Mary Kay Subtle Tanning Lotion

Mary Kay

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Mary Kay Subtle Tanning Lotion is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 32 ingredients (24 low-risk) rates it Excellent (84/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Moisturizers
Ingredients
32
Low-risk
24
Fragrance
Contains fragrance
Origin
United States

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 12/9
Good for dry skin
Glycol Stearate Cetearyl Alcohol Squalane Stearyl Alcohol Glycerin Hydroxyethyl Urea Cyclohexasiloxane Dimethicone Cyclopentasiloxane Petrolatum Mineral Oil Myristyl Myristate
Caution for dry skin
Glycol Stearate Magnesium Aluminum Silicate Myristyl Laurate Sorbitan Isostearate Stearyl Alcohol Xanthan Gum Glycerin Ceteareth-20 Polysorbate 60
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 0/1
Caution for oily/acne-prone skin
Petrolatum
Sensitive Skin 5/10
Good for sensitive skin
Glycerin Dimethicone Tocopheryl Acetate Petrolatum Mineral Oil
Caution for sensitive skin
Myristic Acid Stearyl Alcohol Glycerin Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) Methylparaben Ethylparaben Phenoxyethanol Propylparaben Fragrance Mineral Oil

Ingredients list

32 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (9)
All32 Skin Conditioning16 Emollient10 Fragrance8 Hair Conditioning7 Emulsifying7 Emulsion Stabilising7 Skin Protecting6 Surfactant6
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
1
3
Mineral Oil
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Skin Protecting, Solvent, Antistatic Agent, Perfuming)
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
A
Glycol Stearate
(Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
A
Cetearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasingagent Aqueous, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Myristic Acid
(Fragrance, Opacifying, Sufactant, Emulsifying, Perfuming)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
8
Fragrance
(Deodorant, Masking, Perfuming)
1
A
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
2
3
B
Myristyl Myristate
(Emollient, Opacifying, Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
1
4
Dihydroxyacetone
(Cosmetic Colorant, Skin Conditioning, Reducing, Tanning)
1
Hydroxyethyl Urea
(Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
VP/VA Copolymer
(Binding, Film Forming, Hair Fixing)
4
Petrolatum
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Agent Occlusive, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Moisturising, Uv Absorber)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
3
A
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
Silicone
Silicone
3
A
Cyclopentasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent)
Silicone
Silicone
1
A
Squalane
(Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Refatting, Skin Conditioning)
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
3
B
Ceteareth-20
(Cleansing, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
1
A
Stearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foambooster, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Foam Boosting, Masking, Opacifying, Refatting, Viscosity Controlling)
3
Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
1
(-)-alpha-isabolol
1
A
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
(Absorbent, Anticaking Agent, Opacifying, Slip Modifier, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
B
Myristyl Laurate
(Surfactant)
1
A
Xanthan Gum
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Emulsifying Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
3
B
Polysorbate 60
(Emulsifying, Surfactant)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
4
A
Methylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
9
Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
4
A
Ethylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
1
A
Sorbitan Isostearate
(Emulsifying, Surfactant)
7
A
Propylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative, Perfuming)
Paraben
Paraben
2
A
Cyclohexasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent)

My Ingredient Notes

No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.

Browse similar moisturizer
No close formula match yet — browse other products like this

Key ingredients

Mineral Oil
Skin Conditioning, Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant, Skin Protecting
Glycol Stearate
Skin Conditioning, Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Dihydroxyacetone
Skin Conditioning

Benefits

Good for dry skin

Concerns

Contains paraben
Contains silicone
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
Fragrance — higher EWG
Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) — higher EWG
Propylparaben — higher EWG
May not suit oily/acne-prone skin
May not suit sensitive skin

EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Mineral Oil
Fragrance, Hair conditioning
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 1–3 FragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningEmollientSkin protectingSolventAntistatic agentPerfuming
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Opacifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingOpacifyingFoam boostingViscosity increasingagent - aqueousViscosity increasing agentEmollientEmulsifyingViscosity controlling
Dihydroxyacetone
Cosmetic colorant, Skin conditioning
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 1–4 Cosmetic colorantSkin conditioningReducingTanning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Hair conditioning, Humectant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Hair conditioningHumectantSkin conditioning
VP/VA Copolymer
Binding, Film forming
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A BindingFilm formingHair fixing
Squalane
Emollient, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientHair conditioningRefattingSkin conditioning
Ceteareth-20
Cleansing, Emulsifying
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B CleansingEmulsifyingSurfactant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingFragranceEmulsifyingSurfactant- foamboosterViscosity increasing agentEmollientFoam boostingMaskingOpacifyingRefattingViscosity controlling
(-)-alpha-isabolol
Other
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent, Anticaking agent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A AbsorbentAnticaking agentOpacifyingSlip modifierViscosity increasing agentViscosity controlling
Myristyl Laurate
Surfactant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B Surfactant
Xanthan Gum
Binding agent, Emulsion stabilising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Binding agentEmulsion stabilisingSkin conditioningSurfactant -emulsifying agentViscosity increasing agentBindingGel formingViscosity controlling
Disodium EDTA
Chelating agent, Viscosity controlling
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Chelating agentViscosity controlling
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying, Surfactant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmulsifyingSurfactant
+ 1 more — see the full ingredients list above
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Glycol Stearate
Emulsion stabilising, Opacifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingOpacifyingSkin conditioningEmollientEmulsifyingSurfactant Fungal-acne trigger
Myristic Acid
Fragrance, Opacifying
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceOpacifyingSufactantEmulsifyingPerfuming Bad for Oily SkinFungal-acne trigger
Fragrance
Deodorant, Masking
Higher-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 8 DeodorantMaskingPerfuming
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
Other
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Bad for Oily SkinFungal-acne trigger
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient, Opacifying
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 2–3 CIR B EmollientOpacifyingSkin conditioning Bad for Oily Skin
Petrolatum
Hair conditioning, Skin-conditioning agent - occlusive
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 4 Hair conditioningSkin-conditioning agent - occlusiveSkin protectingEmollientMoisturisingUv absorber Bad for Oily Skin
Dimethicone
Antifoaming agent, Skin protecting
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Antifoaming agentSkin protectingEmollientSkin conditioning Silicone
Cyclopentasiloxane
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningEmollientSolvent Silicone
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant, Skin conditioning
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 3 AntioxidantSkin conditioning Bad for Oily Skin
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying, Surfactant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B EmulsifyingSurfactant Fungal-acne trigger
Methylparaben
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)
Other
Higher-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 9 Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Ethylparaben
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
+ 1 more — see the full ingredients list above

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Apply near the end of your routine, after thinner serums.
  • 2 Morning only: Apply as the last step of your AM routine, after moisturiser, and reapply every ~2 hours of sun exposure.
  • 3 Wear SPF the next day: Acids and retinoids increase sun sensitivity — daily sunscreen is a must while using this.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.

Often avoided
Retinoids (Vitamin A) (Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A))

Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.

This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Retinoids (Vitamin A) 0.01–1%

Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.

Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

From the community

0
Reviews
0
Saved by users
0
In collections

Ratings & reviews

Write a Review
0.0
from 0 ratings

Used this product? Rate it in 10 seconds

Alternatives