We Tried St. Tropez's Self-Tanning Sheet Mask — & Here's What Happened

If you're a fan of self-tanner, you know one thing to be true: There's nothing better than having a sun-kissed face. (Otherwise, why else would we reach for bronzing powders so frequently?) But getting a faux glow above the neck isn't as easy a task as it is for your body. A lot of formulas are heavy, pore-clogging, or make you look completely orange. Most of the time, your only option is to furiously blend a whole pan of bronzer from your forehead to your neck, so the full-body tan appears seamless. If only there was something better, easier, faster. Luckily, St. Tropez is serving us just that with a first-ever self-tanning sheet mask.

The hype is real, but how does it work? If you hate sheet masks, then you won't dig this innovation. St. Tropez's new Self Tan Express Sheet Mask works the same exact way as the K-beauty staple. Peel the white cotton mask out of the packaging and place it carefully on the face. The DHA-spiked formula is encapsulated in a clear liquid that not only tans the skin, but hydrates it with hyaluronic acid as well. Leave the mask on for five to 15 minutes, depending on your preferred tan intensity (five minutes for a light glow, 10 minutes for a medium tan, and 15 minutes for a dark bronze). The promise? Within a few hours, your tan will fully develop to make you look fresh-off-the-yacht good.

Because I like my tan somewhere between no-I-didn't-die-a-week-ago and I-just-got-back-from-a-long-weekend-in-Florida, I left the mask on for seven minutes. Immediately after peeling it off, I massaged the serum all over my face and down my neck — just like you would during a regular sheet mask treatment. Then you should wash your hands, but I forgot, because I didn't think the tanner would be that intense. Well, I was wrong. I woke up the next morning with brown stains all over my fingertips, but I wasn't mad. That meant it worked. In the mirror, my face looked radiant, bright, and tan. No streaks on my face, no stains on my pillowcase, and it took little effort. I could once, for the first time in my life, say, "I woke up like this."

Sadly, the mask doesn't officially launch until May 22, where it will be sold exclusively on Sephora's site for $9 each. It's the average price of any other sheet mask, but considering the added benefit of a full-on glow — we'd shell out the money and buy in bulk.