All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
While tanning is an absolute Allure no-no, we're firm believers in achieving that bronzy, glowy skin safely. The best tanning oils with SPF are our go-to strategy for that sun-kissed vibe without the sun's actual kiss of death—à la burns, damage, and an increased risk of skin cancer. Despite the "tanning oil" of it all, these products are actually just sunscreens in oil form—often with a hint of tint, shimmer, and nourishing ingredients to boost skin health. These picks range from SPF 30 (the minimum derm-recommended protection) to SPF 50 and come as mists, oils, and gel hybrids. They're sometimes sheer, sometimes gold, but always gorgeous and protective. Keep reading for the best tanning oils with SPF to stock up on ahead of summer.
Our Top Tanning Oils With SPF
- Best Overall: Supergoop Glow Oil SPF 50, $40
- Best Musky Scent: Saltair Santal Bloom Sunscreen Oil SPF 50, $26
- Best Gourmand Scent: Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance Body Oil SPF 50, $30
- Most Nostalgic Scent: Vacation Baby Oil SPF 30, $21
- Best for Oily Skin: Kopari Sun Shield Body Glow SPF 50, $42
- Best for Mature Skin: Coola Firming Body Oil Mist SPF 30, $42
- Best for Dry Skin: Bali Body Watermelon Tanning Oil SPF 50, $27
- Best Shimmery Finish: Everyday Humans SPF 30 Sheer Body Glow Oil, $21
- Best Budget: Australian Gold Instant Bronzer SPF 30 Continuous Spray Sunscreen, $10
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: Nearly every board-certified dermatologist we spoke with vouches for Supergoop's Glow Oil SPF 50. "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. And, yes, this is an oil—enriched with argan, grapeseed, and meadowfoam seed extracts—but it's a decidedly non-greasy one. It's sweat- and water-resistant for up to 80 minutes (which is why it's also a favorite of Lauren Penzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City); at that point, you should reach for the bottle and reapply. Because it's fragrance-free, the oil can smell a little plasticy, but so it goes. If you want your face to glow as much as the rest of your skin, pair this sunscreen oil with Supergoop's Glowscreen, another Allure editor favorite.
Key ingredients: avobenzone (3%), homosalate (10%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (10%), grapeseed oil, meadowfoam seed oil, argan oil | SPF: 50 | Fragrance-free: yes | Sunscreen type: chemical
Best Musky Scent: Saltair Santal Bloom Sunscreen Oil SPF 50
Why it’s worth it: Saltair’s Pink Beach Sunscreen Oil SPF 50 is all the nourishment, all the radiance, and all of the “Wow, my skin smells so good” with plentiful UV protection. Scented with coconut, almond blossom, and vanilla for a warm, beachy vibe, you’ll get a generous dose of skin-loving ingredients in addition to the requisite SPF. The formula is rounded out with vitamin C, fatty acid-rich mongongo oil, a moisture barrier-bolstering kukui oil, and hydrating sunflower seed oil to show your skin some TLC. And at SPF 50? It’s one of the higher coverage options on this list, which we can always get behind.
Key ingredients: avobenzone (3%), homosalate (10%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (10%), vitamin C, mongongo oil, kukui oil, sunflower seed oil | SPF: 50 | Fragrance-free: no | Sunscreen type: chemical
Best Gourmand 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 the best of the best. In each spritz is a dose of SPF-rich Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 87, which features yummy notes of coconut milk, vanilla, and tuberose. Beyond the beloved fragrance, Dr. Penzi says this concoction gets bonus points for its conditioning cocktail of patauá oil and pongamia seed extract. You can thank the formula's inclusion of golden mica for that right-away glow you won't find in any old sunscreen.
Key Ingredients: avobenzone (3%), homosalate (7.34%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (10%) patauá oil, pongamia seed extract, mica | SPF: 50 | Fragrance-free: no | Sunscreen type: chemical
Most Nostalgic Scent: Vacation Baby Oil SPF 30
Why It's Worth It: If you're a recently reformed sunbather, you'll appreciate the vibe of Vacation's Baby Oil SPF 30—an Allure Best of Beauty Award winner and nod to the tanning oils of yesteryear. Its scent and texture are reminiscent of baby oil, but rather than enabling sun-broiled skin, this "Baby Oil Accord"-scented formula is loaded with broad-spectrum SPF 30 to soothe and safeguard the skin from UV rays. This bestseller is topped off with an emollient-rich blend of jojoba and sunflower seed oils to level skin feeling velvety-smooth to the touch. Unlike chalkier sunblocks, this lightweight oil provides a transparent finish on all skin tones and dries down quickly to a barely-there feel. If you want a glowier, more intensely moisturizing treatment from your body sunscreen, try Vacation's The Chardonnay Oil, which is infused with a super-hydrating botanical blend.
Key ingredients: avobenzone (2.8%), homosalate (9.8%), octisalate (4.9%), octocrylene (9.5%) jojoba oil, calendula oil, chamomile oil, rose extract, jasmine extract, bisabolol, vitamin E | SPF: 30 | Fragrance-free: no | Sunscreen type: chemical
Best for Oily Skin: Kopari Sun Shield Body Glow SPF 50
Why It's Worth It: Understandably, the girlies with oily skin may hesitate before upping the oil ante. That's why we really like the gel-like texture behind Kopari's Sun Shield Body Glow SPF 50. This glow-inducing formula dries down swiftly without leaving a sticky or greasy film. It contains a sweet trifecta of coconut, avocado, hibiscus, and macadamia oils to boost your skin's natural bounciness and radiance. As for the scent? Kopari's got that down pat. You'll get a nice hit of creamy coconut milk and vanilla—exactly what you'd hope for from a summery, sunscreen scent.
P.S. This pick comes in three hues and three SPF levels. Gold has an SPF of 50, Rose Gold is 45, and Amber is 30.
Key ingredients: homosalate (10%), octocrylene (10%), octisalate (5%), avobenzone (3%), macadamia oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, vitamin E, hibiscus oil, mica | SPF: 50, 45, 30 | Fragrance-free: no | Sunscreen type: chemical
Best for Mature Skin: Coola Firming Body Oil Mist SPF 30
Why it’s worth it: Reminder: even if you spent years and years slathering on baby oil and laying out in the sun (look, conventional wisdom has changed), it’s not too late to switch to SPF—Coola’s Firming Body Oil Mist SPF 30 in particular. This formula shows love to mature skin with firming ingredients like bakuchiol (an all-natural, retinol-like alternative), vitamins C, D, and E, and an oil blend with extracts from sea buckthorn, Kalahari, and moringa, resulting in a safe, nourishing glow. It smells lovely but doesn’t use any synthetic fragrances. Younger you would be impressed.
Key ingredients: avobenzone (2.9%), octisalate (4.9%), octocrylene (8.6%), bakuchiol, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin D, sea buckthorn oil, Kalahari oil, moringa oil | SPF: 30 | Fragrance-free: yes, synthetic-free | Sunscreen type: chemical
Best for Dry Skin: Bali Body Watermelon Tanning Oil SPF 50
Why it’s worth it: The Bali Body Watermelon Sunscreen Oil smells as good as it looks, and fights for your skin safety while imparting a vacation-level glimmer. The melty, vitamin E-rich formula features skin-care favorites like grapeseed oil, coconut oil, and sweet almond oil, so you’ll feel the hydration the moment it touches your skin, and it'll absorb deeply not long after that. At 4.3 ounces, this bottle is quite small—we hope Bali Body will release a larger one sooner rather than later. Make sure to give it a good shake before dispensing any product.
Key ingredients: avobenzone (3%), homosalate (15%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (10%), grapeseed oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil | SPF: 50 | Fragrance-free: no | Sunscreen type: chemical
Most Shimmery Finish: Everyday Humans SPF 30 Sheer Body Glow Oil
Why It's Worth It: If you want a slight shimmer without gilding the lily, grab a bottle of the Everyday Humans SPF 30 Sheer Body Glow Oil. Tiny gold mica flakes flatter the formula's blend of squalane, vitamin E, and jojoba oil, enhancing your natural glow from the inside out. Glazed donut skin, anyone? This oil brings forth fruitiness, with a scent body composed of bergamot, citrus peel, and juniper berry.
Key ingredients: homosalate (10%), octocrylene (8%), avobenzone (3%) jojoba oil, squalane, vitamin E, mica | SPF: 30 | Fragrance-free: no | Sunscreen type: chemical
Best Budget: Australian Gold Instant Bronzer SPF 30 Continuous Spray Sunscreen
Why It's Worth It: Divya Shokeen, MD, a Los Angeles-based, board-certified dermatologist, recommends Australian Gold's Continuous Spray Sunscreen with Instant Bronzer SPF 30 for people serious about an all-over copper gleam. Its caramel-colored tint is reminiscent of a bona fide self-tanning lotion (without the skin cancer risks), and the bottle's nozzle provides a light, even mist at any angle to seamlessly cover your hardest-to-reach areas. "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."
In addition to its bronzing effect, Dr. Shokeen appreciates the high concentration of kakadu plum extract in this spray-on formula, "which has the highest vitamin C content of any fruit, offering powerful antioxidant protection," she notes.
Key ingredients: avobenzone (2%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (2%), kakadu plum extract, tea tree oil, sunflower seed oil, aloe vera extract | SPF: 30 | Fragrance-free: no | Sunscreen type: chemical
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.
That said, no matter how high your sunscreen's SPF rating is, Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, notes that sunscreen alone won't fully 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 the development of skin cancer. Still, each has its own set of unwanted side effects. "UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin and contribute to skin aging, such as wrinkles and age spots," says Dr. Penzi. "UVB rays primarily 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 to traditional tanning oil due to its broad-spectrum SPF protection. Many of these oils contain a bronze, shimmery tint that makes your skin glisten in the sun with fewer side effects from 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. Although they're heavy on skin-conditioning ingredients, most have a barely noticeable, transparent finish similar to dry oils.
Meet the experts
- Lauren Penzi, MD, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist
- Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a New York City-based 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 of Oathology
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 Gracie Abrams get glowy in under 10 minutes:
Shop all of our latest obsessions in one place! And don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram and TikTok—or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty.
