This Bronzing Gel Helps Me Keep a Sun-Kissed Glow All Year

Rachel Dube, HelloGiggles

Welcome to Game Changers, a weekly series in which we reveal the holy-grail beauty products we’re loving now—the ones that saved our hair, cleared our skin, and, in some way, changed our lives.

I’ve learned too much about sun damage and aging to ever want to sit in the sun and tan again. The only problem with wearing tons of sunscreen, though, is that I'm super pale, so I tend to look like a ghost. Therefore, I turn to tanning products to get my faux glow. Up until recently, I had been getting regular spray tans to keep my bronzed skin—but then COVID-19 happened. Tanning salons closed, so I set out to find a high-quality self-tan product. After I complained to my friends about my trouble finding a good tanning product that wasn’t too sticky, orange looking, or high-maintenance, a bunch of them recommended St.Tropez’s Self Tan Express Bronzing Gel. I took their word for it, and I'm never looking back.

hellogiggles - $44 Available at Sephora

After using the bronzing gel for the first time, I knew it would become an essential part of my routine. Now here I am, dozens of uses later, and it still gives me the perfect natural tan every time.

Though I’ve tried dozens of tanning products, this one takes the cake and has earned a permanent spot in my routine. The silky gel formula is easier to apply than mousse and leaves me with an even, streak-free tan. The formula's hyaluronic acid leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrates my skin, which is sure to be an extra help during the winter.

Lately, I’ve been applying the product on my arms and legs with the brand’s Double-Sided Luxe Tan Applicator Mitt. When I apply it to my face, I use a makeup brush so that I have better control over the formula and can really get into the nooks and crannies of my face, like underneath my eyes and around my nose.

hellogiggles - $7.50 Available at Sephora

Upon application, the formula feels more like a super hydrating, non-sticky serum rather than a tanning product. Most tanning products tend to be sticky and transfer onto my clothing, but this one isn’t sticky, doesn’t stain my clothing, and doesn’t transfer to any surfaces that I sit on.

Aside from looking like I just came back from the beach, my skin ends up feeling soft and looks naturally glowy. This is what truly cemented my love for this product. I now use it about three to four times a month and am impressed by it every time.