Once upon a time, having an organic beauty routine meant rubbing coffee grounds on your face and muddling your own face masks in the bathroom. Now, it just means actually taking a second to pause and read ingredient labels (because that’s what Emma Watson would do). Now more than ever, we actually care about what we’re putting on our faces — and on our bodies.
If you can easily pronounce and identify every ingredient in your lipstick, deodorant, and nail polish, then you should be able to do the same for your self-tanner. While most products on the market do still include chemical tongue-twisters, trust that you can have an effective bronze glow without synthetic, potentially bad-for-you formulas.
Here’s the thing: Most self-tanners have to include at least one crazy-sounding chemical, dihydroxyacetone (DHA). It’s a colorless compound created through microbial fermentation that reacts with the amino acids in your skin to reveal that temporary bronzed hue — but it’s considered to be safe, posing zero health risks to the consumer (even according to EU standards). Plus, coating your skin in a chemical that eventually washes off is a whole lot better than baking in UV rays, right?
Ahead, shop the organic self-tanners we love — and that your skin will love, too.
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Vita Liberata’s translucent self-tanning formula uses superfood ingredients and DHA to give you a seamless tan that — bonus! — won’t stain your sheets.
Vita Liberata Invisi Foaming Tan Water, $39, available at Ulta Beauty
It’s rare to find a self-tanner that doesn’t just bronze your entire body in under four hours, but boasts a list of ingredients that are actually good for your skin. While the sugar beet-derived DHA tans, nephelium longana seed extract conditions, and green coffee extract boosts circulation to brighten and plump your skin.
Coola Sunless Tan Express Sculpting Mousse, $48, available at Sephora
Just in case you’re a recent self-tanning convert, opt for this gradual tanning lotion that uses DHA to bronze and rosehip oil to right your wrongs by repairing any previous sun damage.
Kora Organics Gradual Self-Tanning Lotion, $48, available at Sephora
If you consider yourself a self-tanning novice, use a bronzing oil, like this one, to get that just-got-back-from-somewhere glow without ever having to leave your apartment. It’s easy to use and, thanks to the argan oil formula, insanely hydrating.
Josie Maran Argan Liquid Gold Self-Tanning Oil, $39, available at Sephora
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Source: Refinery29 – Samantha Sasso