The best cruelty-free and vegan fake tan to give you that summer glow

All year long, baby.

Best cruelty-free and vegan fake tans

by Caitlin Casey |
Updated on

Regardless of the time of year, some people take the bronzed life super seriously and do what they can to get the perfect fake tan all year round, even better if the products are cruelty-free and vegan fake tans. You'll never see them without an all-over glow and they dedicate a lot of time to getting the perfect tan, making us pale folk as envious as can be.

If you aim to be a bronzed goddess too, you'll know by now that sunbeds aren't an option (because you should love your skin and not blast it with UV rays more powerful than the midday sun), so what do you do? You reach for the fake tan, obvs. Whether you're looking for the best fake tan for pale skin with a subtle tint, or want to go all-out ultra-dark, it's super easy to control your look now.

heat's best cruelty-free and vegan fake tans at a glance:

Best overall cruelty-free and vegan fake tan: St. Tropez Classic Self Tan Bronzer Mousse Foam, £9.52 on Amazon.

Best cruelty-free and vegan fake tan water: Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Water, £18.95 on Boots.

Best fast-developing cruelty-free and vegan fake tan: St Moriz Professional 1 Hour Fast Tan Mist, £6.99 on Boots

St Moriz Professional 1 Hour Fast Tan Mist 150ml
©St Moriz

BUT, while we want to look our best, we’re also keen to give our beauty regime an ethical makeover, so we've devised a list of the best cruelty-free and vegan fake tans to keep you feeling sun-kissed all year round. Whether gradual tan is your thing or you're more of a mousse fan, there's something for everyone.

From St Moriz to St Tropez, here are all the best cruelty-free and vegan fake tans that you should be investing in right now.

SHOP: The best cruelty-free and vegan fake tans

Best overall cruelty-free and vegan fake tan

Expert rating:
4.5
St.Tropez Original Bronzing MousseSt.Tropez
Price: $9.52 (was £30.50)
Alternative retailers
Walmart$44.00View offer

Is St. Tropez cruelty-free? Yep, your favourite fake tan IS cruelty-free and this one even has a vegan-friendly formula. It's on the pricier side at RRP £30.50 (although it's on offer on Amazon for just £9.52!), but a streak-free glow is definitely worth the extra pennies. After thousands of reviews raving about this tan, with one customer hailing it as 'the best self-tanner', we're adding this to our summer basket ASAP.

Pros

  • Streak-free
  • Natural tan shade

Cons

  • Needs time to develop and wash off

Best cruelty-free and vegan fake tan water

Expert rating:
4.0
Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning WaterIsle of Paradise
Price: $12.63 (was £18.95)

www.boots.com

This vegan and cruelty-free tan smells good, is easy to use, and won't stain your sheets. It's packed with organic tanning actives such as avocado, chia seed, and coconut oils, for a happy, hydrated glow. No wonder everyone's raving about it in the reviews., including one reviewer commenting that it gives a 'gorgeous glow'.

Pros

  • Nourishing on sensitive skin
  • Calms and reduces redness

Cons

  • Not tinted

Best fast-developing cruelty-free and vegan fake tan

Expert rating:
4.5
St Moriz Professional 1 hour Fast Tan Mist 150mlSt Moriz
Price: $5.99 (was £6.99)

www.boots.com

That's right. St Moriz has done it again with its new Professional 1-hour Fast Tan Mist. Offering a 360° application, it really does make tanning those hard-to-reach areas a whole lot easier. Spray a light layer onto your skin and you'll quickly understand the hype. A reviewer said that it 'works fast' so perfect for those last-minute nights out.

Pros

  • Fast developing tan
  • Can tailor your shade depending on the time

Cons

  • Might not be deep enough for some

Best celebrity cruelty-free and vegan fake tan

Expert rating:
4.5
Face by Utan x Jamie Genevieve Tanning Water
Price: $21.99

Vegan and cruelty-free tanning brand Utan collaborated with beauty influencer, Jamie Genevieve, for this CBD-infused tanning water, designed for use on your face. Upon restocking, the product has been selling out in just five minutes showing just how popular it is. Not only does it provide a long-lasting, transfer-resistant and glorious tan, but it also helps improve the appearance of breakouts, with one delighted customer calling it 'completely foolproof'.

Pros

  • Helps calm blemishes
  • Natural finish on the skin

Cons

  • Needs regular application if you exfoliate

Best cruelty-free and vegan fake tan foam

Expert rating:
4.5
Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam
Price: $13.12 (was £17.49)

www.lookfantastic.com

With this salon-quality tan, you could actually say you "got it from Australia" and it would be basically true! Bondi Sands is Australia's number one self-tanner and it's cruelty-free - it's a must-have. There are absolutely no animal-derived ingredients in the products and they don't test on animals. This highly popular self-tanning foam delivers a tan that doesn't apply orange, and is 'natural looking for pale people'.

Pros

  • Great for fair skin
  • Enriched with aloe vera and vitamin E

Cons

  • Important to exfoliate before applying

Best ultra-dark cruelty-free and vegan fake tan

Expert rating:
4.0
Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan Mousse Ultra Dark
Price: $5.95 (was £7.99)

www.fragrancedirect.co.uk

If you're a tanning pro and regular fakes tans just don't make the cut, Cocoa Brown Ultra Dark is for you. It promises to give a deep golden (non-tangerine) glow, and we're obsessed. Carter Beauty and Cocoa Brown are members of Peta's Beauty Without Bunnies, so they're 100 per cent cruelty-free and against animal testing. One reviewer said it gave them, 'a lovely even golden colour with no patchiness or streaks anywhere'. Result.

Pros

  • Speedy results
  • Golden tanned finish

Cons

  • May need longer developing time for some

Best anti-cellulite cruelty-free and vegan fake tan

Expert rating:
4.0

Coco & Eve has a reputation for sell-out products, and its Bronzing Foam is no different. After selling out three times and with over 30,000 fans on the waiting list, Coco & Eve's Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam now sells one bottle every 20 seconds. Available in three shades, it contains natural ingredients such as mango, guava, banana and linseed oil, plus is the world's first tan with anti-cellulite technology. We love that it's lightweight, non-greasy, develops in just two hours and is vegan-friendly.

Pros

  • Two shades available
  • Works to help firm

Cons

  • Scented

Best moisturising cruelty-free and vegan fake tan

Expert rating:
4.5

With a super summerly coconut scent, this gradual self-tanner is extremely kind on your skin with almond oil and cocoa butter. Not only that, but this vegan-friendly moisturising tan also eliminates the build-up of cellulite. Reviewers say the tan it produces isn't streaky, that it's easy to use and leaves a 'lovely, subtle colour'. BRB, adding this to our basket immediately.

Pros

  • Can be used on face and body
  • Moisturising formula

Cons

  • Not tinted

Best cruelty-free and vegan express fake tan

Expert rating:
4.0
Tanologist Self-Tan WaterTanologist
Price: $11.99 (was £14.99)
https://redirect.viglink.com?key=002d478c1432f3bdaef1230696c79c6d&prodOvrd=PCR&opt=false&u=WERGFEcNF0xGQ0QcFkEHEBUcClhGR1xTTV4KWV5NQ0MfRgVaWFQMVl1ARktABwgHSBJQXB5dWUxFEFIUDlNUWUcJGQUIU1xYHVoSXg4%3D&x=v1&prdId=10932261693&barcode=AAUCVwEPC1EBBgAAXgI%3D
Alternative retailers
Walmart$7.00View offer
Target$17.99View offer
Ulta$19.99View offer
REVOLVE$24.00View offer

Many influencer-produced products are a bit of a gimmick, but not this one from Lottie Tomlinson. This vitamin-infused tan water literally does it all. It's vegan, cruelty-free, and organic, it's non-comedogenic so won't clog your pores, it doesn't transfer onto anything and you can get a whole range of shades from one bottle. GENIUS! Customer reviews state that it's 'light and easy to mix into moisturiser', so it's perfect for the natural glow.

Pros

  • Hydrating formula feels moisturising
  • Works for the face and body

Cons

  • Tan doesn't have a guide colour

Best buildable cruelty-free and vegan fake tan

Expert rating:
4.0
Tan-Luxe The Gradual Illuminating Tanning Lotion 250ml - Light
Price: $25
https://redirect.viglink.com?key=002d478c1432f3bdaef1230696c79c6d&prodOvrd=PCR&opt=false&u=WERGFEcNF0xGQ0QcE18WBU8GCVwdQx9RS1cHQlgPG1lcXhFZXlYCRV1dVUtHAwoPDAhWH19fQlBZDRpBD0V5XUIURlhcUgcFBANWA1VbEg4TDAAGAQQLDlo%3D&x=v1&prdId=9876144272&barcode=AAUCVwEPC1EABAYDVwU%3D
Alternative retailers
Kohl's$34.00View offer
Sephora$34.00View offer
Neiman Marcus$34.00View offer
Bluemercury, Inc.$34.00View offer

Make fake tanning super simple with this gradual tan moisturiser. Tan Luxe is known for creating products so you tailor your own fake tan shade. This hydrating, daily body moisturiser will be your new best friend if you're in the market for a new gradual tan this summer to maintain a glow. Reviewers agree, saying it's 'easy, natural and non-streaky'.

Pros

  • Ideal for everyday use
  • Leaves a radiant finish

Cons

  • Runny formula

Best cruelty-free and vegan face fake tan

Expert rating:
3.5
Madame LA LA West Coast Face Bronzing Serum
Price: $30

This face tanner is another favourite of ours due to its ability to adapt to your skin tone as it develops. Plus, it contains anti-ageing ingredients like vitamins A, C, and E. Madame LA LA products are vegan and aren't tested on animals. One customer commented, 'I use this all year round' and claimed they always get compliments on their tan when they apply this.

Pros

  • Full of nourishing ingredients
  • Adapts to your skin tone

Cons

  • Hard to tell when product runs out

Best subtle cruelty-free fake tan

Expert rating:
4.0
Alba Botanica Sunless Tanner
Price: $20.26
Alternative retailers
Walmart$14.14View offer

This super cheap tan is so natural, you don't even have to worry about the dreaded false tan smell. It develops in less than three hours, so you can pop this on in the morning and look bronzed by midday. It has a 100 per cent vegetarian formula and the brand is cruelty-free, which one reviewer was delighted with, saying its 'great to find a cruelty free self-tanner'.

Pros

  • Non-streaking formula
  • No parabens, phthalates, or synthetic fragrance

Cons

  • Only suitable for vegetarians

Best organic cruelty-free and vegan fake tan

Expert rating:
4.0
Lavera Self-Tanning Lotion
Price: $19.75

This organic self-tan is perfect for applying to the face and body. Filled with natural, plant-based ingredients, it delivers a smooth, even, natural-looking tan that'll make your skin radiate. We love that it's suitable for even the most sensitive skin thanks to the gentleness of the soft, nourishing lotion.

Pros

  • Plant-based ingredients
  • Radiant finish

Cons

  • Lighter tanned finish

Best gradual cruelty-free fake tan

Expert rating:
4.0
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Natural Bronze Gradual Tanning Lotion
Price: $5.99 (was £7.49)

www.boots.com

If you're not a fully-fledged tanning addict but want a healthy glow, give this one a try. Palmer's is a cruelty-free company, and it's suitable for vegetarians. Not only does it build your tan while moisturising your skin, but it also smells like chocolate. Sounds perfect to us. One reviewer even said that it's their 'holy grail' and the 'best tan' that they've ever used.

Pros

  • Gradual tan develops over time
  • Great for all skin tones

Cons

  • Not suitable for vegans

Had a fake tan disaster? We've got the lowdown on how to sort it.

First off, exfoliate. One of the easiest ways to remove your fake tan is to use an exfoliator or some exfoliating gloves to buff away that product build-up.

Make sure to take a shower or steamy bath before you exfoliate, this opens up your pores and softens your skin, making it easier to scrub away that tan.

Lemon juice mixed with sugar is a great home remedy for removing fake tan, as well as a bicarb scrub or going for a swim in your local swimming pool.

Are fake tans vegan?

As much as we'd LOVE for all fake tans and fake tan removers to be cruelty-free and vegan, the sad fact of the matter is that many are still tested on animals. Just not OK. However, there are plenty of amazing self-tanners from small and big-name brands that are cruelty-free and more that are following suit, reaching for the vegan crown.

It's also worth keeping in mind that cruelty-free doesn't mean a product is vegan - just because it's not tested on animals, doesn't mean it doesn't contain animal-derived products. So if you're looking for a combo of both make sure to check your favourite product's label, or pick one of our vegan and cruelty-free fake tan favourites from the list.

Caitlin Casey is a Senior Beauty & Fashion Products Writer for heat, Closer, and Grazia. She covers shopping, women’s lifestyle, popular culture as well as all things trending.

Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us