The Allies Of Skin SPF Is A Self-Tanning Double Agent

Living in New York City means you have to accept a few inevitable truths. First, no matter how hard you try, you’ll always be at least 10 minutes late. Secondly, you will at one point see your skin in its most dull, pale state. With tall buildings that block direct sunlight and limited access to sun beyond the confines of the summer season, getting your (safe) tan on can feel impossible.

As someone who grew up in Los Angeles, I yearn for beach days and UV indexes beyond three, but also refuse to leave the city for more than a few weeks at a time (make it make sense). Typically, I’m not a fan of self-tanners, so I wait until I travel to a sunnier destination to slather on all the appropriate sunscreen and hope the tanning will occur naturally. But beauty is innovating every day.

This month, Allies of Skin launched sunless sunscreen that develops into a natural tan. If it sounds too good to be true, that’s because it’s the first of its kind. After having tried it out for myself, I’m convinced that it’s not only a must-have for this summer — it’s a need year-round.

Read on for everything you need to know about the brand’s innovative launch.

Fast Facts

• Price: $59
• Best for: Sunscreen protection and self-tanning
• My rating: 4.8/5
• What we like: High SPF coverage and lightweight feel
• What we don’t like: Small amount of product in bottle

The Allies Of Skin SPF + Self-Tanner

Released on April 16, Allies of Skin’s new sunless sunscreen self-tanner is a game-changing formula that offers high-level sun protection, skin care benefits, and a gradual, natural-looking tan — all in one bottle. It was developed for those who want to look as sun-kissed as possible without the sun damage, aka everyone.

“As the sunscreen police amongst my loved ones, I often hear my friends lamenting about how they feel like they have to sit out in the sun to look like they just came back from a summer vacation,” founder Nicolas Travis said in a press release. “I was inspired to create a supercharged three-in-one formula that would provide SPF 50, 80 minutes of water resistance, and a self-tanner that also primes the skin for makeup.”

Designed to be the final step in your morning routine, this item provides both immediate protection and a visible glow that develops within hours and lasts throughout the day.

At the core of the formula is DHA (dihydroxyacetone), a naturally occurring three-carbon sugar that reacts with the amino acids in the skin to create a subtle, buildable tan (it’s the active found in most sunless tanners). There’s also vitamin C, an antioxidant that boosts the efficacy of the sunscreen, and goji berry extract to support collagen production. For a soothing effect, it also contains centella asiatica, green tea leaf, liquorice root, and chamomile flower extract.

The result is a multi-tasking formula that not only guards against UV damage but leaves your skin safely sun-kissed, glowier, and primed for makeup.

My Review

Just like any other sunscreen, I’ve been using this as the last step in my skin care routine and rubbing it in with my fingers. It goes on smoothly, without leaving a white cast (huge win), and feels like a regular SPF in texture, just a touch more hydrating. I was pleasantly surprised by how seamlessly it melted into my skin.

That said, the formula does lean a little greasy on my oily skin, especially right after application. But honestly, it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary compared to other sunscreens I’ve tried. Fortunately, it didn’t translate to a shiny or overly slick look throughout the day. My complexion stayed pretty balanced, and I didn’t notice any slippage or excess dewiness, even after a few hours of wear. I was expecting it to feel heavier, especially with the self-tanning component, but it was surprisingly lightweight and breathable.

Another major plus: It layered beautifully under my makeup with no pilling or uneven finishes. The skin care-heavy formula alone made my complexion look way smoother and extra glowy.

Now for the tan of it all. As mentioned, I typically avoid self-tanners. I find them to result in a splotchy, not-right shade filled with patches. But this isn’t like a regular self-tanner. Instead of a dramatic transformation that’s easy to mess up, this product gives you more of a slow-build glow than a full-on fake tan.

After a few hours, I started to notice a subtle warmth creeping into my skin tone. It was the kind of radiance that looks like you just came back from a weekend in the sun, not like you’ve been baking under it. I was shocked at how subtle yet visible the difference was. The best part of all is that I got my daily SPF in, too.

The Verdict

If you’re a self-tanner lover, you might have mixed thoughts on this one. It doesn’t fully develop into a hardcore tan, but that’s exactly what I love about it. While I have yet to use it consistently, the few times I swiped on the product, I was able to notice a difference after four hours.

I also liked that I could apply makeup on top, so I didn’t have to sit around waiting for it to develop. I could go about my day as usual, and the formula played nicely with my base products without any pilling or texture shifts.

Even beyond the desire for a summer glow, I’ll be keeping this on hand for those days when my skin’s looking dull. It’s like an instant boost that fakes a full night’s sleep and a weekend in the sun, all without even needing to step outside. Trust, I plan to be stocking up on this before it goes viral, because I have a feeling it will.