TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.3*
Why: "A bunch of us used this while on vacation at the beach and we all burned in splotches and streaks. It's not like we don't know how to use a spray, but it seems to come out stronger in the middle, and then lighter on the side, so it does not go on evenly. Even when we rubbed it in, it did not help � Never again." One woman also used this product on vacation saying, "I used this recently while at the lake. Since I had forgotten my face sunscreen, I used this on my face since it burns so easily. First, it burned like crazy and then within minutes, it dripped off from the heat and into my eyes. Not fun. When I used it on my arms, I ended up with streaks and blotches of sunburn. I would not recommend this at all." One woman warns readers, "trusted, well-known brand or not, I wouldn't trust this stuff."
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 4.2*
Why:
One reader rants, "don't do it! This is a terrible, and rather pricey, self tanner. They weren't kidding when they called this 'instant'. This product stains your hands so fast you have to scrub them with soap and water EVERY time you pump it on your hands. Otherwise your palms are stained FOR DAYS. Because you don't have much time to work with before it sets, you end up frantically trying to smooth out streaks. The worst thing about it? If you get a tiny drop of water on your "tan" you'll get a noticeable water spot. This is just a really bad product." Another reader says, "only use this if you want to look like a freaky orange monkey!" And she adds, "don't buy this product intentionally." Another reviewer says that this is the "worst self tanner I have ever used. Smells horrible. Too expensive. Streaks bad [and] takes forever to put on too."
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 3.8*
Why: Readers say this product is "splotchy," a "sunless streaking lotion" and that "you get what you pay for." One woman says, "I am a big fan of sunless tanners, but this one did not meet my expectations. The color didn't look natural and I had a hard time applying an even tan because it was streaky -- especially near my knees and elbows. This lotion doesn't dry your skin, but doesn't give it a great color either." Another reader was a bit more upset saying, "yuck! Cheap and stinky. I hurried home to shower off the embarrassing odor. Don't waste your time or clothing on this product." One woman said she "looked like I painted myself with polka dots" after using the product, while another says to use it only if want to look "like a brown zebra!"
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 3.8*
Why: Readers with oily skin did not like this product saying it exacerbated their problems. "Unfortunately my skin tends to be oily. I thought I would give this product a try thinking it would be nice to have an SPF and mattifier in one. Not only did it NOT help to control oil breakthrough, it seemed to clump when I applied any makeup on top of it. My makeup felt cakey and my skin seemed more oily. I was not pleased with this product at all." Another reader agrees saying, "this made my face more oily and I had more breakouts � than ever before" while one says, "I have terribly oily skin as well and this just sat on the top of my skin and gave me an ashy, sickly look."
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 3.2*
Why: One woman says, "wanna look like an orange?" then use this. Adding the product "should be named 'tang glow." Another reader says, "I turned orange like the drink mix Tang. The foam was easy to apply, but did not stay on my skin (rubbed off even when I dried out and did not wear tight clothing for over an hour later)." Another reviewer says she, "did not like it at all! Since it wasn't a lotion, my skin didn't feel moisturized after using it, and the blending was difficult. My tan ended up looking blotchy, and my skin still smelled weird when it dried." One woman says, "I usually love Neutrogena makeup and skin care products, but every Neutrogena sunless tanner I have tried (especially this one!) is terrible. I tried this foam several years ago when it first came out and the experience was so awful I remember it to this day. It was so orange and streaky and it smells disgusting." Bottom line: "It deserves minus one star. I had to throw it away, don't waste your money," says a reader.
Warmer, sunnier, longer days equal more skin exposure, which means you need to protect yourself from the elements while trying to look your best in the sweltering heat. Since you spend more time pool- and beach-side in the summer, you use things like sunscreen to keep burns away, and you likely rely on self-tanning products to fake a faux, bronzed glow. But what happens when these skin care products don't deliver?
It's not pretty, that much is for sure. Our readers can attest to that fact since they tried out this list of the 9 worst summer skin care products. They had to deal with everything from greasy, chunky, chalky-looking sunscreen to self-tanning products that yielded nightmare-ish streaks and Oompa Loompa-orange results. But lucky for you, you can read their comments to learn which summer skin care products to avoid.
So what summer beauty products should you use? Glad you asked. Check out these winning beauty products (just skip the "worst" ones):
