a Plate appeared first on Camille Styles.