Coco and Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam vs Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse

I’ve seen more and more social media posts about Coco & Eve self-tanning mousses lately, and it’s made me really curious to try them out. If you’ve visited my website before, you know I’m all about searching for the most low-maintenance, easy to apply self-tanner that gives me a natural tan but doesn’t require its own routine each week. And while I’m pale, I want noticeable (yet still natural) results - there’s nothing worse than applying self-tanner for hours only to look the same the next day.

Coco & Eve has standard self-tanning formulas, as well as an Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse, and I wanted to try out both because while I prefer an express formula, the standard Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam seems to be more well-loved.

I decided to test both of these tanners out and compare the results side by side (as well as compare the express formula to the cult-favorite Loving Tan 2 HR Express Mousse in Dark).

Keep reading for my full review, shade comparison, application tips, and which formula I like most and would recommend.

coco and eve sunny honey bali bronzing foam in dark before and after

coco and eve sunny honey bali bronzing foam dark review and application tips

Coco and Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam is a generally good tanner. What’s interesting about this tanner is that the color guard is green-grey in color than brown, so that you don’t look orange. You 100% have to shake the bottle first, or else the tanner comes out blue - I looked like a Smurf for a second, but my tan wasn’t affected. The color guard didn’t stain my clothes, but I do think they’d stain sheets if you slept in it, so I recommend washing it off before bed (my tan time was 4-10pm).

The tanner itself starts off with a strong fruity smell, but it quickly transitions into the not-so-great self-tanner smell quickly (which lingered the next day, even though I showered). You’re meant to leave this one on for 6+ hours, and it takes a full 24 hours to see the full results. It dries down well, but still remains a little sticky.

The tan was one of the deeper tans I’ve gotten from a self-tanning mousse; I probably could’ve gone with the Medium shade, but I would rather wash Dark off after 4 hours than leave Medium on for a full 6, if that makes sense.

That being said, the tan wasn’t very long lasting. The brand’s website specifically says to repeat the self-tanning process every 5-7 days, and I found that to be true with this tanner. It was a great tan day 1, a little less day 2, much lighter day 3, and washed off fully on day 4. Usually I need an extra day or two before I’m ready to apply self-tanner again, but I could’ve reapplied on day 5 easily. I do work out and shower daily, but other self-tanners I’ve tried still last a full week, so I would not recommend this if you take multiple showers a day/ swim a lot or want a tan that will last throughout a tropical/ beachy vacation.

All things considered, the Coco and Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam is a good self-tanner, but not one of the best. It’s easy to use, gives you a noticeably deeper tan, and isn’t too sticky. However, it doesn’t last very long and if you’re sensitive to fragrance (either perfume or the self-tanner smell), you won’t love this one. I also found that even though the color guard is green-grey, I looked a little more orange/ bronze than with other self-tanners I’ve used.

tips for applying coco and eve sunny honey bali bronzing foam in dark

  • The day before you tan, exfoliate. The day of your tan, shower and leave your skin bare - no lotion, moisturizers, or oils.

  • Next, prep your skin by applying regular lotion as a barrier cream on drier areas like elbows, knees, and ankles.

  • Use a mitt for a streak-free application that won’t stain your hands.

  • Use a brush to buff in the product and help blend out trickier areas like elbows, wrists, knees and ankles.

  • The tan dries down, yet feels a little sticky, so wear dark clothes to color guard transfer.

  • I left this tanner on for 6 hours; the website says 6+ hours, but I wouldn’t recommend sleeping in it as the color guard might stain your sheets.

  • After showering, I didn’t notice any hint of a tan, but when I woke up the next morning, the results were noticeable yet subtle. It takes a full 24 hours to see your max tan.

coco and eve express tanning antioxidant mousse before and after

coco and eve express tanning antioxidant mousse review and application tips

The Coco and Eve Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse is easy to use. It has a brown color guard, which helps you ensure an even application. The formula is thinner than other self-tanners I’ve tried, so make sure you really shake it before using, and I applied two coats since it was so thin. I will say that this self-tanning mousse is STICKY. You’ll want a blending brush to ensure even application. I personally wear my hair up when I apply self-tanner, but it felt like this mousse caught onto every stray hair at the back of my neck, and I would’ve had creases in my tan had I not had a blending brush.

The stickiness never really went away, so wear dark clothes and avoid sitting on light-colored furniture as the color guard might stain. This is an express formula so you won’t need to sleep in it overnight, but I could see it staining sheets, too.

The Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse has less of a fruity scent than the Bali Bronzing Mousse, but you still end up with the self-tanner smell after a few hours. You’re meant to leave this tanner on for at least one hour; I left it on for two because I also wanted to be able to compare it to the Loving Tan 2 HR Express Mousse (see my comparison photo below).

As far as the tan goes, the Coco and Eve Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse definitely works. My tan was dark; I’d probably only wear it for one hour in the future, especially since it is so sticky. The tan did look a little orange to me, but my boyfriend (harshest critic haha) said it looked natural. I also received two compliments from strangers so I wouldn’t say it’s too orange, and I think this formula would work on a variety of skin tones, not just those who are super pale like me.

The tan started fading after day 2, and I scrubbed it off on day 5. That’s still a little shorter than I’d like from a self-tanner, but I found it to last longer than the Bali Bronzing Mousse so I find myself reaching for the express formula more often than the standard formula.

tips for applying coco and eve express tanning antioxidant mousse

  • The Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse has essentially the same formula and applies virtually the same as the Bali Bronzing Mousse, so the same tips apply - exfoliate, use a mitt, and apply a barrier cream to drier spots like elbows and ankles.

  • The formula is thin, so you can apply a second coat if you want (I did). But if you’re new to tanning or want subtle results, one coat will work well, too.

  • You absolutely will want to use a blending brush to buff in the product and help blend out trickier areas like elbows, wrists, knees and ankles. This is a super sticky formula, so I also used it around my hairline and back of neck, since every baby hair seemed to stick to this tanner.

  • Because it’s so sticky, I recommend wearing dark clothes as the color guard that could transfer. Also avoid light-colored furniture, or lay a towel down just in case.

  • The mousse only needs one hour to develop before you can wash it off. I left it on for 2, but wouldn’t recommend leaving it on for more than 4 hours, especially if you apply a second coat.

coco and eve sunny honey bali bronzing foam vs express tanning antioxidant mousse vs express tanning antioxidant mousse results

is coco and eve sunny honey bali bronzing foam vs express tanning antioxidant mousse vs express tanning antioxidant mousse better?

Overall, comparing the results of Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam and Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse side to side in different lighting (not just in the pictures I’ve posted), both shades give you a really similar tan. Both tanners are fairly easy to use and will give you a noticeable yet vacation-like tan, but there are a few key differences:

And as far as comparing the Coco and Eve Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse to another beloved express tanner, the Loving Tan 2 HR Express Mousse, I found that:

coco and eve express tanning antioxidant mousse vs loving tan 2 HR express mousse in dark

where to coco and eve self-tanning mousses

Coco and Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam retails for $38, and the Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse retails for $39, which is around the same (or slightly cheaper) than other self-tanning products. I highly recommend subscribing on Amazon if you are a regular tanner; you’ll never run out and receive an automatic discount code of 5-10%, so you don’t have to wait for sales. Coco and Eve products are also sold directly on their website as well as at Ulta and Revolve, so if you belong to any of those loyalty programs, it may be worth it to earn (or use) your points there.

FAQs about coco and eve express tanning antioxidant mousse

what shade coco and even tanning mousse should i get?

If you’re using the Coco and Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam, I recommend Medium or Dark for fair skin tones, and Dark or Ultra Dark for medium to deep skin tones.

If you are someone who wants a deep tan or you don’t want to have to leave the tan on for a long time, get the darker of the two shades I mentioned. If you’re new to tanning, want a subtle tan, or are fine to leave the tan on for 6+ hours, get the lighter shade.

There’s only one shade of the Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse available; you can adjust your results based on how many coats/ how long you leave the mousse on for. I recommend 1 coat, 1 hour for light skin tones, 2 coats, 1-2 hours for light to medium skin tones, and 2 coats, 2 hours for darker skin tones.

can you apply coco and eve express tanning antioxidant mousse to your face?

I think you could, but I would say to only leave it on for half the time at most (like 30 minutes). That being said, I prefer the results of tanning drops instead.

is coco and eve express tanning antioxidant mousse suitable for sensitive skin?

Yes. My skin is extremely sensitive and I did not get a reaction. If you have sensitive skin, I’d recommend doing a patch test or only applying one coat and leaving it on for one hour versus two coats/ leaving it on for 2+ hours.

does coco and eve express tanning antioxidant mousse break you out?

Not in my experience. My friends who are more acne-prone haven’t had a problem either, but I would consult with your dermatologist if you are concerned.

how long does it take for the tan to develop?

You apply Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse for at least one hour, and you may notice a slight tan after washing it off. The tan will be fully developed about 24 hours after application (as seen in my photos).

how long does the tan last?

The Coco and Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam lasts 3-4 days, whereas the Express Tanning Antioxidant Mousse lasts a full 5 days.

is coco and eve express tanning antioxidant mousse easy to remove?

Yes, it faded gradually and on day 5, I used an exfoliating mitt to gently buff any remaining tanner off. It was gone after that, whereas sometimes other self-tanners require 2 rounds of exfoliation.