One thing you might be shocked to study me (as a veteran magnificence editor with honest pores and skin) is that I used to be a self-tanner skeptic for years. I examined dozens of formulation and wrote a number of tales on the subject, looking for the right one for my pores and skin. However alas, I used to be left wanting streaky and unnatural. I used to be envious of my mother’s olive pores and skin tone and the way easy self-tanner software was for her—she achieves the “simply acquired again from trip glow” each time. Nevertheless, once I thought I’d misplaced all hope final yr, my colleague raved about Saltyface Tanning Water ($42) and urged me to strive it. Shocker: I beloved it! (I additionally tried the Tanning Foam from the neck down, and was equally impressed.) Right here’s my trustworthy overview.
The Advantages of This Self-Tanner
Seems, the 2 of us weren’t the one NewBeauty editors who beloved this product, which ended up successful a 2025 NewBeauty Award. Let’s speak about why. First, the components is available in two common, buildable shades: Mild to Medium (the one I take advantage of) and Medium to Darkish. This explicit shade works very nicely with my pores and skin tone—it seems to be SO pure. I look refreshed, rested and alive. When you peruse the product’s 1,000-plus opinions, you’ll see related sentiments from tons of of completely happy clients.
The DHA (the important thing ingredient in all self-tanners) comes from natural sugar beets and lends a really even, gradual bronze. The components can also be oil-free and doesn’t make me get away, which I respect. And Saltyface additionally added a hydrating profit courtesy of aloe leaf and cucumber flower extracts, which is noticeable on my pores and skin in comparison with different facial self-tanners I’ve tried that make my pores and skin really feel drier. One other factor I really like concerning the Tanning Water is that it doesn’t include artificial perfume, however it additionally doesn’t have that typical smelly self-tanner odor.
Saltyface’s Tanning Water Improve
Now on to the improve. When you’ve used the Tanning Water earlier than, you understand it initially got here in a dropper bottle, like many conventional facial serums. Nevertheless, after listening to buyer suggestions (the model deployed greater than 800 surveys), a giant change was made. (It’s additionally $2 much less.) Although the components wasn’t touched, it now is available in a extra sturdy glass bottle with a fine-mist sprayer included, which the vast majority of clients agreed was their most well-liked methodology of software. One factor I favored concerning the dropper was the flexibility to dispense a number of drops into my moisturizer and apply it as an evening cream of types earlier than mattress.
Nonetheless, the face mist is straightforward to make use of and sprays on evenly, and you’ll mix it in together with your fingers or the model’s Brush No. 1. Don’t overlook to mix it nicely round your hairline and ears, and all the time spray your neck as nicely so it matches your face. One other tip: Don’t apply this self-tanner after which use an exfoliator of any form (bodily/chemical) in your pores and skin as a result of it should take away the tan, or on the very least, make it blotchy.
The Tanning Water wasn’t the one product to get a glow up both—think about this a broader rebrand. The beloved Tanning Foam has been repackaged from glass to a lighter, PCR, mono-material bottle that’s 68-percent lighter (and no extra leaking points!), and Freckle Paint additionally now is available in PCR packaging. Saltyface says “this rebrand is about easy, pure glow with fewer steps and fewer waste.”
