Tanologist Express Tan and the Art of Being Ready in an Hour

Dermatologists have been saying the same thing for years. The American Academy of Dermatology says a tan from the sun is a sign your skin has been injured, and that anyone who wants to look tan can use a self tanning product while continuing to use sunscreen. Self tanner is not sunscreen, and sunscreen stays on. That is the world Tanologist was built for. Lottie Tomlinson started the brand in 2018 after trying just about every self tanner she could find, none of which gave her a clean, odorless, non-comedogenic glow without streaks. The brand describes itself as the first vegan false tan to be dermatologically tested and approved, and its formulas lean on pink grapefruit, goji berry and juniper. Tanologist Express Tan is the quick one. The hero of this edit, Express Self Tan Gel in Extra Dark, is a tinted guide-color gel that the brand says develops in about an hour. Around it sit a mousse, a water and drops, so you can see how one brand handles the same job four ways. A streak-free tan mostly comes down to choosing the format that matches how patient you feel that evening.

These four mousses each go about color differently, with some developing in a couple of hours and others needing several. The St. Tropez Express mousse lets you choose your depth by the clock: one hour for a light glow, two for a medium tan, up to three for a deep bronze. The brand itself was launched in the UK in 1996 and has belonged to PZ Cussons since 2010. Dolce Glow is the newer name, started by celebrity spray tan artist Isabel Alysa, who named it after her daughter Mia Dolce Vita, and its express mousse develops in as little as two hours. Isle of Paradise comes from London tanner Jules Von Hep and uses a naturally derived color guide so you can see where you have been. Lux Unfiltered, from creator Sivan Ayla, has a blood orange scent that smells more like a candle than a tanner. My tip is to exfoliate the day before, moisturize knees, elbows and ankles, and use a light hand on hands and feet. Patch test anything new before a big event.

The mitt is the quiet hero of every tan. Tanologist makes a Flawless Tanning Mitt with a water-resistant barrier that keeps palms from staining, and a blending brush for the awkward places: hands, elbows, knees and feet. St. Tropez has a double-sided velvet applicator, and the Isle of Paradise mitt is meant to do the same job. What I would skip is applying mousse with bare hands and hoping for the best, or rubbing in circles until the color piles up on the joints. Apply in long, even strokes, blend the edges last and wash your palms as soon as you finish. A mitt that can be washed and reused also means less mess on the next round. If you have white sheets, wait until your color has fully developed before climbing into bed.

Before you start, a small checklist. Exfoliate the day before, moisturize the dry spots, keep the mitt close and leave yourself the hour the color needs. Put sunscreen on the next morning, because the color is not protection. If you are trying a formula for the first time, test a small patch a day earlier. Then enjoy the part where you look like you came back from somewhere, without having left the bathroom. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Serum Hour.