Lifestyle

GOLDEN HOUR

I Tried the Self-Tanner Sydney Sweeney Uses, and I’m Stunned by the Results

Can it really deliver “professional-level results” in just 10 minutes?

Mia Maguire

Commerce Managing Editor, Scouted + The Looker

Published

Mar 9, 2026, 2:21 PM EDT

Updated

Mar 9, 2026, 2:22 PM EDT

Updated Mar 9, 2026, 2:22 PM EDT

Published Mar 9, 2026, 2:21 PM EDT

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When I heard that my favorite self-tanning brand, Loving Tan, had launched a self-tanner with a rinse-off time of just 10 minutes, my jaw nearly dropped.

Loving Tan recently unveiled a rebrand along with the new 10 Min Express Self-Tanning Smoothing Body Mask, which promises a natural-looking, transfer-resistant, and lasting tan that can be rinsed off just 10 minutes after application.

As a chronic procrastinator with questionable time management skills (I’m the girl who texts “on my way” with a towel still wrapped around my soaking-wet hair), I’ve never felt more understood by a beauty product. The professional-strength, rinse-off formula is designed to deliver natural-looking color in just 10 minutes while leaving skin visibly smoother...and stench-free.

It sounded like the product of my dreams, albeit almost too good to be true. After learning that celebrity spray-tan artist and Loving Tan ambassador Guy Cory has been using the new formula on clients like Sydney Sweeney and Brittany Snow, it took me roughly 20 seconds to add it to my cart.

Look, I love the results of a spray tan. But as a recovering spray-tan addict, I eventually had to cut back after realizing how much financial damage the weekly “habit” was causing. So in 2026, I decided it was finally time to master the art of self-tanning at home. Not exactly a conventional New Year’s resolution, I know.

Once I discovered Loving Tan’s new formula—one that was clearly designed for busy people and chronic procrastinators like me in mind—I had a feeling this launch would be a game-changer in my journey. Spoiler alert: I wasn’t wrong.

Even if I did have the time management skills, free time, and patience to marinate in self-tanner for the recommended three to eight hours, there are still a few unavoidable downsides, like smelling vaguely like boiled hot dogs, staining my sheets, and worrying about streaks while trying to go about my life.

Still, I do love self-tanner for its “off-label” beauty benefits; it’s less about changing my skin tone and more about the way it subtly camouflages bruises, blurs the appearance of cellulite, and makes my skin look like it’s actually seen the sun in recent history.

Loving Tan

$52

Loving Tan 10 Min Express Self-Tanning Smoothing Mask Dark

Infused with skincare–grade ceramides, the formula helps smooth texture and boost hydration as the tan develops, leaving skin looking more even and refined over the next 24 hours. Thanks to a tinted guide that makes application frankly idiot-proof, the transfer-resistant formula fades evenly, delivering the post-vacation glow without the lengthy processing time.

Shop At Loving Tan

Shop At Loving Tan

Unfortunately, not all formulas are created equal. I’ve tried more “foolproof” options than I care to admit (I won’t name names), only to end up returning to Loving Tan’s original streak-free, user-friendly formulas. The Australian sunless tanning brand’s latest launch, however, might just be the brand’s crowning achievement.

The formula’s rapid 10-minute development is powered by Loving Tan’s new technology, which includes a performance enhancer that boosts the effectiveness of DHA (aka dihydroxyacetone, the sugar-based ingredient responsible for the bronzing effect in most self-tanners). The tanner also contains a lipid concentrate, which not only helps the color develop faster and appear deeper, but also fortifies the skin’s barrier by locking in moisture.

Before an after-work event the other evening, I decided to put the 10 Min Express Self-Tanning Smoothing Body Mask to the test.

I was working late and still had some time-sensitive stories to push live, so there was zero time for a lengthy self-tanning ordeal—let alone washing and drying my hair. (I did wash it, but ended up hopping into my Uber with damp strands because I had other priorities.) I carved out the ten minutes required for the formula to develop (13 minutes if you count the application process) and applied the mask using a tanning mitt.

Right away, I was impressed by the hydrating gel-cream texture. It really does feel just like a soothing face mask for the body, and the creamy consistency made it easy to apply evenly while clearly seeing where the product was going. Because it’s a gel-cream rather than the typical spray or mousse, it glides over the skin effortlessly, making the whole process quicker and far less messy.

After applying it, my skin didn’t feel dry or tight like it often does with other self-tanners—it actually looked smoother and slightly firmer, with a subtle sheen. After 10 minutes, I hopped back in the shower for a quick rinse. Because I had only applied two thin layers, I didn’t see much orange-brown product running off in the shower, which initially gave me pause, but it was also nice not having to wipe down my entire shower afterward.

Another major selling point for me is that, unlike many self-tanners, this one doesn’t have that distinctive B.O.-like scent. That makes it especially appealing as a pre-event option when you don’t want your fragrance competing with eau de DHA. It also dries in about 60 seconds and doesn’t feel tacky on the skin, so you could easily run errands, do chores, or keep getting ready if you wanted to leave it on longer than the recommended 10 minutes.

After 24 hours, I was shocked at the results. I have never had a more natural-looking self-tanning result. The tone is neither too warm nor too cool, and there were zero streaks, patches, or telltale orange tones that can make one’s complexion resemble that of a certain president.

I still added a little too much product to my hands while failing to add a barrier cream (note to self: it’s imperative to follow the directions). Still, it’s barely detectable. The best part is that, as Loving Tan promises, my skin looked smoother, healthier, and just bronzed enough to appear like I’d spent a weekend somewhere sunny.

In other words, if you love the look of a sunless tan but don’t have the patience to sit around smelling like a stale biscuit all day, this rinse-and-go formula makes achieving a UV-free, streak-free, and stench-free glow seriously foolproof. It’s the ultimate self-tanning innovation, and the next best thing to getting a professional spray tan done by Guy Cory.

Loving Tan

$52

Loving Tan 10 Min Express Self-Tanning Smoothing Mask Dark

Infused with skincare–grade ceramides, the formula helps smooth texture and boost hydration as the tan develops, leaving skin looking more even and refined over the next 24 hours. Thanks to a tinted guide that makes application frankly idiot-proof, the transfer-resistant formula fades evenly, delivering the post-vacation glow without the lengthy processing time.

Shop At Loving Tan

Shop At Loving Tan

Mia Maguire

Commerce Managing Editor, Scouted + The Looker

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