Cruelty-free sunless tanners are the best way to get the glow of a bronzed goddess without actually having to tan.

Thank goodness for sunless tanners.

Honestly, who has the time to tan anymore? In a fast-paced world, where vacations on sandy beaches are few and far between, getting a glowing tan can be difficult. Even finding an hour to lay on a lounge chair is a struggle.

Cruelty-free sunless tanners are the best way to get a bronzed look without frying your skin at the tanning salon, and you won’t have to feel guilty about buying tanners tested on animals.

What You Need To Know Before Buying Sunless Tanners

Bronzing lotions and sunless tanners don’t last as long as an actual tan.

Oftentimes, you’ll have to reapply after five days or so to maintain your look. Whereas tanning in the sun is more natural and changes your skin tone, sunless tanners require maintenance and a steady hand when applying.

A big problem people find with sunless tanners is even application. It’s tough to apply sunless tanners evenly so that it looks like your natural skin tone. If you find you’re having trouble getting an even coat, try using an application mitt like Skinerals’ padded microfiber self-tanner mitt.

Why Use Cruelty-Free Sunless Tanners?

Cruelty Free International, a global organization for animal welfare, estimates that “at least 115 million animals may be used in experiments worldwide each year”. Cosmetics testing doesn’t just apply to makeup; it also includes personal care items, hair care, and (of course) sunless tanners.

Using cruelty-free sunless tanners means that you are not contributing to the torture and testing of animals in the cosmetics industry. You don’t have to buy cruelty-free, but if you can afford to, why wouldn’t you?

Here are six options for cruelty-free sunless tanners that give you a beautiful summer glow without having to harm kittens and puppies.

#1 – Chocolate Sun

Doesn’t this one sound oh-so-appetizing? Chocolate Sun’s Cocoa Lite is a botanical sunless tanner available in cream and spray-on versions. You can get an 8 oz. bottle of the tanning cream for $40 (about $5/oz). Although Chocolate Sun is never tested on animals, it’s important to note that their formulations are “vegan-friendly” and not 100% vegan.

#2 – Beauty By Earth

Beauty by Earth has an ingredients list from heaven — ingredients include organic aloe vera leaf juice, shea butter, coconut oil, witch hazel, and more. Botanical and organic, Beauty by Earth is great for sensitive skin. It’s also suitable for virtually every skin type, even the ultra-pale part of the population (like me!). It’s one of the most economical sunless tanners on Amazon at $30 (about $4/oz).

#3 – Golden Star Beauty

If you want a beautiful, streak-free tan this summer, you need to try Golden Star Beauty. Their sunless tanning lotion is pretty phenomenal. Most sunless tanners have that “fake tan smell”, but not this one. It goes on smoothly and delivers a nice toasted look without being orange or rubbing off on your clothes. Just make sure to follow the directions! You can get Golden Star Beauty sunless tanner on Amazon for an amazing $25 (about $3.13/oz).

#4 – Tarte Brazilliance PLUS+

Tarte has been a longtime favorite makeup brand of mine. Their cruelty-free philosophy and high-quality products extend far beyond cosmetics, however. Brazilliance PLUS+ is Tarte’s new and updated sunless tanner that delivers that coveted summer glow while moisturizing skin. It’s a bit higher in price than the other tanners on this list ($39), but I personally trust this brand. The only downside is that it has fragrance, so it may not be the best for sensitive skin.

#5 – Skinerals

A beautiful botanical tan and a great price to match? Yes! Skinerals is 100% vegan and contains skin-healthy ingredients like Indian Gooseberry, Acai Berry, and Goji Berry. Users have noted a light, fruity fragrance when using the product, but no “fake tan smell”. It spreads easily and works fast to give you a bronzed glow. You can get Skinerals Self Tanner on Amazon for $25 (about $3.13/oz).

#6 – Alba Botanica

Alba Botanica’s sunless tanner is the budget option on this list, but it doesn’t sacrifice on quality. For only $10 (about $2.50/oz), you can get a streak-free bronze tan that’s cruelty-free and sizzling with summer heat. Best of all, there are no synthetic fragrances. Of course, being the budget option, the tan does wear off a couple days quicker than the other products on this list, but you still get a lot of bang for your buck.

(Affiliate links were used in this post. Purchasing from these links won’t cost you anything extra, but the blog owner may receive a small commission that will be used to purchase cat food… and possibly food for herself. Please… I’m so hungry. *stomach growls*)