Want a Glow Without the Burn? Tanning Oils With SPF Are the Answer (2024)

Tanning is an absolute no in our book, but if bronzey, glowing skin is what you want, the best tanning oils with SPF (which are basically just sunscreen oils with a hint of tint and shimmer) are what you need. It may sound counterintuitive, but a conditioning, skin-softening formula that also happens to provide broad-spectrum sun protection will better protect your skin against damaging UV rays. (Note: Like all sunscreen, you can't apply once and forget it—it's imperative to reapply every two hours.)

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Supergoop Glow Oil SPF 50, $40
• Best Scent: Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance Body Oil SPF 50, $38
• Most Nolstagic: Vacation Baby Oil SPF 30, $22
• Best for Dry Skin: Hampton Sun Silk Body Oil SPF 50, $28
• Best for Oily Skin: Kopari Sun Shield Body Glow SPF 50, $42
• Best Fast-Drying Formula: Sun Bum Sunscreen Oil SPF 30, $21
• Best Dewy Finish: Cay Skin Isle Body Oil SPF 30, $32
• Best Shimmery Finish: Everyday Humans SPF 30 Sheer Body Glow Oil, $21
• Best Bronzest Finish: Australian Gold Continuous Spray Sunscreen with Instant Bronzer SPF 30, $10

Suntanning? We don't know her anymore, thanks to these shimmery sunscreen oils. Below, check out Allure staff-approved tanning oils with SPF that are worthy of a spot in your beach bag.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does SPF prevent your skin from tanning?
• How do UV rays damage skin?
• What are the benefits of using a tanning oil with SPF?
• Meet the experts
• How our test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Overall: Supergoop Glow Oil SPF 50

Why It's Worth It: Just about every board-certified dermatologist we talked to recommends slathering on Supergoop's Glow Oil SPF 50 the next time you have fun in the sun. "This formula creates a luxe glow on the skin with argan, grapeseed, and meadowfoam seed oils while providing broad spectrum SPF 50 protection," says Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. Lauren Penzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City adds that it's one of her favorite sunscreens for its non-greasy texture and water-resistant wear.

Editor Tip: If you want your face to glow as much as the rest of your skin, pair this sunscreen oil with Supergoop's Glowscreen, an Allure editor favorite. "I've always shied away from self-tanners (maybe one day I'll have the guts!) and this SPF warms up my skin tone beautifully and produces similar results without any commitment," said commerce editor Sarah Han in a review of the sunscreen in Golden Hour.

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), hom*osalate (10%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (10%) | Inactive Ingredients: Argan oil, grapeseed oil, meadowfoam seed oil

Best Scent: Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance Body Oil SPF 50

Why It's Worth It: Just about everyone on beauty TikTok loves Sol de Janeiro's gourmand scents, so it's no surprise that the brand's Rio Radiance Body Oil SPF 50 is spiked with its most delicious aroma yet. Each spritz douses your skin in Sol de Janeiro's Cheirosa 87 scent blend, which features delectable notes of coconut milk, vanilla, and tuberose. It's no wonder why our editors and Dr. Penzi love spraying this sunscreen throughout the day.

Editor Tip: On top of its beloved fragrance, Dr. Penzi says this formula gets bonus points for its conditioning co*cktail of patauá oil and pongamia seed extract.

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), hom*osalate (7.34%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (10%) | Inactive Ingredients: Patauá oil, pongamia seed extract, mica

Most Nolstagic: Vacation Baby Oil SPF 30

Why It's Worth It: If you're a recently-reformed sunbather, you'll love Vacation's Baby Oil SPF 30, an Allure Best of Beauty Award winner and physical ode to the sensational tanning oils of yesteryear. Its scent and texture are reminiscent of baby oil, but, rather than encouraging sun-related skin damage, this "Baby Oil Accord"-scented formula is loaded with broad-spectrum SPF 30 to soothe and guard skin from UV rays. This best seller is topped off with an emollient-rich blend of jojoba and sunflower seed oils to level skin feeling velvety-smooth to the touch.

Editor Tip: Unlike chalkier sunblocks, this lightweight oil has a transparent finish on all skin tones and dries immediately for a barely-there feel. If you want a more intensive moisturizing treatment from your body sunscreen, try Vacation's The Chardonnay Oil, which is spiked with a blend of grapeseed, jojoba, marula, and shea oils.

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (2.8%), hom*osalate (9.8%), octisalate (4.9%), octocrylene (9.5%) | Inactive Ingredients: Jojoba oil, calendula oil, chamomile oil, rose extract, jasmine extract, bisabolol, vitamin E

Best for Dry Skin: Hampton Sun Silk Body Oil SPF 50

Why It's Worth It: Emollient-rich oils are great for retaining moisture and softening skin but humectants are key to proactively increasing hydration levels. Hampton Sun's Silk Body Oil SPF 50 is enriched with hyaluronic acid that binds water molecules to the surface layer of the skin for a plumper look and feel. To seal in the added moisture, this oil also contains bisabolol and antioxidant vitamin E.

Editor Tip: This pick comes in an aerosol-free spray formula for mess-free application, even in hard-to-reach areas.

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), hom*osalate (15%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (10%), | Inactive Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, bisabolol

Best for Oily Skin: Kopari Sun Shield Body Glow SPF 50

Why It's Worth It: Skin that tends to get greasy needs a lightweight, barely-there formula like Kopari's Sun Shield Body Glow SPF 50, which has a gel-like texture that dries down immediately without any sticky feel or oily film. This glow-inducing formula contains a trifecta of coconut, avocado, hibiscus, and macadamia oils to boost your skin's natural bounciness and radiance.

Editor Tip: This sunscreen has a sweet, creamy coconut milk scent that's easy on your olfactory receptors.

Active Ingredients: hom*osalate (10%), octocrylene (10%), octisalate (5%), avobenzone (3%) | Inactive Ingredients: Macadamia oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, vitamin E, hibiscus oil, mica (shimmer)

Dewiest Finish: Cay Skin Isle Body Oil SPF 30

Why It's Worth It: There's a major difference between dewy and greasy skin, and somehow the formulators at Cay Skin have mastered the fine dance of dewiness with the Isle Body Oil SPF 30. Its formula may be rich in moisturizing ingredients (squalane, coconut oil, and argan oil, to name a few), but its texture is light and fast-drying. The only thing it leaves behind is a healthy sheen that'll make your skin glow like never before.

Editor Tip: Get ready to smell like a snack because this body oil features the sweet scent of vanilla topped with warm amber.

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), hom*osalate (10%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (10%) | Inactive Ingredients: Squalane, sea moss extract, argan oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, cucumber extract, avocado oil

Best Fast-Drying Formula: Sun Bum Sunscreen Oil SPF 30

Why It's Worth It: Sun Bum's Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 provides broad-spectrum UV protection and moisturizing benefits all encased in a lightweight, nongreasy formula. On top of its fast-drying texture, this conditioning sunscreen contains a rich blend of coconut, jojoba, and sunflower seed oils to leave skin smooth and silky all day long (but always remember to reapply!).

Editor Tip: This sunscreen has a beachy, coconut-heavy scent, but if you prefer a fragrance-free sunscreen, try Sun Bum's Mineral SPF 30 Sunscreen Spray.

Active Ingredients: Octocrylene (10%), hom*osalate (10%), ethylhexyl salicylate (5%), avobenzone (3%) | Inactive Ingredients: Coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, jojoba oil, cocoa seed butter

Most Shimmery Finish: Everyday Humans SPF 30 Sheer Body Glow Oil

Why It's Worth It: If you want to shimmer bright without reaching disco-ball levels of shine, try Everyday Humans SPF 30 Sheer Body Glow Oil, a moisturizing formula that's speckled with tiny gold mica flakes and formulated with a blend of squalane, vitamin E, and jojoba oil to enhance your natural glow. Glazed donut skin, anyone?

Editor Tip: Rather than a classic (and sometimes nauseating) sunscreen smell, this oil has a fruity scent body made of bergamot, citrus peel, and juniper berry.

Active Ingredients: hom*osalate (10%), octocrylene (8%), avobenzone (3%) | Inactive Ingredients: Jojoba oil, squalane, vitamin E, mica

Bronzest Finish: Australian Gold Continuous Spray Sunscreen with Instant Bronzer SPF 30

Why It's Worth It: If you've had a deep love affair with the dark tanning oils of the past, this ultra-bronzey find from Australian Gold will (literally) have you covered. Divya Shokeen, MD, a Los Angeles-based, board-certified dermatologist, recommends the Continuous Spray Sunscreen with Instant Bronzer SPF 30 for anyone who wants an instant bronzer appearance, all thanks to its caramel-colored tint that's reminiscent of a self-tanning lotion (without the semi-permanent risk factor). "This is an innovative product that provides high protection with an SPF of 30 while also offering an instant bronzer for immediate color," says Dr. Shokeen. "This product is suitable for those who want high sun protection, instant bronzing effect, and care for their skin's health."

On top of its bronzing effect, Dr. Shokeen loves this spray-on formula's high concentration of kakadu plum extract, "which has the highest vitamin C content of any fruit, offering powerful antioxidant protection," she says.

Editor Tip: Its innovative nozzle provides a light, even mist at any angle to seamlessly cover your hardest-to-reach areas.

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (2%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (2%) | Inactive Ingredients: Kakadu plum extract, tea tree oil, sunflower seed oil, aloe vera extract

Frequently Asked Questions

Does SPF prevent your skin from tanning?

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), any sun protection product to a degree containing a broad-spectrum rating of SPF 30 or more will guard your skin against sun-related damage including sunburns, skin cancer, early signs of aging, and, you guessed it, tanning.

With that being said, no matter how high your sunscreen's SPF rating is, Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, says sunscreen alone won't protect your skin. "It does not prevent tanning 100% because sunscreen does not protect your skin 100%," says Dr. Rose. [Editor's note: For example, SPF 30 provides around 97% UV protection and SPF 50 provides around 98% UV protection.] "Even when sunscreen is used properly, some UV rays can still reach skin, leading to a tan—but you won't tan as much as you would without the use of sunscreen," Dr. Murphy-Rose says. So you'll get a teensy tan, depending on how much sun exposure you encounter daily—but the bottom line is: the less tanning, the better for your skin health.

How do UV rays damage skin?

Tanning via UV rays, whether through the sun or a tanning bed, is downright terrible for your skin and overall health. According to New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Lauren Penzi, MD, both UVA and UVB rays contribute to skin cancer development, but each has its own set of unwanted side effects. "UVA rayspenetrate deep into the skin and contribute to skin aging, such as wrinkles and age spots," says Dr. Penzi. "UVB raysprimarily affect the outer layer of the skin and are the main cause of sunburns and skin tanning." That's why practicing proper sun care, which includes applying broad-spectrum sunscreen daily and reapplying every two hours, is crucial to maintaining skin health.

What are the benefits of using a tanning oil with SPF?

Let's preface with the fact that "Traditional tanning oils without SPF can increase your risk of sunburn and long-term skin damage since they often encourage the absorption of UV rays," says Divya Shokeen, MD, a Los Angeles-based board-certified dermatologist. Instead, she recommends incorporating a sunscreen oil (which is a much safer alternative than traditional tanning oil due to their broad-spectrum SPF protection) since many contain a bronze, shimmery tint to make your skin glisten in the sun with fewer side effects of UV radiation.

Like your favorite body oil, these SPF-spiked tanning oils nourish skin with a blend of hydrating humectants (hi, hyaluronic acid), moisturizing emollients like jojoba and sunflower seed oils, and antioxidant-rich extracts from botanicals like sea buckthorn and aloe vera. Though they're heavy on skin-conditioning ingredients, most have a barely-there, transparent finish similar to dry oils.

Meet the experts

• Lauren Penzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City and founder of Skincare Junkie
• Divya Shokeen, MD, a Los Angeles-based, board-certified dermatologist and founder ofOathology

How we test and review products

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best tanning oils with SPF, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

Find more of our editors' radiance-boosting favorites:

• The Best Bronzers for Radiant Skin All Year Round
• Get Your Glow On With These Bronzing Drops
• 12 Best Sunscreens for Glowing Skin
• The Best Vitamin C Serums for a Bright, Glowy Complexion

Now, watch Madison Beer walk through her glowy beauty routine:

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