Beauty by Earth Self-Tanning Lotion Review and Application Tips
After loving the Beauty by Earth Self-Tanner Tanning Mousse (view my full review here), I wanted to try out their Self-Tanning Lotion. Beauty by Earth is known for making organic, non-comedogenic self-tanners suitable for sensitive skin. They’re made in the US, and priced fairly compared to some of the other tanning products you can find at Ulta or Sephora.
The Beauty by Earth Self-Tanning Lotion comes in three shades - Fair to Medium, Medium to Dark, and Extra Dark. While I’m extremely pale, I typically pick the darkest self-tanner shades available as you can always leave the tanner on for less time to achieve your results, whereas the more subtle tanners don’t feel like you get your money’s worth. I ended up using the Medium to Dark shade for this post, as the Extra Dark is usually out of stock and harder to purchase.
Tanning lotions can be trickier to apply than mousses, but I was overall pleasantly surprised by this lotion. Keep reading for my before and after demo, full review and application tips, and whether I think the Beauty by Earth Self-Tanning Lotion is the best self-tanning lotion on the market.
beauty by earth self-tanning lotion in medium to dark before and after
beauty by earth self-tanning lotion review + tips
The Beauty by Earth Self-Tanning Lotion gives you a natural yet noticeable tan, and you’ll notice subtle results 8 hours after your first application. As far as self-tanning lotion goes, this one is pretty easy to use. There’s no color guard which makes it harder to see where you’re applying the tanner, but it dries down really well and doesn’t leave you feeling sticky or greasy.
Overall, the Beauty by Earth Self-Tanning Lotion gives you a beautiful, natural looking tan - not orange at all. This tanner has “clean” ingredients, so the results aren’t as dramatic as some of the other self-tanners you might be used to, but your skin doesn’t feel as dry, either. I was a little concerned that the Medium to Dark shade wouldn’t give me as much of a tan that I wanted, but I was very impressed and would repurchase it again, especially since the Extra Dark shade is oftentimes out of stock.
The tan lasts a full week (even with daily workouts and hot showers), and is one of the best self-tanning lotions I’ve used.
tips for applying beauty by earth self-tanning lotion
Use your hands to apply the self-tanning lotion in circular motions. Start with your legs and work your way up, stopping at your waist, and then start at your neck/ chest and work your way down to your stomach for the most even all-over tan.
There’s no color guard (tint) with this cream; if anything, it appears pretty white as you apply it, which reminded me of applying sunscreen as a kid. The tanner eventually dries down clear and isn’t noticeable, but because there’s no color guard, you have to a be little more mindful as you apply it.
If you notice that the more you rub in this tanning lotion, the more white and streaky it appears, pause for a few seconds. That won’t make your tan streaky, it just gives the product a second to start to absorb into your skin. Then blend in circular motions as you were, and you’ll end up with an even tan.
Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards! No matter how well I wash (scrub) my hands afterwards, I sometimes still notice the self-tanner clings to dry spots around my cuticles and fingertips, but that did not happen with the Beauty by Earth Self-Tanning Lotion, which I appreciated.
To avoid a harsh line after you wash your hands, I like to put a tiny little drop of lotion onto the top of a brush to buff in the product and help blend the product onto the backs of my hands/ fingers. For more tips on tanning your hands and other tricky areas, click here.
I applied the product after showering and before bed around 10pm, leaving it on overnight before showering in the morning. Prior to my morning shower, I noticed a subtle tan, but it took 3 total applications to get to a vacation-like glow.
I typically hate wearing self-tanner overnight, but didn’t mind it with this one; I think lotions kind of require it, since they’re easier to crease or mess up with natural movement throughout the day.
This tanner dries down well; it’s hydrating without feeling greasy or sticky. Wait 5-10 minutes before getting dressed after application to avoid any creases or smudges with your tan. Even though the tanner dries clear, I still recommend wearing darker, loose fitted clothes in case any transfer happens while your tan develops overnight. I didn’t notice any stains on my clothes or sheets, but dark clothes are my go-to when using self-tanner anyways.
The tanner initially has a nice coconut smell when you first apply it, then it turns into the typical self-tanner smell. This is pretty common, so it didn’t affect my overall impression of the tanner. The smell isn’t completely awful, but was definitely noticeable.
Ready to remove the tan? Use an exfoliating polish or body scrub as opposed to an exfoliating mitt - scrubs gives better, quicker results when it comes to removing self-tanning lotion.
is the beauty by earth self-tanning lotion worth it?
Yes, especially if your skin is sensitive or prone to reactions from self-tanners. This self-tanning lotion gave me a beautiful, natural, tan, and was easy to apply. You’ll notice a subtle tan after just one application, although I found three total applications gave me the best results. I wasn’t crazy about the smell, but that’s pretty par for the course of most self-tanners.
This tanner is organic, non-comedogenic, and made in the USA. At $27.99 per bottle, the price is similar to some of the other tanners you’d find at Ulta or Sephora, like Loving Tan or St. Tropez. You can often find the tanner on sale at Amazon pretty regularly.
Overall, as someone who has had a lot of trouble finding a tanner that doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin, I find this to be 100% worth the price because I had absolutely no reaction to this – no itchiness or irritation. You may not love this tanner if you need a dramatic tan right away, but I really love this for a natural look and for prolonging my tan on vacations.
where to buy beauty by earth self-tanning lotion
Beauty by Earth Self-Tanning Lotion is available for purchase at Target or on Amazon. If you buy on Amazon, they typically offer coupons or promotions if you buy multiple products, so I recommend buying there.
is beauty by earth self-tanning lotion suitable for sensitive skin?
Yes. My skin is extremely sensitive (especially when it comes to self-tanning lotions), yet I had a great experience with this self-tanning lotion. I applied it three nights in a row, and never experienced a reaction. The directions say you can apply this every 4-6 days, so if you have sensitive skin, you can always alternate it with your regular moisturizer so your skin doesn’t get overwhelmed.
can you apply beauty by earth self-tanning lotion to your face?
You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it since there are so many incredible face tanners out there. Beauty by Earth does make self-tanning products specifically formulated for your face, but I have yet to try them. I personally like these tanning drops for a natural, glowy face tan.
does beauty by earth self-tanning lotion break you out?
I didn’t break out, nor did it irritate my skin. That being said, I’d recommend consulting with your dermatologist or doing a patch-test.
how long does it take for the tan to develop?
The directions say to leave the tan on for 8 hours. In the photos above, I applied the self-tanning lotion nightly after my shower, and rinsed it off in the morning (around 8 hours). I had a subtle tan after the first application, but didn’t get a noticeable, vacation-like tan until I had applied it three nights in a row.
how long does the tan last?
The directions say that your tan will show after 8 hours, and to reapply every 4-6 days to maintain color. I applied the tanner three nights in a row, and then switched back to my normal body moisturizer. The tan started fading the next shower, but was still noticeable. It gradually faded, so I’d say the tan lasted about a week.
is beauty by earth self-tanning lotion easy to remove?
Somewhat; I find self-tanning lotions to be harder to remove than mousses, but the lotions fade more subtly. After three applications, the tanner lasted for about a week before it started to fade on its own. I used then used an exfoliating scrub in the shower to buff away the tan, and it was pretty much all gone afterwards. When it comes to removing a self-tanning lotion, I find that exfoliating scrubs remove the tan better than exfoliating mitts - not sure why, but that’s my experience.
If you need to remove the tanning lotion quicker, I’d recommend soaking in the bath before using an exfoliating scrub. The warm water opens your pores and helps to break the tan down.
Curious about other Beauty by Earth tanning products? Read my review, before and after results, and shade comparison for the Beauty by Earth Self-Tanning Mousse here.
