TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 7.1*
Why to avoid it: "This is nasty. It reeks of chemicals, it has no accuracy whatsoever on the dial, and it takes MANY applications to work. Just buy a cheaper instant one ya'll! This is a terrible product. just so you can get the picture: It reeks so bad, I HAVE to give it a 2 [rating]." -- Kenya, Total Beauty reader
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 6.9*
Why to avoid it: "My main complaint is with the formula. This product resulted in a streaky mess in my hands. I don't know why this would be as I followed all the usual self-tanning guidelines (exfoliate, use on dry skin, etc.). I rubbed and rubbed and rubbed and still could not get it to look uniform. Finally, I gave up in frustration, knowing that I would be looking at streaky legs for the next week, which I was. To add insult to injury, the scent was the usual toxic self-tanner scent and not pleasing in any way." -- talk2uranalyst, Total Beauty reader
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 6.9*
Why to avoid it: "I was disappointed with this product. It took so long to dry and left my skin feeling sticky. The smell is horrible too. It gave my face nice color, but I couldn't get over the sticky feeling and bad smell to use it for more than a couple of days." -- dancarina, Total Beauty reader
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 6.3*
Why to avoid it: "[The] label should read: Warning you may be mistaken for a pumpkin. [It's the] worst tanner I have ever used -- turns you a fake orange color. Don't waste your money!!!" -- Katie, Total Beauty reader
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 6.2*
Why to avoid it: "It smells like copper and did not build a tan for me whatsoever. It washed off right away and I was back to my medium skin tone. It makes my face too shiny, which makes me look greasy, and I have some acne and it only accentuated the redness of the pimple." -- crazy4tennis, Total Beauty reader
A bad faux body tan is the equivalent of an obvious toupee: everyone knows it's fake, whispers and snickers abound, and serious judgment is made about the wearer's
taste and maybe even their character. Harsh? Perhaps, but if you've made a snide remark about Lindsay Lohan's orange glow or been on a blind date with a man wearing a rug on his head, you know what we're talking about.
With that comparison, hopefully we've convinced you that a bad, streaky, or orange fake body tan is something to avoid at all costs. This should not, however, scare you out of actively seeking a natural looking glow -- it should just warn you that not all self-tanners are created equal.
Some do what they promise, giving you a UV-free week's worth of fun in the sun conveniently packed into one little bottle, while others leave your body striped, orange and stinky. To help you steer clear of any potential faux tan disasters, we've combed through thousands of reviews to find out which self-tanners you should avoid with a ten-foot limbo poll (sorry, the promise of a perfect tan always makes us think of rockin' beach party).
So before you reach for what sounds like Bahamas-in-a-bottle and slather it all over your body, make sure it didn't make this list of the 7 self-tanners women say stink.
