Best Spray Tan Products for Home Use: Your Guide to a Salon Worthy Glow
Love the look of a professional spray tan but want to maintain your glow at home? The right tanning products can help you achieve smooth, even and natural-looking colour without needing to book a salon appointment every week.
From an all over self tan mousse to a fine tanning mist for your face, hands and feet, creating a salon worthy tan at home is easier when you use the right product for each area.
Here are the best spray tan and self tanning products for home use, plus our tips for choosing the perfect option for your skin and tanning routine.
Can You Get a Spray Tan Result at Home?
While a professional spray tan is applied using specialist spray tanning equipment, you can achieve a similar bronzed result at home using a high quality self tan mousse, tanning mist or gradual tanning product.
The key is to choose a product that is easy to blend, suits your desired depth of colour and gives you enough control during application.
For most people, a self tan mousse is the easiest way to recreate a professional spray tan result at home. You can then use a tanning mist on areas that need a lighter, more diffused application particularly your face, hands and feet.
1. Self Tan Mousse: Best for an All Over Tan
A self tan mousse is one of the best tanning products for achieving an even, full-body glow at home.
The lightweight texture spreads easily across the skin and provides enough slip to blend the product before it begins developing. When applied with a tanning mitt, it can create smooth, streak-free coverage with a professional-looking finish.
Custom Tan Self Tan Mousse is ideal for:
• Full-body tanning
• Building a deeper, more noticeable colour
• Recreating the look of a professional spray tan
• Anyone who prefers a guide colour during application
• Tanners who want to control the depth of their result
For an even application, work in sections and blend the mousse into the skin using long, sweeping motions. Use the remaining product on your mitt lightly over your elbows and knees rather than applying a fresh pump directly to these areas.
2. Tanning Mist: Best for the Face, Hands and Feet
Your face, hands and feet can absorb tan differently from the rest of your body. These areas often need a lighter application, which is why a fine tanning mist is one of the best products to include in your at-home tanning routine.
A mist creates a soft, diffused layer of colour without the heaviness that can sometimes occur when mousse is applied directly to dry or delicate areas.
Custom Tan Tanning Mist is perfect for:
• Creating a natural-looking facial tan
• Blending colour over the hands and wrists
• Lightly tanning the feet and ankles
• Refreshing areas that fade faster
• Maintaining your glow between full-body applications
For the face, hold the bottle away from your skin and mist evenly, keeping your eyes and mouth closed. Allow the product to settle before lightly blending around the hairline, eyebrows and jaw if needed.
For your hands and feet, apply the mist sparingly and use a tanning brush to blend around the knuckles, fingers, toes, wrists and ankles. These areas generally need less product than you think.
3. Gradual Tan: Best for Beginners and Tan Maintenance
If you are new to self tanning or prefer a subtle glow, a gradual tanning moisturiser is one of the most forgiving options for home use.
Gradual tan develops over time, allowing you to build your colour across several applications. Because it combines hydration with a smaller amount of tanning active, it is also helpful for maintaining an existing spray tan or self tan.
Custom Tan Gradual Tan Extender is ideal for:
• First-time self tanners
• People who prefer a lighter, buildable glow
• Extending the life of a professional spray tan
• Refreshing a self tan as it begins to fade
• Keeping the skin moisturised between tanning applications
Apply it evenly like a body moisturiser, remembering to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. You can use it regularly until you reach your preferred depth of colour.
4. Instant Tan: Best for Last-Minute Colour
Sometimes you do not have time to wait for a self tan to develop. An instant tan is the perfect option when you need bronzed skin for an event, dinner or last-minute night out.
Unlike traditional self tan, instant tan provides immediate colour that can be washed away when you are ready. It can also help blur uneven skin tone and add a polished finish to the legs, arms, décolletage and shoulders.
Custom Tan Instant Tan is best for:
• Last-minute events
• Same-day colour
• Adding extra depth over an existing tan
• Evening out pale or patchy areas
• Creating a bronzed finish on exposed skin
Blend it carefully and allow it to dry before getting dressed. As the colour is designed to wash off, avoid swimming or getting caught in the rain while wearing it.
5. A Quality Tanning Mitt: Essential for Smooth Application
Even the best self tan needs the right applicator.
A tanning mitt protects your palms from staining and helps distribute mousse evenly across the body. It also prevents your hands from absorbing too much product while you apply your tan.
Apply your mousse directly to the mitt, gently squeeze or fold the mitt to distribute the product, and then blend it across the skin using smooth, sweeping motions.
Avoid applying self tan with your bare hands, as this can leave your palms darker than the rest of your body.
6. A Tanning Brush: Best for Blending Tricky Areas
A tanning brush is one of the easiest ways to achieve a more professional finish at home.
Use it to blend product around:
• Hands and fingers
• Feet and toes
• Wrists and ankles
• The face and jawline
• The neck and décolletage
• Elbows and knees
The soft bristles help distribute a small amount of product evenly, reducing the risk of harsh lines or dark patches.
7. Tan Eraser and Exfoliating Products: Best for a Fresh Start
A great at-home tan begins with properly prepared skin. Applying fresh self tan over an old, patchy layer can lead to uneven colour and a build-up around dry areas.
Before your next full tanning application, use a dedicated tan remover or exfoliating product to help lift old colour.
Custom Tan Tan Eraser Foam, Tan Reset Scrub and Exfoliating Mitt can help remove stubborn tan and create a smoother base for your next application.
For best results, remove your old tan before tanning day. This gives your skin time to settle and helps prevent irritation from exfoliating immediately before applying a new layer.
How to Prepare Your Skin for an At-Home Tan
Preparation can make just as much difference as the tanning product itself.
Around 24 hours before tanning:
• Remove any old or patchy tan
• Exfoliate the skin thoroughly
• Shave or wax if required
• Pay extra attention to dry areas
• Moisturise after exfoliating and allow it to absorb
Immediately before tanning, make sure your skin is clean, dry and free from deodorant, perfume, body oils and rich lotions.
Apply a small amount of lightweight moisturiser to your elbows, knees, ankles, hands and feet. This creates a light barrier over areas that tend to absorb more colour.
How to Make Your At-Home Tan Last Longer
Once your tan has developed, good aftercare will help it fade evenly and last longer.
• Follow the recommended development and rinse time
• Use lukewarm water for your first rinse
• Avoid scrubbing the skin
• Pat yourself dry instead of rubbing with a towel
• Moisturise every day
• Keep showers short and avoid excessively hot water
• Limit prolonged exposure to chlorine and salt water
• Use Gradual Tan Extender when your colour needs refreshing
Facial tan usually fades faster because we cleanse our faces more frequently and often use active skincare ingredients. Use your Tanning Mist between full applications to top up your facial glow without retanning your entire body.
What Are the Best Tanning Products for Home Use?
For a complete, salon-worthy tanning routine at home, we recommend:
• Self Tan Mousse for even, all-over colour
• Tanning Mist for the face, hands and feet
• Gradual Tan Extender for subtle colour and maintenance
• Instant Tan for last-minute events
• An Applicator Mitt for streak-free application
• A Tanning Brush for blending detailed areas
• Tan Eraser Foam, Tan Reset Scrub and an Exfoliating Mitt for removing old tan
You do not need to use every product each time you tan. Choose the products that suit your desired result, experience level and lifestyle.
Find Your Perfect At-Home Tan
The best tanning product is the one that works with your skin, your preferred depth of colour and the amount of maintenance you want.
Whether you love a deep bronzed finish, a subtle everyday glow or the convenience of instant colour, Custom Tan has an at-home tanning option to suit your routine.
Not sure where to begin? Take our Tan Quiz to find your perfect product and shade then get ready to create your best glow from home.
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Posted on September 04 2026
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