The Battle of the Gradual Tan

My name is Amrita and I have never self tanned. I have never shovelled on any kind of tan that requires a glove or a mitt purely because I am frightened of the dreaded "Towie-Tan" and just generally being Tangoed within an inch of my life. It's not that I've never been tempted because I have, on several occasions, picked up a bottle of self-tan and psyched myself up only to retrace my steps and come to the conclusion that things like this only end badly. With that being said, I decided to go for the almost-natural look by using gradual tanners instead because I figured that the worst thing that could happen would be I had overly moisturised legs.

The three gradual tanners I've been using are:

(L-R)
*Sienna X Extend and Perfect Gradual Tan
*Melvita ProSun Gradual Self Tanning Moisturising Gel Cream
Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion Sun-Kissed Look

Swatches:

I've decided to break the review up so it makes it slightly easier to digest and you can scroll down to the bit that you're most interested in.

Sienna X Extend and Perfect Gradual Tan - Available from the Sienna X website for £15.95

Texture and Consistency

A creamy texture that absorbed really easily in to my skin and didn't leave any residue on the surface.

Smell

Definitely a cake smell but not overpowering and not as bad as some of the other gradual tans or self tans I've smelt. I always see people saying that their tan smells like biscuits, surely that's a good thing though? Who doesn't like biscuits?

Finish

As mentioned already in the Texture and Consistency bit, the tanner absorbed right into my skin and didn't leave any tell-tale streaks or residue. The thickness of the product ensured that my products looked moisturised for most of the day.

Longevity

I used this religiously for two weeks and applied it twice a day but saw very little difference in the colour of my legs (I used it on my legs because they are the pastiest part of my body) which was quite disappointing. 

Tango-Factor

Zero. Not even remotely orange, or beige. This definitely wasn't the product for me but it might work better on someone who is already tanned and just wants to keep it topped up with a nice glow.

Melvita ProSun Gradual Self Tanning Moisturising Gel Cream - Available from the Melvita website for £20.00

Texture and Consistency

Definitely staying true to the description on the packaging, this gel cream was very different from the thick consistency of the Sienna X gradual tan. The gel component gave the product a cooling-like effect when being applied which felt quite nice.

Smell

I've been trying to pin point the smell of this gradual tanner but I just can't put my finger on it. It's a cross between something fruity-ish and biscuits, which isn't my favourite scent. It wasn't overbearing and I couldn't smell it once I had finished applying but that first whiff I got wasn't favourable.

Finish

Soaked into my legs almost immediately and didn't leave any yellow tinge, which was what worried me when I first saw the colour of the product. It wasn't very moisturising and I felt that half way through the day, my legs looked somewhat dry so I had to moisturise with a body butter on top.

Longevity

Similar to Sienna X, I used this for two weeks and applied it twice a day in the hope that the more I appled, the more likely my skin would be to pick up some colour. I was wrong. The product did give my skin a glow but not enough for someone to say "Oooh your legs look tanned".

Tango-Factor

Zero. Okay, that was a bit harsh because I did get a 'glow' so I'll give it a 1 instead. Great concept of a "One size fits all" system but clearly one size does not fit all, my legs being the prime example.

Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion Sun-Kissed Look - Available from the Boots website for £5.10 (but I saw it in Tesco for £1.90 so try there first!)

Texture and Consistency

A thin and easy to work with lotion consistency meant that the product could be layered and didn't feel heavy on the skin.

Smell

No biscuits or cakes over here. It actually had a fruity scent to it which I liked so if you're put off the 'just baked' smell, you should try this one.

Finish

My legs are quite dry so it would only be normal to assume that I'd need quite a thick moisturiser to ensure they don't look dry throughout the day, however when using the Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion I didn't have a single problem with it.

Longevity

Again, I used the product for two weeks and then continued to use it for another because I really liked using it. I wouldn't say that it gave me a tan but it gave me a glow that was the result of having slightly darker legs which is a massive bonus for me. The colour was even and although I had some patchy bits (namely around the ankles and knees), it wasn't very noticeable.

Tango-Factor

Five. It gave my legs a tint, rather than a tan, and they definitely looked like they had been sunkissed so the product packaging didn't lie. I liked the fact that the lotion is available in "Light Sun-Kissed Look" as well as "Dark Sun-Kissed Look" which is the one that I used. Garnier obviously understand that one size does not, most definitely, fit all.

I think my review was clear and that the overall winner is the Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion Sun-Kissed Look. It ticked all of the right boxes and gave me exactly what I wanted from a gradual tanner so I think I'll be sticking with this one... Unless you lot give me a few suggestions as to other ones I should try. Go on, leave a comment in the box and let me know your thoughts!

Until next time...

Keep swivelling those hips in your

NOTE: Products marked with * are PR samples