The best self-tanning drops to restore radiance to your face

The self-tanning drops are an easy-to-use product to awaken the radiance of the complexion without having to expose yourself to the sun.

We know: applying self-tanner well isn’t easy, and despite all the good will in the world, it’s not uncommon to find streaky thighs and orange palms.

Luckily for all those who like to have their face tanned as soon as the warm season returns (or all year round!), there is a product that limits dark spots and allows you to gradually obtain an apricot or gingerbread complexion: the self-tanning drops !

We explain how they work and how to use them correctly.

How do self-tanning drops work?

Like all self-tanning products, the drops contain active ingredients that will react on contact with the skin, giving it a darker color. The most common of these active ingredients is dihydroxyacetone, better known as DHA.

Fatima Ndiaye, R&D Project Manager at Typology, explains a to miss :

DHA is a molecule of natural or synthetic origin which belongs to the sugar family and which has the ability to react with the amino acids present on the skin. This reaction creates melanoidins, pigments that give a more or less dark effect depending on the phototype: apricot or amber for light skin, and brown for dark skin.

While very effective, this DHA has long been denigrated due to the unnatural “Oompa Loompa” orange hue it may give to skin. Today, to modulate its effects it is combined with other tanning agents such as erythrulosis. According to the formulator, this other sugar allows for more gradual color development, with less risk of spots and streaks “.

Skin pigmentation appears within two to six hours after applying the drops, and the effect gradually fades until it disappears completely in five to seven days.

But be careful: self-tanners only react in contact with dead cells and do not cause the production of melanin. They therefore do not protect absolutely from the sun and do not replace specific treatments.. ” Some have antioxidants that can help prepare for and after exposure, but they don’t fight UV rays “remembers Fatima Ndiaye.

How to use self-tanning drops?

Depending on your skincare habits, you can apply the self-tanning drops directly to clean, dry skin or mix them with your usual moisturizer. Two to three drops are usually needed to cover the face and neck, but the ideal dose depends on each skin.

Typology’s R&D Project Manager explains a to miss :

Some will react from the first hours, while for others it will be more gradual. If desired, up to six drops can be used for a very intense result.

It is a product that allows you to truly bespoke result and is very effective up to phototype 4 (note, dark hair and eyes, dark skin). For darker and black skin it is less suitable, even if a browned effect is still noticeable.

To optimize the effects and prolong them over time, Fatima recommends exfoliating the skin the day before applying the tanning drops — unless you use an exfoliating lotion daily, in which case it’s not worth it. To maintain its good looks, you can apply a few drops every day without problems, it’s all about the dosage “, concludes the formulator.