Kopari Beauty Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum Review and Application Tips
Kopari Beauty started as a body care brand - I’ve loved their Organic Coconut Melt and Exfoliating Crush Scrub for years - but have expanded to skincare products over the last few years. As a tropical brand that instantly gives you vacation vibes, their products are designed to give you a healthy glow and hydrate your skin (and they all smell amazing, too).
Kopari recently jumped into the world of self-tanning with the release of their Gradual Self-Tanning Mousse and Face Serum, and as a fan of the brand, I couldn’t wait to order the duo to try.
While I love testing self-tanners, I’m definitely a skeptic when it comes to tanners specifically formulated for your face. My skin type is dry and sensitive, and I’ve yet to found a self-tanner for my face that gives a healthy glow that doesn’t look patchy or counteract my skincare routine. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the Kopari Self-Tanning Face Serum, especially since it contains niacinamide (which can irritate sensitive skin), but as a long-time fan of the brand, I wanted to give it a try. Keep reading for my results, application tips, review, and if I think the Kopari Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum is worth it.
kopari beauty gradual self-tanning face serum before and after
kopari beauty gradual self-tanning face serum review and application tips
The Kopari Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum is a pretty versatile tanning product. You can customize the deepness of your tan by adjusting the amount of drops you use, and apply them with or without moisturizer. The Kopari website says to use 4 drops for a light tan, 6 drops for a medium tan, and 8 drops for a deep tan. It doesn’t mention how long to leave the drops on, though.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by these drops. They’re really easy to use and the tan itself is a natural, healthy glow. They’re fragrance-free, and I did not notice the dreaded “self-tanner smell” at any point.
Whereas some face tanning drops go on completely clear, the Kopari Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum has a little bit of a bronzy tint, similar to if you used bronzing drops. The bottle itself is clear, so you can see that the tanning drops have a little bit of a glittery glow in the bottle, but my face was not glittery whatsoever.
The only downside to the Kopari Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum is that it can be drying. The first time I tried the serum, I applied it to freshly cleansed skin and my skin felt SO dry 3.5 hours in. I had planned to leave the serum on for 6 hours, but had to wash my face after 4 hours, and while my face was noticeably tanner, it also looked drier. One good thing to note, though, is that the tanning serum did not cling to my dark spots or dry patches, which can sometimes happen when using face self-tanning products.
For my second test of this tanning serum, I applied a light moisturizer first, and this made a huge difference. My skin didn’t feel as dry, I was able to leave the serum on for almost 6 hours, and the tan was perfect - glowy, natural-looking, and my skin didn’t look (or feel) dry. I think if you have normal or oily skin, you’ll probably love this tanning serum. If you have dry skin like me, you will have to mix it with moisturizer to get the full effect.
The Kopari Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum retails for $32, which is cheaper than some of the other face tanning drops I’ve tried. I think it’s a fair price, especially since it was formulated with skincare in mind. I personally would not repurchase the Kopari Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum because I can be sensitive to niacinamide at times, and I find makeup bronzing drops to be easier to use, but if your skin can handle niacinamide and you want a makeup-free, natural tan, these would be perfect to add to your self-tanning routine.
tips for applying kopari beauty gradual self-tanning face serum
Before you start, cleanse and moisturize your face. I typically apply face tanning drops to bare skin, but this serum made my skin feel pretty dry the first time I tried it, so I recommend applying a light moisturizer first. Make sure your moisturizer has a few minutes to absorb/ set prior to applying the serum. You could also mix your moisturizer with the tanning serum if you prefer, which will make your tan more subtle.
The moisturizer acts like a barrier to protect your skin, but that can also make it longer for you to reach your desired tan. In the photos above, I used 6 drops of the serum and left it on for almost 6 hours (5 hours, 50 minutes if we want to be precise and scientific).
Comparison breakdown: light moisturizer first, 6 drops, 6 hours gave me the same tan as 6 drops, no moisturizer, 4 hours BUT applying moisturizer before made the tan look more glowy and less dry/ crinkly - definitely recommend the moisturizer step.
To avoid the tanner staining your hands, I always recommend using plastic gloves to apply tanning serum. Don’t worry about the gloves being too big and leaving crease marks in your tan; my gloves are huge, but I never have gotten any random creases or marks in my tan from using them.
Your face is a small surface area, so I apply the serum closer to my fingers (as opposed to my palms) and rub my hands together so the drops are spread out across my gloves for a more even tan.
Apply the Kopari Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum using circular motions. I start at the places my face naturally catches a tan (forehead, cheeks, across the bridge of my nose) and buff the drops into my face evenly, and then do a light coat on my eyelids/ brow bone and above my lips. The skin around your eyes is thin, so you don’t need as much. Similarly, you don’t want a moustache effect so just use what is left on your gloves, even if it doesn’t seem like much.
Don’t forget to blend the tan into your hairline, towards your ears, and below your chin onto your neck to avoid harsh lines where the tanner starts and stops.
You can apply makeup over the tanning serum, which is a little sticky by itself and would probably make a great makeup primer. Just be mindful of matching your face to your neck (or bring the serum down onto your chest), since the tan develops within a few hours.
While the website doesn’t specify how long to leave the tanning serum on, you will start to see results around the 3.5 hour mark, and the tan will develop a little more after you wash it off. I recommend leaving the tanning serum on for 4-6 hours (maybe longer if you use less drops).
Add moisturizer again after you wash the serum off! My skin legit looked crinkly right before I washed the serum off, but I did not end up with any dry patches or flakiness.
where to buy kopari beauty gradual self-tanning face serum
You can buy the Kopari Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum at Ulta, Revolve, and directly from the brand’s website. Save money by using your Ulta points; if you’re in a rush, Revolve offers quick, free shipping.
FAQs about kopari beauty gradual self-tanning face serum
is the kopari beauty gradual self-tanning face serum suitable for sensitive skin?
Possibly; I recommend patch-testing with this tanner because it includes niacinamide, which can cause a reaction for some. My skin is extremely sensitive and I did not get a reaction, but it made my skin feel pretty dry and tight, even when I applied moisturizer right before the self-tanning serum. If your skin is extra sensitive, definitely patch test and I’d also recommend mixing the tanning serum with your moisturizer. To be extra safe, don’t apply it two days in a row; use a buffer day to give your skin a break.
does the kopari beauty gradual self-tanning face serum break you out?
Not in my experience, but it did lightly burn a healing breakout that I had when I first applied the self-tanning serum. My friend who is more acne-prone did not experience breakouts with this, but I would consult with your dermatologist if you are concerned. Also, if you have acne scars, I was pleasantly surprised that the tanner didn’t “stick” to my breakout/ scar or make it even darker, but it did dry it out a little.
how many drops of the kopari beauty gradual self-tanning face serum should you use?
The Kopari website says to use 4 drops for a light tan, 6 drops for a medium tan, and 8 drops for a deep tan. I would also personally recommend factoring in your skin type when you decide how many drops to use. Skin that is sensitive to niacinamide should use less drops and mix them with a moisturizer for extra protection.
My skin felt really dry when I didn’t use a moisturizer first, so if you have dry skin, I would recommend applying a moisturizer first and then applying an extra drop or two (or leaving it on a little longer) if you still want a deeper glow, since the moisturizer acts as a barrier and will make your tan more subtle.
how long does it take for the tan to develop?
The Kopari Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum is a very gradual self-tanner; the directions recommend applying this daily until you reach your desired glow, so I wouldn’t expect a dramatic glow after a few hours unless you use 8-10 drops (or more). That being said, you don’t want to use too many drops because it contains niacinamide, and too much of that can cause skin irritation.
In the photos above, I applied 6 drops of the serum and left it on for around 6 hours to develop. I applied the serum in the morning; the photos above were taken 6 hours later.
can you apply makeup over kopari beauty gradual self-tanning face serum?
Yes, you can. The serum looks shimmery in the bottle, but there’s no glitter when you actually apply it to your skin. The serum feels slightly sticky, so it would probably make a great makeup primer - just be mindful of matching your face to your neck (or bring the serum down onto your chest), since the tan develops within a few hours.
how long does the tan last?
Even with an exfoliating skincare routine, the tan lasted a full four days for me before it started to fade.
is the kopari beauty gradual self-tanning face serum easy to remove?
Somewhat. Face tanners typically fade quicker than body tanners based on your skincare routine. I use a chemical exfoliant face wash nightly, and the Kopari Gradual Self-Tanning Face Serum still lasted for almost a week, which is surprisingly longer than I’d expect. If you make a mistake or apply too much, this would probably not be the easiest to remove, so be patient and allow for a few extra days for it to fully remove.
