Form: Tinted Cream
Tester rating: So-so
Review: "This appropriately named cream smelled vaguely like chocolate and had the consistency and color of caramel pudding. Unfortunately, its promising name and luxurious feel didn't protect me from the inevitable dihydroxyacetone (DHA) smell. Tinted color made for easy, streak-free application. The cream took about five minutes to dry, though I waited 15 to get dressed. After about four or five hours, color looked medium/deep, slightly orange-y brown -- two shades darker than my light olive skin. I found that one application every three days best maintained the optimal golden glow. (But be careful; it can make cuticles brown for a few days.)" -- Lucy
Form: Gradual tan building lotion
Tester rating: Excellent
Review: "I saw a 'warming up' of my skin color (naturally very light with yellow undertones) within 10 minutes after the first application of Jergens Natural Glow Express Body Moisturizer. The effect was similar to that of putting on a slightly darker foundation. The tinted product dried in just a few minutes and produced full, warm and natural (not orange) color after three applications. Results lasted about three days and weren't dramatic, but I didn't want to go from white to brown instantly [nor did I want] streaks, missed spots, or worse, tan hands. I exfoliated with scrub gloves before applying and yes, had [uneven] areas, but they weren't as bad as they would've been with more rapidly developing self tanner. (Also, the DHA smell was barely noticeable, if at all.)" -- Susin
With a new crop of self tanners debuting annually, it's hard to spot the bronzing beauties among the bad seeds. Our panel of testers spent a week trying the latest and reportedly greatest bottled tans to hit the shelves -- from rich, tinted creams to hi-tech mists. Find out which formulas won them over and which made them streaky.
