OT-sunless tan

[LanaJae]

I have tried just about every self tanner and gradual tanner lotion and they all smell to me. They smell good in the bottle, but after a few hours on I smell weird. Not something I can get use to. Are there any that don't smell funny?

Jen

Someone once told me it's a chemical reaction to skin and hormones so what should happen is that you either adapt to it or they all stink (if they have the same ingredient that causes the tan). I sort of think they all use a variation of the same thing. It does get better the more often you use them (or you just get used to it )

 

[battricia]

Lanajae i wonder if that is true because I've tried MANY and never noticed the smell a lot of people mentioned, and I even asked people around (my SO or my sister or mom) if they could smell it, just incase I just didn't notice it. they didn't seem to notice either.

I've tried jergens, hawaiian tropic, bbw (the true blue spa bronzing self tanner) and others, the bbw I like the best but it isn't gradual so you will get streaking at first, I usually just exfoliate and leave it a day and then reapply and it's ok.

this year i'm going to try the new jergens stuff i think. if my SO doesn't make fun of me too much - the other day he mentioned not being able to find regular lotion in the sea of self tanning lotions and that now that it's spring there will probably be even more.

tricia.

 

[senoragilbert]

Someone once told me it's a chemical reaction to skin and hormones so what should happen is that you either adapt to it or they all stink (if they have the same ingredient that causes the tan). I sort of think they all use a variation of the same thing. It does get better the more often you use them (or you just get used to it )

It IS the chemical reaction between the ingredient and your skin. And forever and ever, if I smell that, it reminds me of Junior-Senior Banquet at the first high school I ever taught at. An older teacher leaned over to me and said, "Smell that? Cheap aftershave and fake-bake!" I'll never forget it!

 

[NMW]

Are there places you can go an get a tan spray? I'm in a wedding in Aug and I hate strapless dresses. I need to do something because I'll have a tank top type tan this summer in a wedding gown. Yuck!

Sure they do. Don't you remember the Friends episode when Ross went for the spray tan and kept messing up the turning part and got sprayed repeatedly on the one side and not the other?

 

[Disneymom4123]

I did the spray tan booth and hated it Though I just recently tryed air brush tanning where someone actully does it for you and I love it It lasted for eight days and it was all even what I find with the at home tanners and the spray tan booth for me is that it all gets to be un even

 

[GraysMom]

Redhead here also... here's my question. When you go to the salon for a spray tan, how do you keep your hands from looking weird? Same thing with at home lotions. When I wash my hands afterwards, they end up lighter than my arms which looks strange to me.

I make my DH put the self tanner lotion on me so I don't have to wash my hands .

 

[Carrie772]

And so it begins the perpetual sunless tanner thread which is a sure sign that summer is about to come. I am a little disappointed that I was not the one to start it this year. I guess I have just given up b/c I just cannot get it right. I have tried just about everyone on the market. Jergens is okay but after you just get it right, then you have to scrub it off and start over.

By the way does anyone think it smells like cooked hamburgers when you used it the next day??

My husband says I smell like Crackers!!

I love Tantowels. It is basically a baby wipe in a foil packet and it is soaked with tanning liquid. I like it because I don't have to use it every day. I put a touch of body lotion on my feet, ankles, knees and elbows. When I start out I put it on one night before bed, and then use a second towel after my morning shower. That gets me plenty dark. Then I can put one on before bed every 3 or 4 days. It dries really fast, can be used on the face (and I'm super-sensitive), doesn't stain clothes, and doesn't smell as bad as the many others I've tried.

Is that a QVC product? I used to use Toma's TAnperfect but I can't find it anymore. It was really tinted like chocolate pudding so you knew exactly what you were doing.

 

[Jen76b]

My husband says I smell like Crackers!!

That is so funny... Last week I tried the Aveeno lotion. I had it on for a few hours. I was sitting with my DH on the couch and he told our dog "You stink". Turns out..it was me he was smelling

I guess my body chemistry doesn't work well with any of these products. I haven't tried any of the air brush items in a can. Maybe I'll try one and see how it works...

 

[wdwdreamin]

Redhead here too! Are the TanTowels fairly foolproof? It seems no matter how hard I try I never get it on evenly, even the gradual stuff. I still end up with weird dark spots here and there where I didn't rub it in quite well enough--places like the inside of my elbow and back of the knee, etc. The TanTowels sound great, but I'd hate to spend that much and have the same problem.

 

[here757]

i ended up trying the dove one for fair skin., i do it every other day.. i works..
but i do smell it.. not unpleasant.. just different

 

[KLAIT]

I love TanTowels...I do think they are pretty fool proof. The only suggestion that I would follow is to have a wet washcloth sitting next to the sink..once you are done with the tantowel, wipe your hands so they are not stained on the palms...

The best thing about TanTowels is that they dry superfast...with a lot of the other brands, I would get the funky behind the knee and inside elbow thing too..these things dry so fast that I don't have the problem.

If you are not sure about them, try HSN..they have a 30 day money back guarantee...you can try them and if you don't like them you can return...io did that first and now get them there or on Ebay.....

 

[here757]

checking my elbows.. LOL i did a good job.. i rub til it cant rub anymore..
i think i might try another brand when i run out.
the tanning salon is out of the question for me apparently i work same hours they do!! lol

 

[rottiemom]

I'm late to the self tanning party but wanted to share my experiences. I am very fair & wear sunscreen all year long. In spite of the constant basting with SPF50 I still get some color- not a tan, exactly but enough to give my face & arms the illusion of life.

My legs are a different story- gleaming, terrifyingly white. I have tried just about every self tanner that there is & far & away the best one (for me) is the one by Estee Lauder. It's a tinted self tanner which is great for 2 reasons. The first is that I can easily see where I've applied it so there's little chance of streaking & the second is that since it's a very mild tint I get some color on those frogbelly white legs of mine right away. I never try to go really dark with this stuff but it works very, very well & looks very "real". If I need more color on my face for any reason I use a powdered bronzer like Lancome's Star Bronzer.

Now the Estee Lauder stuff is expensive so I wait for a time that they're running a promotion to buy it. But a bottle of it also lasts me about 3 years because it's tinted & I can see exactly what's covered. Plus it really doesn't take very much.

I haven't tried the Dove ye and will probably do so, just for laughs, but I still have my bottle of Estee Lauder for backup.

I always exfoliate & moisturize before self tanning, which helps to eliminate streakiness. And always remember to was your hands really well afterwards .

Nina

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

I have used just about every self tanner out there from drug store to department store to mystic tan...

A couple weeks ago, QVC had a "Todays special value" that was or a tanning lotion by BareEscentuals. I LOVE it. My 14 yr old daughter does too, this could get expensive!! It has a nice scent and it is the color of dark chocolate pudding when you put it on so you can see exactly where it is going. This one is a keeper........... I am sure anywhere that sells BareEscentuals would carry it, like Sephora, etc.

Tip: If you put an spf lotion on your hands before applying self tanners, it gives you a little more applying time before it will start to stain your palms.!

 

[leahjade]

Man, I never knew there was such a science to this stuff! Some say moisturize before, some say after, some say exfoliate before and some after!
Why can't somewhere invent the perfect selftanner that is easy and doesn't streak!
The Dove and daily moisturizing types are just too light for me - you can't even see a difference. And then I tried Loreal deep and it gets too streaky (though the label says streakfree!) and orangy.
I may just have to keep experimenting and researching where I can get a spray tan around our little town.
Where do you buy the Tan Towels?

 

[KigerKat]

I really like the Jergens lotion that has just a small amount of sunless tanning cream. It goes on much easier and without streaks. I've used things like Neutrogena before, and I end up with blotchy spots and streaks everywhere. Plus, I think Jergens looks more natural.

I've also tried a spray in the past, and I was very disappointed with that. I had it done right before going on a cruise. I was very pleased with the intial results, but then I noticed that it was washing off in the shower and getting all over the white towels in our stateroom. I'm not sure if it was the brand of spray tan I used, but after seeing it wash away after just about 3 days I regretted getting one.

 

[CF'er]

I am currently using the Coppertone Gradual Tan. I have had a couple streaky places around the elbows and knees but have started putting lotion there before I tan. I am using it daily and have had several complements. I do like it. Very little smell, feels like regular lotion and dries quickly.

 

[leahjade]

Disneylover70 - does the bareessentials give you a dark tan without streaks? I hate to keep buying all this stuff only to throw it away, but it's so hard to find something that works like the sun!

 

[wiggles]

I also bought the bare escentuals TSV. It gives a great color and is very natural looking. no streaks for me. BUT the smell after about an hour is horrific. I put it on in the morning and showered at night and still smelled in the morning. The same as all the other brands I've tried. The smell for me last about two days and then I don't smell it anymore. I am debating on sending it back. I loved the color but I'm not sure I can handle the smell.