I Tried Four Different Self-Tanners To See Which One Worked Best

I became orange so that you (hopefully) don’t have to.

Hi, it's me, Lara. Like many people, I like having a nice ~summer glow~ to my skin. But I don't like skin damage, wrinkles, and sunburn.

And contrary to what this picture might suggest, I don't like looking orange! So on my quest to find the perfect summer glow without looking like a tangerine, I decided to try out four different and popular self-tanners to see which one worked best.

For some background, I'm part Lebanese and find that my skin tends to tan pretty easily with little sun exposure. But in recent years, I've become much more mindful of UV damage and have opted out of spending too much time in the sun.

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So I chose four of the most popular self-tanners on the market to see which one worked the best.

These are the tanners I decided to try out:

1. Jergens Natural Glow ($8.21)
2. L'Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Body Towelettes ($8.16)
3. St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse ($27.95)
4. Kardashian Instant Sunless Spray ($17.10)

Jergens, L'Oreal, St. Tropez, Kardashian

I rated each self-tanner on overall product, usability, durability, and of course how the tan actually looked! And to ensure accuracy, I waited at least a week in between to let my skin recover and become its natural color again. I also used lemon juice to remove prior color when necessary. #Hack.

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer ($8.21)

When I think about using this product, I am filled with one overwhelming thought and memory which is that this stuff SMELLS. I hate the smell of this. It lingers, and never truly goes away. If I had to describe the smell, I would say it smells like a plastic bottle full of chemicals that you left sitting in the sun for six hours. Hot, melted, gooey chemical smell. This formula also leaves you feeling sticky and residue-y. I found that I preferred putting it on at night because then it didn't feel as sticky all day, but the downside is that my sheets and blankets reeked and felt sticky.

As far as overall color? Not so great for an instant tan, but decent for a gradual color. It takes several days to show up, and when it does, it's so subtle you honestly don't even know it's there. It takes effort to get the color! Which could be a good thing, depending on what you're looking for in a self-tanner. But beware of putting this anywhere near your armpits. You'll never recover from the smell. I'm not sure why, probably some sort of technical term, but armpit sweat mixed with this self-tanner = death. TL;DR: The color doesn't last or show up to the party until late, it smells, and it's sticky. But, it's affordable. So if you're looking for a very subtle color with little hassle, this one is for you. It's not for me, ever again.

Overall Rating: 4/10

Macey J. Foronda for BuzzFeed

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