As a true beauty connoisseur, you’re blessed with a god-given taste for the finer things in life. You know the difference between strobing and contouring, a real detox mask versus your basic B sh*t variety, and most certainly, you’d never be caught dead with a streaky rush-job of a tan. And with your elite standards of excellence, you know the value of owning the best tanning mitt.
Not only do tanning mitts keep your colour looking red carpet-ready and your hands from looking tackishly orange, but they your duvet covers from basking in your bronzed glory. You may wonder how you’ve ever lived without them. After all, staying tanned is an unapologetically high-maintenance job--one that requires a BA in mess-management and orange-prevention. To help make you more qualified to find the best tanning mitts, we’re lending our expert review.
Here are the ones we believe are worthy of a front-and-centre placement in your beauty stash.
Velvo Tanning Mitt
Why it’s the best
As the company motto goes, “Life's A Beach!” But with the Velvo tanning mitt, it doesn’t have to be-- except maybe your attitude! Letting you enjoy the tropical look from the comfort of your local Superdrug, you’ll get a flawless explosion of colour without all the usual hiccups of self tanning (streakiness “cough, cough”). Here’s why it’s the best tanning mitt:
Product perks
With its patented technology texture, it’ll evenly distribute your tan for a seamless, selfie-worthy finish. The velvet surface of the tanning mitt helps buff the pigments into your skin in a uniform motion. So even if you’re not applying the same amount of pressure during application, the velvet surface helps gives an even coat with minimal effort.
Pretty much, the mitt does all the work for you! Perfect if you’re lazy or have been wishing to forgo your pricy tanning technician, you now have a solution to your #firstworldproblems!
Style points
Cuteness is no contest for the Velvo tanning mitt! They come in a mix of colourful vacation-themed designs like: funky palms, cheetah print, pool party icons and holographic. Although we love them all, we’ll admit that the holographic one is pretty cool!
Fun and summery, the whole collection puts you in the tanning mood so you can savour your bronzing ritual like a true freak! Would you want anything less? With these designs, you’re getting a glimpse of the island experience-- minus the hangover
Affordability
Depending on where you buy it, the Velvo Tanning Mitt ranges from £2 to £6. Probably the cheapest of your beauty splurges, the price removes the guilt from your pampering needs. It may even justify getting one in every colour-- because you know, a girl can never have just one! So yes, overall, it’s an affordable purchase for what we consider to be the best tanning mitt.
Skinny Tanning Mitt
Why it’s the best
As seen on Dragon’s Den, Kate and Louise developed the Skinny Tanning Mitt with a record breaking pitch! With the goal of achieving a tan that’s fool-proof and real-looking, these female entrepreneurs came up with an iconic mitt that transforms the way we fake n’ bake!
This double-sided luxury mitt features velvet to provide an airbrushed finish. Your tan will appear more natural and will be much faster and easier to apply. Think of it as tanning for dummies! No more messy struggles to even-out splotchy tanner or worse, attempting to cover up your mistakes with doomed redos-- as we all know, the third time is rarely the charm with self-tanning!
Product perks
You can effortlessly glide the mitt over your hard-to-reach areas, even your armpits, to achieve that sun-glistening look you crave. So when you’re doing that last-minute rush job (we’ve all been there), you don’t need to break a sweat because every swipe is an exact science!
We also consider it to be one of the best tanning mitts because it’s easily washable! Just place the mitt in the machine and hang to air dry. We do recommend, however, that you keep it separate from your whites-- lest you want to acquire a peach-themed wardrobe…
Style points
Plain and simple, the mitt is a solid fuchsia pink. Keeping things uncomplicated, just like its functionality, the colour makes it clear that tanning is straight-to-the-point. Plus, pink is a definite crowd pleaser! So unless you’re a radical hater of anything stereotypically girlie (not that we’d blame you), than we think it’s safe to give a thumbs up to the Skinny Tanning Mitt design.
Affordability
At the price of £5.99, we’ll say it’s relatively inexpensive. Although it’s a few more pounds than the knock-off versions on Amazon, everyone knows designer costs more! And since it has a stamp of approval from the Dragon’s Den, you can bet your dosh this mitt’s the Rolls Royce of tanning applicators. Confident to say, it’s a fair price for one of the best tanning mitts around!
St Tropez Tanning Mitt
Why it’s the best
Obviously, the world’s leading sun care brand will have one of the best tanning mitts! But unlike its velvet-based competitors, the St Tropez Tanning Mitt is made with a spongy texture. The results work better when you apply the tanner in long, sweeping motions instead of circular buffing. You’ll be left with an enviably golden hue that’ll make even your worst enemies swallow their pride and ask how you got it.
Product perks
This tanning mitt features a water-resistant barrier, so your hands remain perfectly clean. Consider it a protection of your investment on that bedazzled Shellac manicure of yours.
Although the St Tropez Tanning Mitt is not double-sided, there’s still a bonus for the single-sided variety! For the absent-minded ladies who take texting breaks during their tanning sessions (guilty!), resting a double-sided goop-covered mitt on your bathroom floor is one way to make enemies with your landlord. Fortunately, with the single-sided version, you don’t need to worry about storage mishaps!
Style Points
If you love the style of branded monograms like Louis Vuitton, you’ll be a sucker for the St Tropez icon print. The background is black, while the brand name is printed in light pink and repeated horizontally across the mitt. Basically, it’s a design that says, “ I won’t settle for obscure, no-name knock-offs.”
Ultimately, St Tropez makes no secret about making its presence known-- especially within our chaotic maze of beauty products, otherwise known as our bathroom.
Affordability
For £4.00, this tanning mitt is on the higher side in comparison to its competitors. Understandable, St Tropez is the ringleader in the world of tanning products. Whenever you think of sun-related products, St Tropez is usually what comes to mind.
With St Tropez, you’re getting the industry standard. So if you want that iconic St Tropez glow, the price is totally doable--like your tan!
Vita Liberata Tanning Mitt
Why it’s the best
Vita Liberata is the haute couture of tanning mitts. With its extra soft polyester surface, the Vita Liberata Tanning Mitt can be used on the body as well as the delicate skin of the face and neck. We consider it a much-needed luxury, especially since we’re all obviously wrinkle phoebes (fake tanners, hello?!). Reusable and washable, the cleaning factor is easy! You can simply rinse the mitt and leave to air dry. Good news for chore-intolerant girls who avoid washing like an embarrassing meme.
Product perks
We applaud the mitt’s skin-safe feature for facial tanning. It’s a dream come true if you’ve been wishing to abstain from cakey bronzers, but still want to give your face a golden sheen. With the Vita Liberata Tanning Mitt, you can tan your face seamlessly without worrying about premature ageing. So thank you, tanning gods, for bestowing us with the best tanning mitt ever!
The mitt is also made with a waterproof inner material to help to avoid staining your hands. Because really, what’s the point of having a bombshell tan if you’re also stuck with carrot-coloured palms? Kind of ruins the hotness factor, no? Clearly, Vita Liberata knows best!
Style points
If Beyonce was reincarnated as a tanning mitt, this one would definitely be it! Decked out with embossed faux snakeskin and a metallic gold overlay, only a full-fledged tanning diva would use it. With such a decadent design, you’re basically setting a standard that when it comes to self-tanning, you always go first-class! Overall, this tanning mitt makes an impressive addition to any respectable beauty stash.
Affordability
Climbing high on the charts, the Vita Liberata Tanning Mitt is £4.00. High in comparison to others tanning mitts, sure, but then again, for a brand specialising in high-end organic tanning products, the price isn’t too surprising. Worth it? Let’s just just say, it depends on how big of a tanning snob you are… hands up!
Bondi Sands Tanning Mitt
Why it’s the best
The Bondi Sands Self Tanning Mitt lets you swear off tanning beds for good! The mitt gives a streak-free, flawless tan every time. And what’s better, you’ll never suffer from stained hands again. You’ll never endure the humiliation of rust-coloured fingers and the social demotion that would inevitably result from the judgemental stares of your fellow tan addicts. Needless to say, the struggle is real!
Product perks
Washable and reusable, this tanning mitt is a long-term investment in your bronzing lifestyle. The brand recommends using circular buffing motions to achieve the perfect tan. Your colour will be so picture-perfect, you’ll never need to use a filter again… okay, well almost never!
Just look at any girl on Instagram who flaunts her fake tan via Bondi Sands and you’ll see why it’s among the best tanning mitts! If you crave that sexy Bahama glow, you can trust this mitt to deliver. Even the pickiest approve!
Style points
Black and gold never goes out of style. It’s a colour combo that puts the luxury in self-tanning. With its black base and the Bondi Sands logo overlaid in gold, it’s a tanning guru’s dream mitt! And if you’re super obnoxious about your high-maintenance needs, you can always snap a selfie with your other black and gold favourites strategically placed in the background… a Saint Laurent clutch, perhaps?
Affordability
As far as tanning mitts go, the Bondi Sands Tanning Mitt fetches a higher end price at £4.99. It’s a no-brainer in terms of worth, especially with its reusable benefits! Although many other versions go for much less, they won’t necessarily have the iconic Bondi Sands look.
When you finally find the right tanning mitt, you can ditch the ugly latex gloves you’ve presumably been using to apply your self-tanner. Or even more shamefully, if you’ve been using your bare hands, you’ll be grateful for this practical alternative. Hoping you haven’t already disgraced your tanning potential, we can’t wait for you to debut your tanning talents in true copper tone!
What’s your favourite tanning mitt? Let us know in the comments below.