10+ Years of Being a Beauty Editor Qualifies Me to Say That This Is the Best Face Tan Ever Made

If you've been reading Who What Wear's beauty pages for some time, you'll know I don't often shout about the brilliance of one product. The truth is, I'm a tough critic. I try hundreds of new beauty products every year, and for the most part, I'm a creature of habit—I stick to classic products I trust wholeheartedly. Now and again, though, I come across a lesser-known, underrated product that I cling onto for dear life—and that is exactly what happened when I first tried Three Warriors Hydrabronze Face Tan Drops a couple of years ago.

I've long understood the power of facial tanning drops, but I'm too lazy to faff around applying them. I've tried almost every fake tan that has ever come my way, and when it comes to formulas for the face, I'm beyond picky. I have to be able to apply them every day without fear of turning orange or overdoing it. They need to work with my existing skincare routine and not add another step. They need to be so well formulated that I never need to worry about streaks and patches. And above all, they need to be so convincing in their bronzy finish that people regularly compliment my glow. And trust me when I say these drops do all of that.

In fact, I'd argue that there is no face tan out there that meets my strict criteria—Three Warriors Hydrabronze is the only one. What makes it so good? Indulge me for a moment whilst I reel off the list. For starters, I want to talk about the shade. In the summer, I personally use two drops of medium-dark mixed into my serum every single day. In the winter, I use four drops of light-medium. The intensity of the tan is fully customisable; want more glow, apply more drops. Plus, the sheer nature of the product means it proves a standout facial tan for dark skin.

And whilst all of this is no doubt great, the thing that makes this product so special is the shade of tan. Unlike so many others, it's not orange or intensely golden. Instead, it has that deep brown tone that mimics a real-life tan better than any other tanning product I've ever used.

Then, we get onto the formula. Containing hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed collagen, glycerin and an array of antioxidant-rich ingredients, this tan is the closest thing to legitimate skincare I've ever tried. I know lots of tan brands claim that their formulas are skincare-infused, but this product really delivers. It leaves skin radiant, bouncy and as though it's glowing from within. This, combined with the shade of tan itself, means I find myself batting off compliments about how glowing I look basically every day. And I am not exaggerating.

In fact, you can ask any of my Who What Wear colleagues, and they will attest to the fact that my ability to maintain a tan on my face year-round has become the talk of the office. I have converted no fewer than six of my equally-as-hard-to-impress editors to Three Warriors Hydrabronze, and they too have never looked back (including editor-in-chief Jane McFarland, who I regularly see sneaking out of the beauty cupboard clutching a bottle or two).

The truth is, I have spent well over a decade testing and trialling some of the best facial tans out there in a bid to find the magic formula—and I found it with these. I feel so passionately about the beauty of these tanning drops that I will put my hands up and say that, yes, for the most part I've been gatekeeping them. Sure, they feature regularly in my monthly Empties Edit, but honestly? I'd rather they remained somewhat under the radar so that my tan looks forever better than everyone else's. Selfish? Me? Never.

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