With dermatologists drilling home the only safe tan is in a bottle, beauty enthusiasts are turning toward self-tanner solutions (not the sun) when it comes to achieving the perfect bronzy glow.

According to Spate, the fastest-growing self-tanners are tanning mists and gradual tanners.

Tanning Mist

Consumers all want it, but who has time to self-tan?

Tanning mist has become sunless tanners’ BFF given its quick-drying abilities that leave skin with a natural-looking finish without the need to rinse.

Analysts say the category has seen a major surge. Tanning mist has grown by +57.4% compared to last year and across platforms, with TikTok owning 81.8% of the trend’s popularity share. Search interest has risen too, with a +127.7% increase compared to last year, while TikTok views for the trend are up +47.4% compared to last year, pulling in 284.1K average weekly views and 260.0 average monthly Google searches.

While there are no dominant branded search queries yet, TikTok’s top branded hashtag in this category is #petajanebeauty, averaging 15.6K weekly views, with the brand’s mist appearing in recent videos and being praised for its ease of use on both body and face. Interestingly, the top demographic hashtags paired with tanning mist include #womenover40 (13.0K average weekly views) and #womenover50 (12.7K averge weekly views) — a reminder that TikTok isn’t just for Gen Z. Another trending hashtag, #selftanroutine, sees 12.0K average weekly views, highlighting how consumers treat self-tanning as a multi-step ritual.

For brands, this opens the door to bundling opportunities like face and body formulas, post-tan lotions, or touch-up tools that fit into a well-rounded regimen, analysts say.

Gradual Tanner

Gradual and steady wins the race.

For consumers who experienced the unwanted patchy, streaky or even tangerine-colored tans, gradual tanners offer a gentler alternative.

These products allow consumers to build up a subtle, natural-looking glow over several days rather than delivering intense color at once.

Per Spate, interest in gradual tanners has grown +15.7% compared to last year and across platforms. TikTok leads the conversation with 69.4% popularity share, while Google search interest has increased by +82.2% compared to last year. Although TikTok views have declined slightly by -0.4%, the trend still garners 1.8 million average weekly views along with 2.3K average monthly Google searches.

Most top-search queries are unbranded (like best gradual tanner), but Loving Tan, St. Tropez and Hempz are currently leading the charge. All three brands sit in the mid-price range ($20–$30), leaving plenty of room in the market for both budget-friendly and luxury alternatives. Related hashtags like #facetanner (61.0K avg. weekly views) signal a growing interest in gradual tanners formulated specifically for the face — an opportunity for brands to either offer standalone options or create bundles. Meanwhile, hashtags like #howtoselftan (26.1K avg. weekly views) show that consumers turn to TikTok for education, especially when experimenting with new products.

This leaves brands with the opportunity to commission influencer-led tutorials that educate and provide for some colorful conversation.