★★★★★ 3
50/50 - Honest and Fair review
Color: Dark, Size: 16 Fl Oz (Pack of 1), Color: Dark, Size: 16 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
So… I bought the “glow your own way” in “darkest”. As soon as it came, immediately I read the back for timing instructions… there’s absolutely no mention of time to keep on. To be honest, that turned me off immediately especially for someone that may be new to self tanning, they would have had no idea. I had a little bit of an idea so I went with eight hours, wash off with warm water and apply moisturizer. Says “rinse free” but you have to rinse! The DHA in the tan gel that makes your color darken will only continue to develop over the next 24-30hrs AFTER YOU RINSE OFF! If you do not rinse for an extended period of time thinking the color will make you darker and darker until you look like JLO, the DHA can actually start to diminish, and your skin will begin to dry out being the tanner is now over process. I would not go over 12hrs AT THE MOST before finishing off. That being said, this also didn’t not say if I could rinse with warm water, warm water and soap, a full blown shower, and for someone new to this - they would have no idea. Not cool!
Smell - the first pump into my hands was a mix of bad coconuts, tanner, and chemically nauseating but once it was on and dried it was much better. The “fake” tan smell wasn’t as strong as others I’ve used which I very much appreciated. I did my over night so I wasn’t too worried about the smell, if you do tan during the day, your self tanner odor will be noticed.
Picture #2 - I did not apply to my hands. My hands are very dry from cleaning, doing dishes, being a mom and wife. The only thing they need is moisturizer so I opted to not apply on my old man hands. I’m coming up on hour eight and you can see the subtle difference between my wrist and my hand color. Hoping the DHA will develop more over the next day and the color will darken (I will let you know if I remember). I did NOT see a huge difference to my light olive complexion and that was disappointing. This gel in “darkest” should have been a great match for my skin tone.
Overall the smell was low after applying, the get dried very quickly which was a HUGE bonus to me! At the end of the night, speedy is the best thing for me! The subtle color this gave me was not worth it, I am hoping it darkens up over the next 24hrs. Maybe I got a faulty solution in mine.
If you’re a beginner, here’s your guide to timing and rinsing and I wouldn’t say not to try. The clear solution is beneficial and the quick drying was awesome. But if you’re looking for a deep, dark color, you’re not going get it from this which is a bummer.
Hope this helped!
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Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2025
