I Tried the New Face Tan Drops From the Makers of Our Best-Selling Fake Tan

In my humble opinion, the invention of tanning drops is right up there with the wheel and sliced bread.

Simple but genius, and now an integral part of my life. 

I've always loved the glow that self tan affords but often can’t be bothered with the whole routine.

Tanning drops are the answer to this.

They also allow for subtle, natural-looking results — something I, as a lazy beauty person, am very grateful for. 

I’ve got my faves (Tuscan Tan, Eco Tan) but my interest piqued when I hear about Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Face Drops - the new face tan product from the brand behind one of Adore’s top-selling body tanners.

Also, beauty editor Joanna says the Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam makes her bathroom smell like coconuts. And obviously that is something I need in my life. 

So, how do the facial drops measure up in the shadow of the body foam? And how do I, a facial tanning drops enthusiast, rate them compared to my trusted favourites?

You’ll have to keep reading to find out.  But first, let’s cover a few tanning basics… 

In a word yes, but it really depends on the formula, your skin type and desired results.

If I was doing an all-over tan, I’d probably just use the one product everywhere: Tuscan Tan’s Self Tan Foam and Loving Tan are some of our best-sellers.

However, if you have sensitive or sensitised skin, or are prone to congestion, blemishes or inflammation, you might be better off with something specifically designed for facial use.

Some body tans can also be quite deep in colour, which is fine for legs, but a little much north of the neck.

It really is as simple as adding a few drops to your moisturiser whenever you see fit.

Personally, I like them at night when I’m not exfoliating, so I wake up looking less tired, and more even-toned.

Pro tip: Any exfoliating skincare will remove your face tan, so alternate your resurfacing skincare nights and face tanning nights.

When it comes to depth of colour, more drops = more depth. Also, the more often you apply, the deeper and more long-lasting your glow. 

Here's my tanning drops to moisturiser ratio. A little goes a long way!

What: Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Face Drops

The Coco & Eve face tan drops are described as “tan as customised as your coffee order”, and that's a sentiment I can get behind.

Think of them as a compliment to your existing skincare routine you can dial up or down for a bespoke glow. 

These contain a 100 per cent natural form of DHA (the active in tanning products), plus coconut water, banana, hyaluronic acid, fig and dragon fruit extract to hydrate the skin and give the product a delicious scent.

These face tan drops smell like a tropical fruit smoothie made on a base of coconut water — yum. 

I love the way these face tan drops are packaged!

There’s no pipette, instead it’s almost like a pen and the product dispenses at the tip. It’s easy to control, and there’s very low risk when it comes to spills. 

So I’ve used these for a fortnight now, adding three drops to my night cream twice a week.

The colour is noticeable but subtle — like I had a long weekend somewhere sunny. My lockdown/winter pallor is gone, my pigmentation is softer and I just look fresher. 

There’s no tan smell, streaking or staining of hands (but I did wash mine after using).

Because I used the medium shade, the colour was really natural as well: bronzed and warm, not orange, green or yellow (things I’ve experienced with tanning drops in the past). 

I actually noticed these claim to be SPF-safe, meaning you could technically work them into your morning routine.

That said, it's not recommended to mix other products into your sunscreen as it may alter the SPF protection, which is far more important than a bronze glow.

Hence, I prefer them at night. Also, it’s nice to wake up glowy — starts the day off on a good note, in my opinion. 

Honestly, the Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Drops get five stars from me.

They’re so easy, and really give me a boost, complexion-wise. No mess. No smell. No streaks or weird colour.

Instead, it’s all natural, glowy wonderful-ness... which is exactly what I needed to get me through winter.