Tarte Brazilliance Self Tanner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4.5 stars

COST: $39

THE SKINNY: This is the only self tanner I will ever use again.

Seriously. It is nothing like every other hated self tanner I have ever tested.

Tarte Brazilliance Self Tanner looks scary when you squeeze it out of the tube. The thin lotion is a very dark brown color. But rub it in and within hours, you get a nice even bronze glow without streaks.

NO STREAKS! NO ORANGE COLOR!

Plus Tarte's formula smells nice. It almost has a chocolate aroma. (Nothing like many other self tanners with that distinct smell.)

Be warned this stuff starts working fast. (It did stain my palms a little so make sure to use the mitt to apply it.)

This tanner works for face or body and is from a trusted name -- I love Tarte products.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: Buy Tarte Brazilliance Self Tanner online right from the company. They ship fast and offer plenty of deals.

-- Tested by Carrie

Jergens Natural Glow Face

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2.5 stars

COST: $6-8

THE SKINNY: You all know by now that I am not a fan of self tanners. Moreover, I am not a fan of the self-tanner smell.

So for me to like one, it needs to work well.

Jergens Natural Glow Face with SPF 20 smelled like all those other tanners and eventually gave my fair-skinned face a hint of glow. But honestly, I get a better look with bronzer. The tan here was just way too gradual -- and smelly.

Even Jergens says this product is for fair to medium or medium to tan skin. So don't even bother if you have darker skin tones.

On the plus side, Jergens has a great moisturizer in this product. If not for the smell, I might use it everyday just to create something of a color base with daily SPF. But the smell is overpowering. And it is on your face so you can't get away from it.

If the typical self-tanner smell does not bother you, this might be a great option. But it was too much for me.

KEEP OR TOSS: I did not toss it. I plan to use it some before bed to build a base, but never before I plan to leave the house.

CHECK IT OUT: You can grab Jergens Natural Glow Face lotion almost anywhere and find out more about the product online.

-- Tested by Carrie

Lorac Face SelfTANtalizer

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3 stars

COST: $28 for 2.2 ounces

THE SKINNY: OK, I will admit I judged this product by its package. The little black pouch with the silly name -- Lorac Face SelfTANtalizer -- was almost too much for me. It sat on the counter for weeks before I opened it.

But I am glad I did.

This is one of the few self tanners I have tried with NO SMELL AT ALL. I don't know how they do it, but Lorac really needs to share the secret with the rest of the industry. (And then I might have a year-round glow.)

I did have a bit of concern when I first applied the tanner because it was dark ... and it was on my face ... and I had a meeting at work the next morning. For a moment I thought I was going to be the color of an oompa loompa. But I kept rubbing the lotion in and spreading it around my face until the color was just right.

I felt like the color lasted about two days, did not run and looked pretty natural. It never smelled, not even in the shower later on, which is when that self-tanner scent always seems to kick in.

KEEP OR TOSS: I will probably buy a tube on my next trip to Sephora. It was a great quick pick-me-up without the side effects.

CHECK IT OUT: Lorac Face SelfTANtalizer is available through beauty retailers such as Ulta and Sephora.

-- Tested by Carrie

Tan Towel

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $27 for 10 sheets

THE SKINNY: This may be the most disastrous experience I've ever had with self-tanner. My feet look as though I've walked through orange clay. But I blame all that on first-time user error and see great potential in this product.

Tan towel is basically a big wet wipe, and just a little damper than the wipes I use to clean my kitchen counters. One tan towel is about the size of a paper towel. It smells horrible, kind of a combination of orange and bug spray.

You wipe the skin you want to tan with the towel, using small, circular motions. Then wash your hands and wait. In several hours, that skin will take on a sun-kissed glow that lasts the typical time of all self-tanners.

The smell also takes several hours to go away, so be prepared.

It's super easy to use, but, as I found out, you still have to be meticulous. I missed a few spots, and it's really easy to tell (and rather difficult to get rid of). So go slow.

You need the right color. My towel came in a sample pack and wasn't marked with "fair to medium" or "medium to dark." Given that my skin is a little on the orange side and all the other tanners in the box were medium to dark, I think my sample was the latter. It's much too dark for my fair skin.

Also, if you have dark spots, this will make them appear darker, just like any other self-tanner.

Wash your hands well immediately after applying. I'd also suggest not using this product on your feet or your face, at least until you know how your skin will react.

I applied this at night, and by morning the towel had done it's magic (much to my horror the first time around).

But despite all my issues, I do think this is the easiest self-tanner I've tried to date. And for the price, I think I'll keep experimenting, although perhaps with the fair-to-medium shade.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: See all the Tan Towel products and before-and-afterp pictures on the company website. They often run specials, too.

-- Tested by Shay

tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2 stars

COST: $29

THE SKINNY: I keep using this bronzer and not really seeing anything change after the brush sweeps across my cheeks. So I'm really not sure why I'm using it.

This bronzer in the Park Avenue Princess (it's a gold tone) doesn't do much for my fair skin. I've had better luck and color from the Sephora Collection bronzer, which is half the cost.

The good? This is a mineral bronzer that's talc-free and claims to allow the skin to breathe.

Maybe I need to try the other color, Hotel Heiress, which is more bronze in color.

KEEP OR TOSS: Toss. I'm not a fan of using makeup that I can't see.

CHECK IT OUT: Learn more about the Amazonian line from tarte and look for sales online.

-- Tested by Shay

Jane Iredale Tantasia

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2 stars

COST: $36

THE SKINNY: OK, I admit that I have gone a little crazy with the self-tanners recently. But my pale skin needs help before I break out the capris.

Jane Iredale Tantasia provided some of that relief. But I am a little torn on how I feel about it.

The self tanner had none of the gross self-tanner smell. (This is the fist one I have tried that did not have any odor at all.) But ... it was an odd-brownish orange color right out of the tube. I could actually see it coloring my skin.

Or so I thought. Despite the dark-colored cream I did not notice much of a tanning effect. Correction: My hands bronzed immediately but I was able to wash it off with soap.

Honestly, this tanner just freaked me out a bit with the odd coloring and the wash-away effect. But I really do love that it does not have self-tanner stink.

KEEP OR TOSS: Toss. I won't be coming back to this one.

CHECK IT OUT: You can try it for yourself, but know that Jane Iredale Tantasia is an expensive product that does not seem to be widely available.

-- Tested by Carrie

Neutrogena MicroMist Airbrush Sunless Tan

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $10 for 5.3 ounces

THE SKINNY: Now that summer is just around the corner, I know that we are all looking for ways to get that sun-kissed look without actually laying out and damaging our skin. Sunless tanners are the simplest (and most skin-safe) option.

Neutrogena MicroMist Airbrush Sunless Tan is one of my new favorites. It sprays on easy, although you should still rub it in and sets without streaking or looking too fake. 

The biggest perk of this tanner is speed. The "airbrush" formula seems to add color within minutes and can be reapplied every couple hours for a quick tan. (I have used this a couple times for special events and it worked great!)

There is a downside. It totally has the self-tanner smell. And it is not pleasant. My suggestion? Use the tanner before bed and shower away the smell before you head out the next day. 

I have also found that too many applications on my fair skin will turn a little orange-ish. (This is for a subtle tan; it will not make you look like a Hawaiian Tropic girl.)

The nice color, though, makes it worth the extra hassle.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. I have not found a better way to develop a quick tan.

CHECK IT OUT: You can pick Neutrogena MicroMist Airbrush Sunless Tan at drugstores and online. You can find out more and read a few other customer reviews on the Neutrogena website.

-- Tested by Carrie

Nivea Sun-Kissed Beautiful Legs

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $10 for 6.7 ounces

THE SKINNY: With spring here, I could not help but go back and test another self-tanner. (I have been trying ... and tossing the things for years.)

Nivea Sun-Kissed Beautiful Legs is different. I've been using it for a week now and have to say it is the best lotion/cream self tanner I have tried. It goes on smooth and does not have the super-strong, clinical potent odor that all self-tanners seem to possess.

But it does have a smell, just not a really potent one. I did not even start to notice it until a day or two in. But the good news is you are using on your legs, not your neck.

The result -- I have been using fair to medium -- is a subtle (code word for light) darkening that is not orange. This lotion also has a bonus, it also contains a shave minimizer and the moisture seems to last and last. Lasting moisture has always been a problem for me with other self-tanners.

Just remember as with any self tanners, the more you apply the more of a result you will see. You also want to always apply to clean, dry skin evenly. And make sure to wash your hands immediately; tan palms look odd on everyone.

KEEP OR TOSS: This will probably be my spring staple. I really like the look I am getting. My skin is not so pasty white and I am capri-ready!

CHECK IT OUT: Find out more about Sun-Kissed Beautiful Legs, application tips and where to buy (drugstores) on the Nivea website.

-- Tested by Carrie