As a tired mom constantly chasing a little glow-up, I thought I struck gold when I found Sorelle Oral Tanning Drops online. The promise? A natural tan from just a few drops under the tongue—no sun, no mess, no time wasted.
But what I ended up with was a whole lot of disappointment, a weird aftertaste, and some serious buyer’s remorse. Here’s my honest review
About Sorelle Tanning Drops
Sorelle Tanning Drops are marketed as a drinkable tanning drops that helps you develop a tan just by ingesting a few drops daily. It’s being sold across TikTok Shop and shady websites with glowing promises and before-and-after photos of people who had drank the drops.
Its sister products—Zeria, Soothe, Lumi, etc.—are identical in packaging, ingredients, and marketing language. That’s a major red flag. When a company keeps switching names but pushing the same thing? They’re not trying to improve the product—they’re trying to dodge backlash.
Ingredients
According to the bottle:
- Purified Water
- Vegetable Glycerin
- Citric Acid
- Natural Flavoring
- Dihydroxyacetone (DHA)
- Stevia
- Potassium Sorbate
The problem? DHA is not meant to be consumed. It’s the active ingredient in self-tanners, but it’s only approved for external use.
So why is it in a supplement you’re meant to swallow? Your guess is as good as mine.
My Experience: From Hopeful Glow-Up to “What Did I Just Ingest?”
I was genuinely excited when it arrived. The bottle was sleek. The branding looked modern and “clean girl aesthetic.” I imagined waking up in a week with that warm, golden vacation glow—like the postpartum version of a sun-kissed influencer.
Day 1:
I took the drops as directed—under the tongue, before eating. Tasted weirdly sweet and slightly chemical-y, but not unbearable.
Day 3:
Still no tan. No change in skin tone. But I started noticing a lingering aftertaste and a bit of stomach bloating. Brushed it off. Maybe it was working behind the scenes?
Day 5:
Still Casper. I mean ghost-white. My husband asked if I’d been getting enough sunlight. Insert internal screaming.
Day 7+:
Absolutely nothing. Zero tan. Not even a placebo glow. What I did have was a growing sense of “OMG, what did I put in my body??” That’s when I went down the research rabbit hole and found out just how shady this product actually is.
There were also no visible results, no “from within” bronze developing. The only thing developing was my regret.
Oh, and let me tell you—trying to return the product? Don’t bother. They don’t answer emails, and there’s no proper return process. Once they have your money, it’s gone.
Side Effects I Noticed
- Lingering weird taste
- Stomach cramps
- Bloating
- Dry mouth
- Mild anxiety from realizing I might have just swallowed something totally unregulated
Again: no tan. No glow. Just gut gurgles and guilt.
Does Sorelle Tanning Drops Actually Work?
Oral tanning drops like Sorelle, Zeria, Lumi, e.t.c often contain ingredients like canthaxanthin, which aim to produce a tan through ingestion. But they don’t actually stimulate melanin production, which is what causes a natural tan. Instead, they rely on the colorant effect of canthaxanthin, which can result in a temporary change in skin color, potentially appearing orange or brownish.
In my case, I didn’t observe any tan.
Are they Safe?
Short answer: No. There are no pills approved for the purpose of tanning by the FDA
DHA, when applied to the skin, reacts with the amino acids in dead skin cells to produce a browning effect. That’s how self-tanners work.
But when consumed orally, DHA is not FDA approved, and there’s no substantial research on how it behaves in the body when ingested. Some sources suggest it may cause DNA damage when taken internally (yep, you read that right), and that’s enough for me to scream “absolutely not” and back away slowly.
If you wouldn’t let your toddler eat it, you probably shouldn’t either
Alternatives
If you want that bronzed look safely, here are mom-approved alternatives:
✨ Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Drops – Mix them with your moisturizer and control the color. Foolproof and natural looking.
☀️ Tanologist Self-Tan Drops – Super customizable, easy to use, and no weird smell.
Final Thoughts
I wanted a shortcut. A mom hack. A little glow to make me feel more human without needing 10 steps, a mitt, or a patchy leg. But Sorelle Tanning Drops are not it.
In fact, they’re the exact opposite. A scammy, shady, ineffective product dressed up in sleek marketing and fake promises.
If you’ve already bought it—don’t beat yourself up. I’ve been there. But if you’re considering buying it? Save your money, your stomach lining, and your sanity.