In our journey to provide the best self tanning products, we have formulated and developed our self tanners to keep your skin safe and healthy. When it comes to our products, we are conscientious about the ingredients we use.
We offer all the standard "BUZZ WORDS" for clean beauty: vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free, lilial-free, EU Compliant, etc.
But to provide you with 100% transparency we have created this list of self tanner ingredients so that you know exactly what you are putting on your skin.
This also keeps us accountable and working toward better ingredient choices as they become available.
We use the EWG and Paula's Choice websites for help with rating our sunless tanning ingredient list.
Self Tanner Ingredients
A
ARGANIA SPINOSA (ARGAN) KERNAL OIL
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Argan oil is a light and extremely nutrient-rich oil, high in Vitamin E, expressed from the kernels of the argan tree.
Why We Use It: It's a nourishing oil with anti aging properties that provides hydration for the skin.
EWG Score: 1
B
C
CAPRYLYL/CAPRYL GLUCOSIDE
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside is a surfactant and emulsifier made from coconut and palm oils
Why We Use It: It works with other ingredients to help create a a light, fluffy whipped foam for our self tanning mousse.
EWG Score: 1
CARAMEL
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Caramel in skin care products is generally the same one that you know from candy. It is made by heating sucrose until it concentrates and caramelizes.
Why We Use It: As a natural coloring agent.
EWG Score: 1
CETEARETH-20
CETEARYL ALCOHOL
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Facial Mist & Touch Up Spray
What It Is: Cetearyl Alcohol comes from palm kernel and/or coconut and is a emollience booster that helps skin feel moisturized and smooth.
Why We Use It: It's a gentle emollient that gives your skin a nice soft feel
EWG Score: 1
CETYL HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Cetyl hydroxyethylcellulose is a derivative of fatty alcohol cetearyl alcohol and a thicker oil known as 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Why We Use It: It works as an emulsion stabilizer, and is excellent for dry skin.
EWG Score: 1
CITRUS RETICULATA ESSENTIAL OIL (MANDARIN)
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Cold pressed oil from the peel of the mandarin orange. Primarily used as a fragrance; it can be a skin sensitizer.
Why We Use It: Clean fragrance.
EWG Score: 2
COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a mild and gentle surfactant derived from coconuts. Manufacturing impurities, not the ingredient itself, can be the cause of skin irritation if allergic. Used in well formulated products it is considered to have an exceptional safety profile.
Why We Use It: Helps increase the foam effect in our self tanning mousse.
EWG Score: 1-5
D
DIHYDROXYACETONE (100% Natural DHA)
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse, Rose Gold Facial Mist & Touch Up Spray
What It Is: Active self tanner ingredient DHA is sourced from sugar cane and sugar beets. It is a simple carbohydrate approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to tan the skin. This is the most common ingredient used in self tanners. It reacts with the amino acids found in the top layers of skin to create a brown sunkissed color.
Why We Use It: This self tanner ingredient DHA is what creates your sunless tan.
EWG Score: 1-3
E
ERYTHRULOSE
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse, Rose Gold Facial Mist & Touch Up Spray
What It Is: Erythrulose is a slow acting self tanning sugar similar to DHA. Compared to DHA the Erythrulose takes a few days to develop the color, while with DHA takes only a couple of hours.
Why We Use It: This is an active tanning ingredient but it helps to create a longer lasting streak free sunless tan.
EWG Score: 1
ETHOXYDIGLYCOL
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Ethoxydiglycol is considered a safe, synthetic solvent that helps improve the function, penetration, and texture of skin care products.
Why We Use It: To help with smooth application and minimize streaking.
EWG Score: 1-2
ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What Is It: Ethylhexylglycerin is a a weak preservative and skin conditioning agent.
Why We Use It: Antibacterial properties as well as increasing the effectiveness of other preservatives.
EWG Score: 2
F
G
GLYCERIN
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse, Rose Gold Facial Mist & Touch Up Spray
What It Is: Glycerin is a soothing and moisturizing humectant and is used in cosmetics and body care products to assist in retaining moisture.
Why We Use It: We use vegetable glycerin for its hydrating and moisturizing properties.
EWG Score: 1-2
H
I
ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Facial Mist & Touch Up Spray
What It Is: Isopropyl alcohol is a common solvent.
Why We Use It: Tiny amounts are used to help the self tanning mist dry
EWG Score: 2
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K
L
M
N
NEROLI/ORANGE BLOSSOM FLOWER DISTILLATE (Citrus Aurantium Amara)
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Orange Blossom Water (also known as Neroli Distillate) is water steam distilled from the fragrant blossoms of orange trees. It is excellent used in place of water in skin care products and has a sweet scent reminiscent of Mediterranean orange groves.
Why We Use It: It helps in hydrating and soothing skin providing skin care benefits to your self tanning products as well as providing a beautiful botanical fragrance.
EWG Score: 1
O
OCTYL METHOXYCINNAMATE
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Facial Mist & Touch Up Spray
What It Is: UVB Sunscreen.
Why We Use It: To protect the skin on your face from sun damage.
EWG Score: 5
P
PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil is an emollient and emulsifier created from a mixture of synthetic polyethylene glycol (PEG) + natural castor oil.
Why We Use It: It keeps our self tanning mousse blended and gives the skin hydration and a soft feel.
EWG Score: 1-3
PHENOXYETHANOL
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Phenoxyethanol is a widely used synthetic preservative with no added parabens and global approval for use cosmetic products.
Why We Use It: It is used as a preservative in amounts less than 1% in our self tanning mousse because it offers broad-spectrum control against many pathogens.
EWG Score: 2-4
POLYSORBATE 80
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Facial Mist & Touch Up Spray
What It Is: Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant and emulsifier used in cleaners and personal care products.
Why We Use It: To keep our self tanning facial mist ingredients mixed together.
EWG Score: 3
PROPYLENE GLYCOL
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Propylene glycol is a humectant (hydrator) that can enhance the delivery of key active ingredients into skin
Why We Use It: To maintain hydration in the skin and make application smoother with less streaking.
EWG Score: 3
Q
R
ROSE EXTRACT (ROSA DAMASCENA)
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: An Rose extract oil is obtained from the flowers of Rosa damascena.
Why We Use It: Components of rose can have antioxidant effects on skin and natural fragrance.
EWG Score: 3
S
SODIUM HYDROXIDE
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Sodium hydroxide is used in small amounts to adjust the pH of the product.
Why We Use It: To adjust the pH of the self tanning mousse so it creates the perfect tan.
EWG Score: 1-4
SODIUM CITRATE
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Sodium citrate is a salt of citric acid (can be sourced from citrus) and is used to adjust the pH of skin care products.
Why We Use It: It has antioxidant and preservative properties.
EWG Score: 1
SODIUM LAUROAMPHOACETATE
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Sodium lauroamphoacetate is a sulfate-free surfactant derived from coconuts that is also used as a foam booster
Why We Use It: To give our mousse its decadent whipped texture.
EWG Score: 1
SODIUM METABISULFITE
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Sodium metabisulfite is used as a preservative. This synthetic ingredient also offers antioxidant properties.
Why We Use It: To keep the self tanning product free from bacteria and other nasty things we don't want in our skin care.
EWG Score: 2-4
T
TOCOPHERYL ACETATE (VITAMIN E)
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse
What It Is: Tocopheryl acetate is a type of vitamin E that offers significant antioxidant benefits for the skin.
Why We Use It: It's full of antioxidants and is an excellent moisturizer for skin. It's also a preservative that helps keep ingredients in cosmetics stable for longer
EWG Score: 2-3
U
V
W
WATER
Products We Use It In: Rose Gold Self Tanning Mousse, Rose Gold Travel Mousse, Rose Gold Facial Mist & Touch Up Spray
What It Is: Water, H2O
Why we use it: Water is used in the formulation of a variety of Rose Gold products to help blend, emulsify, and create products that are easier to pour.
EWG Score: 1
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Z