I Tried Beginner Friendly Tanning Lotions– Here’s a Few That Didn’t Suck

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With summer (and social events) coming up soon, I’ve been wanting a bit more color, but the days of baking in the sun like I used to as a teenager are long gone. Nowadays I’m all about protecting my skin from UV damage (as warned by my mom and everyone else). While I’ve always been curious about self tanning, the common mousse and mitt application seemed intimidating for me as a beginner.

Now enter gradual tanning lotions. The idea of getting a sunless glow from simply applying lotion was appealing to me. It sounded much easier and lower maintenance, so I picked up some of the most popular ones with “glowing” reviews (ha, get it?) to see which was best.

Test Method

To compare them, each product was used as instructed, then I observed how they held up and faded. Before applying, you have to thoroughly exfoliate and sometimes moisturize, especially around the knees, ankles, and elbows to avoid patchiness. Fake tans tend to collect at those areas a lot more.

What I’m looking out for:

• Ease of application
• Smell (fake tans are notorious for smelling bad)
• Transfer to clothing
• Natural looking color
• Even fading

Budget Gradual Tanning Lotions

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer comes off just like a typical drugstore lotion. It has a light texture and a very mild fragrance. After my colleague applied it, it absorbed right away and left a dry touch on the skin. She said she was able to put on her pajamas with very little downtime, and it didn’t transfer.