This Selena-Approved Self-Tanner Basically Cures My Seasonal Affective Disorder

In my nearly nine years working in the beauty industry, there’s only one adage I’ve found to be unequivocally true: Everything is better with a tan. With a tan, I look healthier, my eyes brighter, and I definitely feel more confident. However, as a beauty editor, I am also well aware of the many dangers of sun exposure, I always wear sunscreen (yes, even when it’s raining), and generally extol the benefits of SPF to anyone who will listen. Which means I’m left with one solution: self-tanner.

I own the fact that I’m a 52-weeks-a-year self-tan user, so I’m often asked which one is the best. Luckily, in 2024, most self-tanning products are less hit or miss (as in, no longer like the ones you remember from middle school that stained your palms orange). But when I discovered Dolce Glow — a brand created by Isabel Alysa, Miley Cyrus’ spray-tan artist, that’s also beloved by Selena Gomez — I knew it must have something special to offer.

Below, I tried out Dolce Glow’s entire line of self-tanning products, and these are my honest thoughts.

Fast Facts:

• Brand: Dolce Glow
• What’s in the line? The line is an all-inclusive approach to at-home self-tanning, with tanning products for the body and face, and an instant glow booster, plus products for application.
• Prices: Mousse ($51), Mist ($48), Lotion ($51), Serum Drops ($55), Hydrating Face Mist ($36), Instant Body Glow ($51) Application Mitt ($9), Kabuki Brush ($13), and Exfoliation Mitt ($9)
• Shades: The Mousse and Lotion each come in two varieties: Light-Medium and Medium-Dark, while the Mist comes in the same two shades and a clear spray. The facial products only come in one buildable shade.
• Specs? Clean, Vegan, Cruelty Free, Paraben Free, Sulfate Free, and Dermatologist-Tested
• Who is it for? For all skin types and tones
• Where can you buy? dolceglow.com

The Products:

How To Use:

The general rules of self-tanner still apply. On exfoliated skin, use the mitt to blend in the mousse evenly in circular motions, making sure to apply sparingly on knees, elbows, ankles, and wrists. Then leave on for as long as you like for your desired level of tan before rinsing off. For Dolce Glow, that’s two to four hours for a light tan, four to six hours for a medium tan, and over six hours for a dark tan. Alysa also gave me a tip for using the Kabuki Brush to get a soft blend on tricky spots: Swirl and blend the extra self tan down from the arms or legs onto ankles, feet, wrists, and hands.

First Impressions:

Instantly, I loved the texture of the Self-Tanning Mousse, which was creamier than it was watery, unlike many other self-tanners. The thicker texture made it spread a little slower, so I could also be more conscious about applying it evenly. (I’ve been guilty of applying self-tanner too fast and missing large stripes of skin, so this is a blessing.) And often, self-tanning feels like sacrificing softness for color (you’re not supposed to moisturize before tanning except on the roughest areas), but this one didn’t leave me feeling dry and sticky. Also, the formula comes out of the bottle a pretty caramel color, while other self-tanners can be green (or another embarrassing color).

But to me, the true hero product of the line is the Clear Self-Tanning Mist. It comes in a spray can that dispenses a continuous fine mist when you hold down the nozzle (instead of spritzing big droplets). This is a thrilling feature for someone like me who’s struggled to contort my body to apply tanner without leaving a giant untanned spot between my shoulder blades.

The Results:

I used the Medium-Dark formula overnight, woke up and rinsed, and I loved the results. I really appreciate how the color has a golden glow that makes me feel vibrant and healthy, not just tan.

Final Verdict:

I love this self-tanner, especially in the colder seasons when I feel like my dry skin can easily get itchy and tight if I don’t always have body lotion on. It makes self-tanner feel like a cooler, more luxe process than a secret I need to hide away under the sink in my bathroom. Unfortunately, with the amount I use, $50 per bottle is a little steep for keeping myself tan year round. But, it’s definitely what I’m going to use when I want to feel like Miley on the cover of her Endless Summer album, even when it’s 20 degrees outside.