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Best Streak-Free Self Tanners

SommerNielsen | Jun 13, 2011 |

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Achieving a perfect, natural looking fake tan is not always an easy feat. There's the important prep stage, the difficult application process, and weeding through all of the availble brands to find one that works. There are plenty of top-rated, award-winning self-tanners on the market, but there isn’t one brand that will work brilliantly for every person. Oily skin types may get better results using a gel or spray while dry skin types may get better results using a cream or lotion. To make the first step to achieving the perfect fake tan a little easier, listed below are some of the best, customer top-rated and/or award-winning streak-free self-tanners on the market.

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse, $30 for 4 oz, $40 for 8 oz Sephora.com

** Won InStyle Best Beauty Buys Awards 2011, The Sunday Times Style Beauty Awards 2009 & 2010 for Best Self Tan for Face & Body, Fabulous Magazine Best Fake Tan 2010, Cosmopolitan Beauty Awards 2009 Best Body Self Tan, Company Magazine Best Self Tan 2011, (sttropeztan.com/awards).

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse is one of the best streak free self-tanners with multiple awards to prove it. It stands out above the rest because of the gorgeous dark brown, natural-looking color it creates, its special fragrance technology that prevents that awful smell, and its easy-to-apply tinted foam. St. Tropez doesn't contain parabens. It does contain the main natural ingredient in all self tanners, DHA, plus Eythrose, an ingredient from raspberries that helps provide a more moisturized, even tan (st-tropez.com/faqs). A possible con for some is its fast drying time.

Banana Boat Summer Color Self Tanning Lotion-Deep Dark, $6.69 for 6 oz Drugstore.com

This is a drugstore brand, but its top consumer reviews make it one of the best on the market. It rates 4.5 out of 5 out of 190 reviews on drugstores.com, as of June 2011. I have personally used this brand in the light/medium and it applied easily like a non-greasy lotion, didn’t turn out streaky at all, and the smell wasn’t overpowering. Like all the sunless-tanning lotions mentioned, this tanner produces a natural looking fake tan. It has a color guide and is self-adjusting; the more you add the deeper the tan becomes.

Fake Bake Sunless Self-Tanning Lotion, $29 for 6 oz Dermstore.com

** Voted Best Self Tanner by New York Times (fakebake.co.uk)

Contains color guide for fool-proof application. According to Fake Bake’s official website, their product has Erythulose, and ingredient that makes the fake tan last longer and provides a more natural-looking color (fakebake.co.uk). Creates a dark color, goes on smoothly to prevent steaks, and is skin moisturizing.

Clarins Self-Tanning Instant Tan Gel, $33 for 4.4 oz Sephora.com

**Won Allure Readers Choice Beauty Award 2005, Allure Beauty Award 2006 & 2007, Glamour Glammy Award 2007 (Clarins.com).

Like St. Tropez, this sunless tanning gel stands out because of the natural-looking color it creates and its streak-free results. The oil-free gel consistency glides over the skin and has a color guide. Contains caramel, aloe vera, vitamin E, and cocoa extract.

Jergens Natural Glow Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer, $7.87 for 7.5 oz WalMart.com

** Won Allure Best of Beauty 2006 (allure.com), Allure Reader’s Choice Award 2005 through 2011 (allure.com), Seventeen 2010 Best Beauty Award besties winner (jergens.com), and Teen Vogue 2010 Readers’ Choice Award Best Self Tanner (jergens.com).

Jergens gradual tanning lotions are great because they are so easy to apply. I've tried this one and it has a non-greasy, silky consistency. It also didn't streak at all without putting in much effort. It comes in 2 formulas: Fair to Medium and Medium to Dark. Jergens’ Natural Glow line also includes Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer, Natural Glow Express Body Moisturizer, Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer, Natural Glow Healthy Complexion Daily Moisturizer with SPF 20. Some cons include a strong perfume smell. Wal-Mart carries a knock off generic brand by Equate called Equate Healthy Glow. I smelled it in the store and it doesn’t have nearly as strong of a fragrance smell as Jergens and could be a great, cheaper alternative.

Beautisol Summer Glow- Dark Self-Tanning Lotion for Body, $39 for 6 oz Beautisol.com

** Top-rated by beauty bloggers (Beautisol.com/Bloggers.aspx)

Beautisol sunless tanning lotions will not make your skin turn orange or yellow. It creates a slightly pinkish color--a highly natural-looking flushed glow. It has a dark color guide bronzer and application instructions for streak-free results. Check out Beautisol’s website for other formulations and impressive before and after photos. Beautisol offers formulations for dry and oily skin. Works well for all skin tones, even the palest. Doesn’t contain parabens. This would make a great sunless tanning lotion for men due to its believable, subtle color and scent.

Other Sunless Tanning Products to Try

Origins the Great Pretender Shimmery Self Tanner
Lorac Tantalizer
Bare Escentuals Faux Tan
Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pad
L'Oreal Dermo-Expertise Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Lotion
Bliss A Tan For All Seasons
Bain de Soleil Mega Tan Sunscreen With Self Tanner
L'Oreal Body Expertise Sublime Glow Daily Moisturizer
St Moriz Mousse
Xen-Tan Tanning Products
Caribbean Solutions Beach Colours Self Tanner
Lavera
Jan Marini Bioglycolic Sunless
NeoStrata Insta-Tan
Sephora Body Self-Tanning Tinted Bronzing Mist
MysticSunless Bronzing Foam
Sun Laboratories
Dove Energy Glow
Equate Healthy Glow
Mystic Tan
Tan Towel
Hawaiian Tropic Island Radiance