Best Self Tanners and Leg Makeup for Mature Skin

Summer is officially in full swing, and after my recent swimsuit post, my inbox filled with variations of the exact same question: What are you putting on your legs?

Swimsuits and self-tanners tend to go hand in hand this time of year. Very few of us want to head out with completely pasty skin, but we certainly aren’t baking in the sun anymore. I stopped doing that years ago when I realized a tan wasn’t worth the permanent damage.

To be completely transparent, I rarely bother with self-tanners these days. When I do, I stick to my tried-and-true Jergens. But because the market is a minefield of orange streaks and heavy formulas that settle into every dry patch and fine line, I wanted to sort through the noise to find what actually works for mature skin. To save you the trouble of looking like a carrot, I’ve updated this popular post with the clear winners that deliver a natural, streak-free glow and make your legs look smooth and even.

The Best Self-Tanners for Mature Skin

Beauty by Earth Tanning Lotion

This Beauty By Earth self-tanner has 19,000k+ reviews on Amazon, yet I’d never heard of the brand. It meets my cruelty-free and clean standards, so I bought some to try, and I love it! I bought the fair-to-medium, and it also comes in medium-to-dark.

It goes on easily and has not left a single streak. I noticed a light sunscreen scent that’s not unpleasant, which dissipates after it dries. I also ordered these drops, which I add to my moisturizer, and they work great too! Beauty by Earth now has a pretty extensive line. I’m impressed enough to experiment with some of their other products, like their exfoliating gloves and maybe this application brush

Tan-Luxe

This tanning butter is a luscious moisturizer, even without the self-tanning properties. It contains Vitamin E, sweet almond oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and tons of other moisturizing oils. It smells lovely and feels super hydrating as it goes on.

Tan-Luxe Express Mousse With Mitt

This Tan Luxe Express Mousse gives skin a sun-kissed glow in as little as 60 minutes, with the option to leave it on longer for a deeper bronze. It has vitamin C, beta-glucan, and hyaluronic acid to help skin feel smoother and more hydrated, and the no-guide color means less chance of transfer. Use the mitt unless you want your palms involved in the story.

Isle of Paradise

These organic drops are highly popular and a wonderful clean-beauty option. They mix directly into your regular moisturizer, allowing you to easily customize your glow from a subtle tint to a deeper shade. Because they come in color-correcting formulas tailored for different skin tones, they are an excellent choice for anyone looking for a natural, chemical-free option that works with your unique coloring.

+ Lux Unfiltered

+ LUX UNFILTERED was co-founded by lifestyle blogger Sivan Ayla. This is another one I discovered on Amazon with amazing reviews. It’s non-toxic, cruelty-free, and vegan. I love that it has two scent options, Santal or Rosewood, instead of smelling like your normal, horrible self-tanner.

Saint Tropez

This St Tropez was one of the most recommended body and face self-tanners from the AWSL community. Be sure to buy the mitt for easy application of this mousse so it doesn’t get everywhere or stain your hands.

• “As for the rest of my body, I really like St. Tropez self-tanning foam. You use a mitt to apply it, and it’s very natural looking.” – KATIE

Body and Leg Makeup

I noticed a lot of readers talking about how they like to use body makeup on their legs. If you have a lot of freckles and “age spots” on your legs, self-tanner simply makes them darker, so body makeup is the answer. I decided to try one of the best-reviewed.

Westmore Beauty Body Coverage

I ordered some Westmore Beauty Body Coverage Perfector to try, and WOWZA! It really covers. This comes in 9 natural-looking shades that work for almost everyone. I chose Light Radiance. I also bought this Westmore Beauty Blend & Blur Extra Large Body Makeup Brush, which I think was crucial to getting the flawless results I did.

I squeezed a small amount onto the brush and began buffing it into my skin. The kabuki brush is amazingly soft and full, so it gets into every line, crease, and crevice. This blends the product in so there is no line of demarcation and helps give you great coverage. After it was blended, I added a bit more to the brush and moved on to a different area.

The skin on my legs looks instantly smoother. In person, it honestly looks like a pair of sheer, perfect pantyhose. It hides spider veins and freckles in a totally believable way without rubbing off on clothes or furniture. It stays put until you wash it off with a little body oil in the shower. While I prefer a shade that blends naturally to improve what’s already there, you can easily choose a deeper tone for a more sun-kissed look.

MORE BODY MAKEUP BRANDS

• Dermablend Leg and Body Makeup: This came highly recommended by many of you. In the reviews, you’ll notice that many use it to cover up tattoos and show you before/after pictures. If you have any bruises, I think this would cover them up!
• Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs:
  • “I have used Sally Hansen leg makeup for years. Yes, you have to apply it daily, as it washes off, so it might not last if you swim! It does not come off on the bed linen and takes just a couple of minutes to apply, and you are able to see it go on evenly, no streaking.” – FRAN

A little color on bare legs can make summer dressing feel easier, but it shouldn’t require a complicated routine or a bathroom that looks like a crime scene. The best self-tanners and leg makeup for mature skin are the ones that look believable, feel comfortable, and don’t draw attention to the very things we’re trying not to spotlight.

As always, the goal isn’t perfection. It’s simply feeling a bit more pulled together in our swimsuits, skirts, dresses, and shorts, without giving the whole process more importance than it deserves.