It’s common for our skin to lose its natural glow, leaving us feeling dull and lacklustre. However, with the help of gradual tanners, you can achieve a beautiful, golden glow any time of year, without having to expose your skin to the harsh Australian sun.
From lotions to oils and water-based products, we’ll explore the benefits of each option and what to consider when selecting the best gradual tanner for your needs.
Best Gradual Tanners in Australia
Three Warriors Natural Gradual Tan
This award-winning formula from Three Warriors blends skincare with self-tanning, delivering a deeply hydrating, buildable colour that evens skin tone and fades flawlessly. Enriched with organic aloe vera, avocado oil, and chamomile extract, it nourishes and soothes while imparting a radiant, streak-free finish—minus the dreaded fake tan scent.
Loving Tan Deluxe Gradual Tan
Loving Tan’s Deluxe Gradual Tan is a go-to for a seamless, sun-kissed glow.
Available in medium and dark shades, this lightweight lotion delivers a buildable, olive-toned tan while nourishing the skin with hydrating shea butter, antioxidant-rich acai berry, and revitalising coffee extract. Designed to enhance or extend a mousse tan for up to two weeks—or to be worn alone for a gradual, radiant bronze—it ensures a flawless, long-lasting finish.
Related Read: Your Favourite Self Tanner Now Comes In a Skincare Infused Lotion
Bondi Sands Gradual Tanning Milk
- 375ml
- Hydrating formula
- Enriched with Aloe Vera & Vitamin E
- Designed as a tan extender
With over 1300 5-star reviews, Bondi Sands Gradual Tanning Milk is a top choice for effortless, sun-kissed skin. Enriched with Vitamin E and Aloe Vera, it nourishes the skin while delivering a natural, gradually developing tan.
Suitable for daily, full-body application, it offers a streak-free finish with minimal scent, quick drying, and doesn’t transfer onto clothes or sheets. Best of all, it is made here in Australia, cruelty-free, vegan and a sulphate-free tanning solution.
Eco Tan Winter Skin
If you’re looking for a gradual tanner without the nasties, certified organic Winter Skin from our favourite Australian tanning brand Eco Tan is a great option.
The natural, vegan and cruelty-free formula is the perfect way to get a beautiful, healthy-looking tan. The rich and hydrating formulation fights dryness and irritation, common problems during the winter months, and can also be used to extend a spray tan. Cacao, a powerful antioxidant, helps protect skin from free radical damage while aloe vera and chamomile calm and soothe any irritation.
Tan-Luxe The Gradual Illuminating Tanning Lotion
The Illuminating Tanning Lotion is formulated to a lightweight consistency somewhere between an oil and a lotion. This hybrid formula helps absorption, smooths the skin and results in no streaks. The self-tan is easy to apply and fast-drying. On application, the smell is pleasant which develops into a slight, but non-offensive self tanner smell.
Dove Summer Glow Gradual Self Tan Body Lotion
Dove Summer Glow Gradual Tanning Lotion has been around for a long time, but many users keep finding themselves coming back to it as it is a reliable lotion and great value for money. There are two options; fair to medium skin tones and medium to dark which both build up a beautiful, natural-looking tan over time, however, the latter has a more intense effect.
Formulated with a unique DeepCare Complex, it deeply nourishes skin while also providing essential moisture to keep skin soft and smooth. It’s super easy to apply, however, we find it can feel a little sticky post-application.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does gradual tanner last?
It can be hard to agree definitively on how long it will last. Because you are applying it continually over several days to a week, it is essentially adding a fresh layer on each application. If you were to stop after say, one or two applications, you could expect the time a gradual tan will last is between 5 – 7 days.
What should I look for in a gradual tanner?
With so many great self-tanning products listed above, it can be hard to say which brand we love the most. Also, keeping in mind every person has different expectations of products.
There are some key things that make a gradual bronzer product great:
- Streak-free – there is nothing worse than a patchy or streaky
fake tan . - Buildable colour – if you are using a gradual tanner, it’s because you want gradual, not instant results.
- Pleasant fragrance – no overpowering
fake tan scent. - Multi-purpose – if you can get me tanned and keep my skin plump and hydrated, that’s an extra bonus.
- Ingredients – read the ingredients and avoid products that contain nasty additions.
Some of the common ingredients to look out for in a hydrating gradual tan product include:
- Vitamin E
- Aloe Vera
- Shea Butter
- Hyaluronic Acid
