Vegan + Cruelty Free Fake Tans

Summer is approaching, which means we’re alllll stocking up on fake tan. If you’re on this post, I’m guessing you’re looking for a vegan and cruelty-free fake tan because you know that our beauty shouldn’t come at their expense.

So, I’m pleased to say that I’ve rounded up the best vegan fake tans available in the UK right now (summer 2026!), from budget options at Superdrug and Boots to cult favourites like St. Tropez. So whether you want a gradual glow, an organic bronze, or something sensitive-skin friendly, here’s what’s actually vegan, what’s cruelty-free, and what’s worth your money…

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st tropez

Happy to confirm that, one of the UK’s most trusted tanning brands, St Tropez is fully vegan and cruelty-free! With over 30 years in the game, they’ve nailed both gradual and deep tans. If you don’t want to think too hard and just want something that works, start here…

standout products:

• Self Tan Purity Face Mist
  Basically skincare and tan in one: a lightweight mist infused with hyaluronic acid that hydrates while developing a subtle glow. It develops over a few hours and gives that “you look well” effect rather than obvious tan.
• Express Dark Whipped Mousse
  If you want something deeper and faster, this is the one. It develops in as little as 1–3 hours depending on how long you leave it on, and gives a proper bronze rather than a soft glow. Ideal if you tan easily or want that holiday look without layering for days.

Evolve Beauty

Evolve sits in a completely different lane to most tanning brands. It’s less “tanning brand” and more skincare that happens to do tan.

Everything is organic, small-batch, and designed to feel like part of your routine rather than a separate, slightly chaotic step. Best for people who don’t identify as fake tan users but still want a glow.

standout products:

• Sunless Glow Self Tanning Drops
  These are perfect if you want control. You mix them into your moisturiser or serum, which means you decide how intense the tan is.
• Sunless Glow 3-in-1 Gradual Tan
  Builds slowly, hydrates the skin, and never looks overdone. Good if you’re anti-fake-tan-smell and anti-effort.

Green People

Green People aren’t a fully vegan brand, but they do have great ethics and a lot of vegan options. Most importantly, their fake tans are vegan! They’re especially popular amongst people with reactive or sensitive skin – so you can trust that their tanning range leans heavily into gentle, skin-friendly formulas that won’t irritate, clog pores, or cause breakouts. If fake tan has ever betrayed you before (aka patchy, orange, irritating), let Green People be your reset.

standout products:

• Self Tan Lotion
  A proper “foolproof” tan. Easy to apply, no streaks, and develops into a soft, believable colour rather than anything too intense.
• Age Defy+ Liquid Gold Tanning Drops
  A more elevated option with added skincare benefits. Think anti-ageing ingredients + tan, rather than just colour.

utan

Not only are utan a chic high street option, they’re also making moves on the eco side of things with offsetting emissions with tree planting, a move away from single use plastics and biodegradable packaging elements. They’re also fully vegan and PETA-certified cruelty-free, which puts them ahead of a lot of legacy brands.

product-wise:
Their tanning range is solid, but I love them best for their slightly more niche products like:

standout products:

• CBD-infused formulas
  A lightweight, skincare-first tan that sinks in quickly, doesn’t feel sticky, and gives a really natural, low-effort glow. Even voted ‘Best Face Tan for Breakouts’ by British Vogue.
• their freckle pen
  A cult product for good reason. This is a self-tan powered pen that creates natural-looking freckles that develop over time, and are perfect for that “just got back from holiday” look without doing a full tan. Also doubles as a soft lip contour.
  

Isle of Paradise

Created with celebrity tanning expert Jules Von Hep, Isle of Paradise is built around the idea of taking the fear out of fake tan.

Their whole system is based on colour correction, making it perfect for those looking to avoid the “orange” problem that puts people off fake tan in the first place. Plus they’re fully vegan and cruelty free.

how it works:

• peach tones → brighten fair skin
• green tones → neutralise redness (medium skin)
• violet tones → deepen darker tones

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🧴 other vegan & cruelty-free brands

• Tanologist → 100% vegan & cruelty-free, great for customisable results
• Coco & Eve → Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam is a cult favourite
• Filter by Molly-Mae → Leaping Bunny certified & fully vegan
• Skin & Tan → previously Skinny Tan, fully vegan & cruelty-free
• Kopari Beauty → enjoy their coconut-based gradual tan
• Bali Body → fully vegan & cruelty-free
• The Fox Tan → both fake tan and SPF tanning boosters
• EFFN Beauty → cruelty-free, clearly labels vegan products (awaiting full list)
• Gatineau → cruelty-free but only the Tan Accelerator is vegan (checked April 2026)

⚠️ brands to double check

• St. Moriz → Leaping Bunny certified but vegan products not clearly labelled

(I’ve reached out to both for clarification.)

cruelty-free… but parent company isn’t

Okay, now for the nuanced bit! Some cruelty-free shoppers care about whether the parent company is cruelty free, some don’t. Whilst I’m happy to have that chat, for today I’m just focusing on keeping this transparent:

• Hawaiian Tropic → cruelty-free but owned by non-CF parent company
• Bondi Sands → cruelty-free, but parent company isn’t

Some people are fine with this, others prefer to avoid completely. Up to you.

However, with Dove (owned by Unilever) and Garnier (L’Oreal)… I fiercly suggest you avoid as – even though Dove and Garnier are themselves cruelty free- both of these parent companies face big fat boycotts around both animal testing and BDS. So I absolutely cannot recommend them.

❌ not vegan or cruelty-free

• Clarins
• Sally Hansen

Both offer tanning products, but are not cruelty-free.

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🌿 final thoughts

Hope that helps! The good news is there are plenty of vegan and cruelty-free options that actually perform, whether you’re after a subtle glow or a full holiday tan. So tan away!