best self tanner for pregnancy

Best Pregnancy Safe Self-Tanner

Summer is right around the corner and we all know what that means, time to bring out those sexy legs of yours! If you happen to be pregnant then you know all too well that pregnancy during the summer months isn’t always so fun!

We all love that natural tan we get from the sun but if you happen to be pregnant this summer, the sun may not be your best friend.

You may be looking for the best self-tanner for pregnancy that is affordable, safe, and most of all looks great!

Here are the best self-tanners for pregnant women that contain natural ingredients and are safe to use. No more laying in a tanning bed, or worried about getting wrinkles on the beach!

Check out these safe sunless tanners and you’ll have that golden glow in no time!

Is Self Tanner Safe During Pregnancy?

This is the most common question pregnant women have when trying to get themselves a tan for the summer.

Let’s face it, we all crave to have a little tan for the summer months, why should being pregnant hold us back?

Laying on the hot beach while pregnant isn’t exactly thrilling and comfortable. Going to a tanning bed may also not be the best option for a pregnant woman. So, what else do we have other than spray tans or a great self-tanner at home?

Problem is, so many self tanners contain many chemicals which is the last thing a pregnant woman and her baby need.

Self-tanners usually include a chemical called Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) which is a color additive. Studies show that concentration levels are minimal and would not be a concern to pregnant women.

However, many health care providers advise pregnant women to wait until after their first trimester to use a self-tanner. DHA has been around since 1960 with no problems being reported.

No official studies have been done to prove this chemical can have an impact on an unborn baby so many experts are conflicted when it comes to the topic of safe self-tanners during pregnancy.

The best thing to do if you want to be cautious about what harmful ingredients you are putting on your skin is to stick with self-tanning lotions that are made with organic ingredients and natural products.

Pregnant woman wearing a safe self-tanner

How to Find Safe Self-Tanners During Pregnancy

The good news is I have found that one of the best ways to find products is to use the EWG website. You can easily search for organic products that are safe to use during pregnancy and without any harmful chemicals.

Below are the best pregnancy-safe self-tanners on the market today. I have personally used a few of these so I can tell you honestly which ones worked and which ones I wasn’t a fan of.

I’ve been pregnant four times so I’ve tried a lot of different products and here are the best! These are also rated by the EWG so you know what’s in them and can look them up yourself if need be.

 

6 Best Self Tanners For Pregnancy Ranked

1. Beauty by Earth Self Tanner

It also comes in a foam mousse which is amazing! 

And Tanning drops as well! these are all non-toxic and look amazing!

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner is rated a 1 on the EWG website. This means it is by far the safest self-tanner to use during pregnancy and has the least amount of harsh chemicals.
This is also my favorite as a sunless tanning lotion out of the bunch. It goes on smooth and gives you a nice healthy glow. PROS:
  • This self-tanner is rated the safest and EWG gives it a number 1 so you can be sure it’s safe to use during pregnancy
  • It is made with all-natural ingredients like organic coconut oil, jojoba oil, and organic aloe vera.
  • Color is sun-kissed just like you want with no traces of orange color
  • Hydrates your skin with shea butter and argan oil
  • the safest option for pregnant women

CONS:

  • The smell is a pleasant coconut smell which is nice at first but after a few hours, you can notice the “fake tan smell” appear but it isn’t as bad as others I’ve had before.

2. Bondi Sands PURE Gradual Tanning Lotion

And Bndi Sands Drops:

PURE is rated a 2 on the EWG which means it’s one of the safest self-tanners out there. The absolute best part about this tanning lotion is it legit has no smell!  PROS:

  • Gradually works up to a nice, even tan
  • Is rated a 2 on EWG and contains vitamin c and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate skin for a glowing tan
  • Cruelty-free and vegan
  • Has NO smell! Seriously, no fake tan smell at all which is hard to come across
  • Gentle enough for sensitive skin
  • Natural ingredients like cocoa butter, she butter, and vitamin E for radiance and rejuvenation

CONS:

  • Some users say it looks splotchy and needs to be reapplied daily or it will have patches and streaks

3. ECO Tan Invisible Tan Self Tanning Creme

ECO Tan Invisible Tan is rated a 3 on the EWG and gives you a nice gradual glow without any of the junk added! PROS:

  • Builds to a beautiful honey complexion with no added ingredients
  • Only organic and natural ingredients
  • rated a 2 on the EWG scale
  • Goes on smooth and gradually develops over 8 hours
  • Won the 2016 Best self-tanner for natural tanners in the Natural Health International Beauty Awards
  • No streaks or patchiness
  • Does not dry out your skin

CONS:

  • This may take a while to develop the dark color you prefer depending on your skin tone
  • Users have noticed that fake tan scent but it does go away after the first wash
  • A bit pricier than other tanners

 

4. b.tan I Want The Darkest Tan On The Planet (most affordable and best-looking!) 

Some other safe prodcuts from B.Tan: 

If you want more of a gradual lotion than a mousse then try this one:

First of all, I have to say I was shocked to see this self-tanner on here. This is an awesome new self-tanner on the market that literally gives you the darkest tan possible!

So, I didn’t think this would have such an incredible rating on the EWG site, but it’s a 4 which I have to say is amazing!

This is by far probably the best self-tanner on here for me personally! I’ll explain why below:

PROS:

  • This self-tanner delivers and gives you a dark and amazing tan! The color you get is, “I just came back from the Bahamas” tan!
  • Only takes one hour for your color to appear
  • Smells good, no fake tan smell
  • It’s VERY affordable!
  • Can use this on your face or body
  • As I mentioned above, it’s rated a 4 on the EWG scale so It’s safe to use for pregnant women
  • This has 100% natural DHA
  • Free from parabens, sulfates, and phthalates!

CONS:

  • The only con I see is that it may be too dark for some super fair-skinned mamas depending on how much you use the first time
  • These are rated a 3 or 4 so not as great as a 1 or 2 but not nearly as bad as so many others on the market today! 

5. Bondi Sands One Hour Express Self Tanning Foam

Bondi Sands tanning foam gives you a gorgeous tan and is rated a 2 on the EWG. This means this is relatively safe to use and still gives you that beautiful glow.

 PROS:

  • This self-tanner is a mousse foam that leaves a gorgeous dark tan within one hour with a single application
  • It Is lightweight and fragrance-free
  • Paraben and sulfate-free and rated a 4 on the EWG skin deep score.
  • Vegan formula and cruelty-free

CONS:

  • The mousse isn’t very hydrating and can cause some dryness
  • The EWG does mention using some restrictions with this tanner since it can cause some irritations
  • Always do a patch test first to be sure you don’t have any allergic reactions to any product you put on your body during pregnancy.

6. COOLA Organic Sunless Self Tanner Body Lotion

And a mist….

COOLA Organic Sunless Self Tanner Body lotion is rated a 4 on The EWG which is a bit higher than the others above. However, it goes on smooth and leaves a gorgeous color. I LOVE COOLA sunscreens and products so I was so happy to see them come out with a self-tanner!

PROS:

  • Great for pregnant women because it’s safe to use and has a low DHA rating
  • 70% organic ingredients with Ecocert Cosmo Organic Certified
  • non-GMO, vegan, cruelty-free, reef-friendly, Paraben-free
  • builds a beautiful tan gradually over several days
  • streak-free and transfer-resistant
  • nice Pina Colada scent

CONS:

  • Expensive but some users say well worth it
  • It does have a nice scent, however that Is what caused the EWG to give it a 5 rating, it’s still on the safer end of self-tanners on the market and works great!

7. Coco & Eve Self-Tanner 

PROS: Coco & Eve is rated between a 3 and 4 on the EWG scale whic is really good. People rave about how great the color looks and the natural ingredients!

  • rated 3-4 
  • Natural, vegan amd cruelty-free
  • easy application with a tropical pretty scent
  • beautiful color 

CONS: 

  • Most people complain about the pump getting clogged and not working. 
  • scent may last a while on skin

 

Here is a chart to recap our favorite self-tanners that are safe to use while pregnant:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Conclusion:

And there you have it, here are 6 of the best self-tanners for pregnancy on the market today! I hope this list helps new moms find the perfect self-tanner for them so they can still enjoy that summer glow without worrying about any toxic active ingredients or the risk of skin cancer.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve also tried any of these and what your favorite safe pregnancy self tanner works best for you!

You may also like:

Pregnant woman with self tanner on her belly

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Best Self-Tanner For Pregnancy

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