If you’ve ever been brave enough to embark on a DIY self-tanning excursion in the comfort of your own home, you may or may not have learned rather quickly that if you use your hands to apply the formula, they’re going to end up stained, orange, and downright unsightly (and yes, it’ll last just as long as the stuff on your body does too). Fortunately, you don’t have to risk looking like a botched science experiment to get a sunless, UV-free glow without dropping a fortune on in-salon spray tans thanks to the advent of self-tanning mitts that not only protect your hands, knuckles, nails, and cuticles from getting stained, but also helps the self-tanning formula glide on evenly for a more natural-looking result.

Of course, just like the quality of your self-tanning formula will play a major role in how your tan comes out, the quality of your mitt is also equally important to keep in mind as well. In general, opting for a mitt designed with a soft microfiber outer lining is ideal, because it allows the product to apply evenly and gives you a bit more room for bleeding problem areas like the knees and elbows. Ahead, we’ve outlined a few of our favorite self-tanning mitts to try out for yourself.

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