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22 Best Tanning Lotions with Shimmer (Self-Tanners and Sunscreens, too)

by  Doris Harris -  Last Updated On 11th December 2020
Best Tanning Lotions with Shimmer

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Want to know how to enhance your tan?

Use one of the best tanning lotions with shimmer.

They will make you look more radiant than ever before.

Shimmer lotions are natural body illuminators.

They emphasize your natural beauty.

Let us take a look at the best shimmer lotions available in the market.

Quick Comparison

If you don’t have time to read the complete article, here are our top picks.

Top Indoor Tanning Lotions with Shimmer In 2021

1. Tan Asz U ICED OUT 200X Black Bronzer

The ICED OUT bronzer is very dark. It’s perfect if you already have a tan and want to go deeper.

The DHA (dihydroxyacetone) in the formula continues to develop a richer color over the next few hours after you apply it.

This subtle shimmer body lotion interacts with the surface of your skin without the need for UV exposure. You don’t even need to use a sunbed to reap the benefits of this lotion.

When you wear it, the diamond powder gives your body a luxurious subtle sheen that will make you look like you were dipped in an angel bath at the same time giving you a healthy glow.

Meanwhile, the Sugared Mango and Monoi Blossom fragrance will make you smell good enough to eat.

2. Devoted Creations Trust Fund Baby Tanning Lotion Champagne-Infused Ultimate Silicone Bronzer

What is the best body shimmer lotion?

It might be this one by Devoted Creations.

Trust Fund Baby contains crushed gems that give you a sensual shimmer.

This body shimmer lotion is also packed with body-enhancing ingredients. BodyFit and Matrixyl minimize cellulite and prevent wrinkles.

Moreover, this shimmer body lotion is a silicone emulsion that makes the skin feel silky soft, never greasy.

It has natural bronzers but no DHA.

And it features FreshTek to prevent the burned odor after tanning.

3. Brown Sugar Black Chocolate Glisten Bronzer

You’d think with a name like “Black Chocolate” that this lotion would smell like dessert. Well, it does, if you like Paradise Pineapple Smoothie.

But what’s important here is the word “glisten.”

Users say the lotion has a mild shimmer. The shimmer wipes off, and so does the bronzer.

We feel this is much better than the Patrick Ta major glow body oil.

After your shower, the only color you retain is the one you develop in the tanning bed.

4. Sun Sauce Sparkling Accelerator Tanning Lotion by Skin-care by Hoss

Here’s another tanning lotion with a slight shimmer. These shimmer lotions add radiance without overdoing it and will give your skin a much-needed radiance boost.

The formula of this body shimmer lotion is based on excellent moisturizers like shea butter, hemp seed oil, coconut oil, olive oil Monoi, and Kukui nut oil. However, if you are looking for glow oil, you can go for the Sol de Janeiro glow oil.

This body shimmer lotion smooths and softens the skin while it speeds up the tanning process.

5. Yes Way Rose, Champagne and Diamond-Infused Bronzer by Devoted Creations

The Cirque Bronzer lotion has golden glitter for that sun goddess sparkle.

It’s rich in antioxidants like Vitamin E and green tea that prevent premature aging.

We feel this is much better than the Patrick Ta major glow body oil or ColourPop shimmering dry oil.

7. Devoted Creations KISS MY COUTURE DHA-Free Bronzer Shimmer Tanning Lotion

Kiss My Couture smells like a birthday cake baking in the oven. Even after you’ve baked in the sun, you’ll smell fresh, too. It has FreshTek deodorizing technology that eliminates the burned smell after tanning.

It’s also free of DHA, which is a bronzer that sometimes leaves the skin smelling a little odd. But this is not better than the Fenty beauty body lava lotion.

But this body shimmer lotion is crammed with ingredients to make you look fabulous. Besides the shimmer and bronzer, it has RevitaFit, IdealLift, and BodyFit.

These three components of the body shimmer lotion firm and tighten the skin to give it a youthful, toned appearance.

8. So Naughty Nude Sparkle & Shine Shimmering Bronzer by Devoted Creations

Yes, it’s true, Devoted Creations makes more sparkle tanning lotions than any other company.

There are different versions of the So Naughty Nude Bronzer. This is the one that shimmers.

First, there are instant cosmetic bronzers that will make you swimsuit-ready immediately.

Then, Renovage hydrates and plumps your skin while BodyFit shrinks cellulite.

Finally, light-diffusing spheres airbrush away imperfections

The silicone emulsion of the body shimmer lotion feels lightweight and delicious as you smooth it on. You’ll notice that your body feels incredibly smooth and soft.

9. Devoted Creations Color Karma

Color Karma is perfect if you have naturally oily skin. It sinks in quickly and sets to a matte finish.

Tiger Grass lessens redness and protects against environmental stress like heat, wind, pollution, and sun.

Next, Japanese Rose shrinks pores and reduces oiliness. It also stimulates collagen production to make your skin more firm.

The instant bronzer won’t streak or stain. It’s infused with crushed gems and champagne for glamorous highlights at the same time giving you a natural-looking healthy glow.

There’s also tattoo and color fade protection. You can also go for the ColourPop shimmering oil.

10. Zero to Sexy Shimmer Ultra Bronzing Tanning Lotion

Arcadia Beauty Labs appears to be the company responsible for the Zero to Sexy Shimmer body lotion. It’s made in the USA.

It’s a silicone-based formula with copper shimmer. It’s ideal for people who already have deep tans. But this is not better than the Fenty beauty body lava lotion. However, if you are looking for glow oil, you can go for the Sol de Janeiro glow oil.

It also accelerates tanning with carrot root extract. We feel this is much better than the Patrick Ta major glow body oil.

11. ED HARDY Ooh La Luxe LEGS Coconut Cream Oil Bronzer

Legs are notoriously difficult to tan. That’s why you need the Ed Hardy leg bronzer. It’s one of the best tanning lotions for legs.

Not only will it slim and tone, but it adds bronze shimmer. BodyFit and wheat protein make cellulite less noticeable.

This shimmer body oil has ingredients to slow down hair growth so you won’t have to depilate as often.

There are also tanning maximizers to boost pigment production in shimmer body oil and it also includes sunflower oil.

Finally, it has tattoo and color fade protection, also.

12. Tan Outdoors Without Burning (Shimmer Sunscreens)

It’s convenient to tan indoors as you can get plenty of UV light in just a few minutes.

Tanning outdoors is hard as you can’t control the dose very well.

If you don’t watch the clock, you could end up with a sunburn.

Try tanning outdoors with sunscreen.

No sunscreen blocks 100% of the ultraviolet radiation. By wearing sunscreen, you keep your skin moisturized and protect it from burning.

It may be a slow way to tan, but it works.

Plus, you can still enjoy the shimmer in the summer.

13. HAWAIIAN Tropic SPF 8 Sunscreen Lotion, Shimmer Effect

Hawaiian Tropic adds mica to their sunscreen. This natural mineral is safe for your skin and the environment.

You’ll still get the delicious tropical scent and plenty of moisturizers and antioxidants.

The low SPF of this shimmering body lotion extends your time in the sun up to 8 times longer than you could normally stay without burning.

14. Coppertone Glow Sunscreen with Illuminating Shimmer Minerals SPF 15

Coppertone also uses minerals to give your body a subtle gleam when you wear sunscreen.

Their formula is free of oxybenzone, parabens, phthalates, and PABA.

It’s water-resistant for 40 minutes.

If you have fair skin, choose SPF 15 or SPF 30 to tan without burning.

15. Coppertone Glow Hydrating  Shimmer Sunscreen SPF 30

Did you know that SPF 30 blocks 97% of harmful UV radiation?

This broad-spectrum sunscreen filters out both UVA and UVB. UVA is what causes wrinkling and leads to skin cancer. UVB is what causes sunburn.

The body lotion lasts up to 40 minutes in the water before you need to reapply. We feel these are much better than the Mama’s Panty Hose and Huda beauty N.Y.M.P.H body highlighter

It’s free of oxybenzone, phthalates, parabens, and PABA. PABA used to be a key ingredient in sunscreens, but it was linked to health problems.

16. Unicorn Snot Body Glitter SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion

Did you search for tanning bed lotion with glitter? Then you probably found this sunscreen.

This shimmering body lotion comes in blue, pink, and gold.

I’m sure there’s a mom somewhere that loves Unicorn Snot because it’s the best way to convince her kids to wear sunscreen.

The active ingredients are octinoxate, octocrylene, homosalate, and avobenzone. If you go vacationing in Hawaii or Key West, you won’t be able to use this body lotion because it’s not reef-safe. The sunscreen filters are harmful to marine life.

But feel free to enjoy it at the pool. I won’t tell anyone why you’re shimmering in the sunshine.

17. Beach Gypsy SPF 30+ with Gold Glitter

This sunscreen features a gold shimmer that’s biodegradable. It’s eco-friendly, made from minerals.

The product is also cruelty-free and made in the USA.

You can wear it in the water for up to 80 minutes before you need to reapply.

The scent is a mild pineapple coconut fragrance.

But why does it matter if your glitter is biodegradable?

You’ve probably heard that there’s an island of plastic garbage swirling in the Pacific Ocean. Or maybe you discovered that microplastics like glitter pass through the sanitation system and end up eaten by wildlife. We feel these are much better than the Mama’s Panty Hose and Huda beauty N.Y.M.P.H body highlighter.

Microplastics also shelter harmful bacteria and leach toxins into the water.

Happily, most of the shimmer tanning lotions I reviewed rely on environmentally-friendly minerals, not plastic.

18. Bare Republic Mineral Sport SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion

How does holographic shimmer diamond dust sound? That’s what this sport sunscreen has.

It’s also gentle to sensitive skin and free of chemical filters.

It’s based on non-nano zinc oxide and the light-reflecting mineral called mica.

You can wear it for 40 minutes while you sweat or swim before you need to put on more.

19. Sunshine & Glitter Sea Star Sparkle SPF 50+ Biodegradable Glitter Sunscreen

This is a fun and eco-friendly sunscreen with biodegradable glitter. It has a high sun protection factor, which makes it ideal for children and those with pale skin.

If you burn rather than tan, this should keep you safe outdoors. We feel these are much better than the Mama’s Panty Hose and Huda beauty N.Y.M.P.H body highlighter.

It lasts up to 80 minutes in the water, and it’s free of parabens. But this is not better than the Fenty beauty body lava lotion.

20. L’Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Luminous Bronzer Self-Tanning Body Lotion

DHA is an FDA-approved sunless tanning ingredient. Unfortunately, it has a bad reputation as early formulations tended to streak and leave skin orange-colored.

It also has a slight odor after you’ve worn it for a while. But L’Oreal’s self-tanning lotion has a pleasing scent.

The natural-looking shimmery bronzer slowly deepens your color each day. Once you achieve the desired amount of bronze, switch back to your regular moisturizer. Then remember to use this body lotion once or twice a week to maintain your tan.

For best results, exfoliate thoroughly before you use it the first time. Then only apply a thin amount to your knees, elbows, and ankles. Wash your hands well when you’re done. But this is not better than the Fenty beauty body lava lotion. We feel these are much better than the Mama’s Panty Hose and Huda beauty N.Y.M.P.H body highlighter

21. COOLA Organic Sunless Tan Luminizing Body Serum

COOLA’s sunless serum adds a soft golden shimmer to your skin with pearlescent mica.

It darkens your color until you have a golden bronze.

The DHA is derived from a natural source: sugar beets.

Other ingredients include baobab seed oil, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, olive oil and shea butter. Baobab is rich in Vitamins A, D, and E to keep your skin young and will give your skin a much-needed radiance boost.

22. Golden Shimmer Drops – Sunless Glitter Additive by SJOLIE

How do you make shimmer body lotion?

Well, you could add finely powdered mica to your regular moisturizer.

Or you can spray tan with this glitter additive.

SJOLIE’s Golden Shimmer Drops are compatible with all the best sunless tanning spray solutions.

If you don’t have a spray tan machine set up at home, no worries. You can add a dropper full to distilled water and spritz your skin.

23. Norvell Venetian Dazzle Shimmering Body Mist

Norvell makes some of the self-tanning industry’s top spray tan solutions. It’s no surprise that they also offer shimmering body mist.

Now you can accentuate your spray tan with a little glitz.

The light-reflecting ingredient is mica. We feel these are much better than the Mama’s Panty Hose and Huda beauty N.Y.M.P.H body highlighter.

What Is Mica, and Is It Safe?

By now, you’ve realized that most of the shimmer tanning lotions and sunscreens contain mica to make you look luminous.

Mica is a mineral that’s considered safe for humans and wildlife. It’s not toxic.

It’s much, much safer for the environment than tiny bits of plastic glitter.

Mica appears in everything from cosmetics to nail polish to house paint.

If you purchase a shimmer lotion from a reputable manufacturer, the mica it contains probably comes from responsible and sustainable sources.

For example, L’Oreal has stepped forward to prevent child labor in Indian mines that harvest mica.

If the source of your shimmer matters to you, check with the manufacturer to see where they source their minerals.

Conclusion

A tanning lotion with shimmer adds to the fun. It highlights your bronzed body and makes you radiant.

If you discovered a tanning lotion, sunless tanning product, or sunscreen with the perfect amount of glitter, tell me about it in the comments below.

Sources:

1. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/10/upshot/how-safe-is-sunscreen.html by Aaron E. Carroll,

2. https://www.allure.com/story/glitter-makeup-environmental-effects by Allison Schmidt,

3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sunless-tanning/art-20046803

4. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/703949/MICA/

5. https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/skincare-alphabet-what-is-mica by Lisa Niven-Phillips,

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