The 26 Best Bronzers and Self-Tanners for Dark Skin Tones

Counting down the days until you can be on a beach again? Well, this cult-favorite bronzer was inspired by "sun-drenched destinations"—so, basically it's a vacation must-have you need. With the help of super finely-milled pigments, this blendable bronzer imparts the most gorgeous glow on dark skin tones.

Just add a few drops of this rave-reviewed facial self-tanner to your moisturizer—you can add more or less drops over time, depending on how concentrated you want the formula to be—and you'll wake up with bronzed, glowy skin. One reviewer raves: "I'm so in love with this product! My main concern, besides whether or not it would actually tan my darker complexion, was whether it break my face out? It does not!!! It gives a nice, realistic tan glow!"

Let’s face it, most self-tanners don’t do much for brown girls besides turn us kind of orange. Enter this beloved Australian tanning mousse. It’s designed to avoid that dreaded tint and has been formulated with olive undertones and works in just two hours, giving a natural finish that you’d never guess came out of a can.

No vacay, no problem. Calling all brown girls who want to get bronzed from the comfort of their couch: Get yourself some of this. It's a mousse formula that adheres to all skin tones and will stick, without looking streaky for a long-lasting tan.

This unique dry oil formula from Bondi Sands nourishes with argan oil, dries instantly, and only takes a couple of hours to develop, meaning you can apply it first thing and have a sun-kissed glow by brunch. Plus, it doesn’t need to be washed off after application,  so it’s the perfect self-tan for last-minute plans.

Designed specifically to double up as your facial moisturizer, this face tanning lotion from Bali Body applies smoothly over the rest of your nightly skincare routine, and absorbs overnight to give a natural, warm glow when you wake up.

This one's a cult classic for a reason. The Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzers in Caramel and Toasted both give the perfect level of warmth to create a sun drenched look on tan to deep skin tones. Its formula makes it effortless to blend and it can easily be built up for anything from everyday use to full glam looks.

If you’re after a post-vacay glow but can’t stand that self tan smell, this gradual tanning mousturizer from Luna Bronze is about to be your new best friend. Scented with mandarin, lemon myrtle, and orange blossom, this organic formula will have you looking, feeling, (and smelling!) like summer all year.

Be cool as a cucumber with this refreshing, intensely hydrating gradual tan—another game changer from Bali Body. Easily applied just like any other body lotion, this dream cream takes its time to absorb, making it simple to get a streak-free application. 

Get ready for radiance. This lightweight bronzer from Hourglass is made with metallic bronze pigments to refract light and a golden beige powder to make deeper skin tones really shine. This lets you build warmth, depth, and dimension with a subtle luminance and shimmer to create a truly glowing finish.

Dry-skinned beauties, this one's for you. This pigmented balm is packed with soothing colloidal oatmeal and antioxidant-rich grapeseed oils that'll never snag on flakes or fine lines. And if you're shifting from a day at the pool to a night out, the formula is buildable and blendable so you can buff your way to your perfect complexion.

This is a go-to for brown girls who are already somewhat skilled in the world of sunless tanning, since the tinted lotion really will give you a rich, deep color—even on dark-chocolate skin.

Glossier's newest addition focuses on faking that subtle, ray of light-style glow, and the doe-foot applicator makes it easy to apply the gel-cream formula to the spots the sun would naturally hit your face.

Overpackers, listen up. If you can't stand to leave any of your precious makeup at home during a week away, I'll raise you a multi-formula that might make life easier. This cream-to-powder formula can be used with a stiff brush or stippler to contour, or be buffed out with a fluffy brush to create bronze-y warmth.

It's summer. You're sweating your ass off, which means it's probably not the time for a matte, pore-erasing finish. Enter Bronzino (I mean, how cute is that name?), a shimmery, almost gel-like formula that warms up deep skin tones with a 'just left the beach' kind of finish.

Pressed powder doesn't have to flatten you out—on the contrary! This classic from one of the UK's beauty queens contains micro-fine perfecting powders to create a blurring filter over the skin, while hyaluronic acid helps keep your skin looking and feeling bouncy.

Not many self-tanners can take darker skin to an even deeper shade without looking weirdly fake, but this cult-favorite spray can and does, and even includes a mitt for easier application.

Four bronzer colors for the fraction of the price of one? We'll take two, please. The $6 price tag is unmatched, and the universal shades allow you to mix and match as you please to create a glow that caters to your complexion.

Meet your real-life Instagram filter. This wash-off bronzer won't deepen your skin tone like other self-tanners, but will instead even out discoloration and hyperpigmentation for an airbrushed-looking finish.

Don't feel like putting on a contour powder and a highlighter? Same, girl—time is money. Instead, employ this beautiful blend of the two, which combines the luminosity of a highlighter and the depth of color of a contour powder. Simply swirl a fluffy brush around in this pot, and apply this wherever you want a warm glow.

Shea butter and meadowfoam seed oil make this baked powder glide on on like a dream and helps you mimic that universally flattering sunset glow.

Who among us doesn't want to look like Rihanna on the daily? Well, this bronzer from her beauty brand might be the closest we can get, and that's fine by us. This pigmented powder creates a sculpted complexion with just a bit of blending.

One of the main causes of a splotchy, streaky self-tan is having dry patches on your skin. Luckily, the blend of green and brown algae in this bronzing mist makes up for any spots you may have missed while moisturizing.

If you have dry skin, this formula provides creamy, dreamy warmth without bunching up around dry patches or flakes, and it stays for hours without creasing.

If you love your look to be as matte as possible, this bronzer will keep things glamorous play perfectly with your foundation and give you that soft, Hollywood star warmth.

If you're in the caramel to milk-chocolate complexion range, this matte bronzer makes for a natural-looking contour.