Summer is almost here again, and with summer comes tans and sunshine. For obvious reasons such as sun damage and skin cancer, many people opt for alternative ways to have a healthy looking tan without compromising their health. Sunless tanners have been around many years now. In the beginning, there were mixed results. Some tanners would blotch and turn skin oranges, while others left uneven streak marks and left people questioning whether this sunless tanning junk was worth it.
However, in due time, sunless tanners proved that they too could make you look as good as the sun could even on its most brightest day. More recently, companies have cleverly came up with an idea that adding a hint of sunless tanner with regular body lotion would work even better than the sunless tanners alone. Again, since this concept is so very new, people are a little skeptical to try it out until they have seen proven results. Since I am sucker for new products, I don’t mind being a guinea pig when it comes to these type things. Although there were a few that came out three years ago, and several more since, I am going to start with two brand names that seem to be a trustworthy beauty product for most: Loreal and Olay.
Loreal:
Loreal has a neat little product out called “Loreal Sublime Glow”. It is a daily moisturizing lotion with a built in skin tone tanner/enhancer. Mango butter, Vitamin E, and sweet almond are also included to give off a fresh scent and added moisturizers. It comes in a tan 8.0 fl. oz tube with an easy to use flip top.The product promises that with daily use your skin will be silky, soft, and moisturized. Within a few days, a subtle tan should start to appear and your skin tone will be naturally evened out.
After showering, I decided to try it out for myself and put Loreal to the test. Per directions, I showered first and made sure that my skin was completely dry. I applied lotion over my entire body including my face. The first thing I noticed is that while the lotion has a somewhat pleasant smell, I could smell a hint of sunless tanner lurking around in there. I probably should have expected that, but I am so used to natural or freshly scented smelling lotions that it took me a bit by surprise. However, the lotion was thick yet soft, and immediately I felt a difference. My skin was softer and even had a light glow. I looked hydrated, healthy, and was extremely pleased with moisturizing aspect of the product. The true test would come in a few days when the subtle traces of the tanner started to kick in. Yet, I didn’t have to wait that long.
A few hours later, staying true to most regular tanners, I noticed that my skin already had a light tan formed on it. Not only had the tan started to form, but my skin was still soft and the glow never dulled down.
The next following the same ritual, I waited another few hours, crossing my fingers and hoping that this wasn’t a joke and that I wasn’t going to end up over doing it. Not only was the results satisfying again, but my tan, with only two uses, had turned to a deep and golden naturally looking tan. With daily use I was not only able to maintain a wonderful looking tan, but not once did I get a streak or a blotch. My skin felt as soft as a baby and never has a product given such a glow to my skin.
I thought I had found the perfect lotion/tanner combination that I could use all year. However, as soon as I saw Olay’s new product hit the shelf I knew I just had to compare. I have never in my life been disappointed in Olay products, and even with steep price of $8.99 staring at me from the shelf, I scooped up a bottle anyways and headed home.
Olay
Olay’s “Touch of Sun” is a “radiance reviver” body lotion with an added touch of sunless tanner much like its competition “Sublime Glow”. Olay promises to moisturize your poor dry skin while at the same subtley giving it a sun kissed glow. Olay also promises that your skin will moisturized and protected for at least 24 hours, and with regular use, the non greasy lotion will turn you into a sun kissed tan queen (or king). A bit smaller than the Loreal Tube, “Touch of Sun” comes in a 6.7 fl. oz tube with another easy to use flip top.
The directions to both products are quite similar. After showering, on dry skin, apply generously and daily. One thing I forgot to mention though, is that you should always wash your hands after every use. Even though this (and the other product) is a lotion, you don’t want to take the chance of getting your palms as tanned as your legs. Now that that is out the way, let’s back to the experience. The lotion, true to most of Olay products, has an extremely pleasant. It smells almost of cocoa butter with a barely traceable hint of tanner.
The lotion was not as thick as Loreal’s, but it coated my skin lightly and evenly. In comparison to Loreal, Olay wins when it comes to moisturization. Even though Loreal left my skin soft and glowing, Olay was much lighter and a bit smoother. Olay also lasted longer. It lived up to the 24 hour promise and then some. But me being the sunless tanner lover I am, the true test would lie in the hands of how well Olay could tan my skin.
Olay, as Loreal, says that in a few days a subtle tan will appear, so I really wasn’t expecting results in a few hours, and I sure didn’t get them. In fact, my skin stayed the same color. It was like just using regular lotion. I thought, ” No big deal, I’ll wait a few days and see how it goes”. Within a few days, a tiny tan did happen to appear, but when Olay says subtle, trust me, they do mean it.
The lotion aspect of the product was incredible, but the tanner just wasn’t living up to my expectations. Without giving up, I applied the product again for the next few days. I then noticed the tan started to pick up a tad bit more, but not even close to what I had envisioned it to do. Finally after a weeks use, I decided that this was going to be the best that Olay was going to give as far as a tanning. On the back of the Olay product, there is a color guide that shows you exactly how tanned you should be after a week’s worth of use. Even though Olay DID give off some tan, it wasn’t as the color chart promised.
So Who Wins?
Well, it depends. If you are looking for an all over moisturizer that will keep your skin soft and light feeling over 24 hours, then Olay is the one for you. It will also give you a kiss of sun, so if you aren’t really looking for a deep tan, you would probably enjoy this product more than Loreal. However, for me, if I am going to get a lotion with sunless tanner in it, then I want it work like a lotion AND like a sunless tanner. Loreal did this for me. Even though the smell was not as pleasant, and the lotion was a bit heavier, there is just no beating the beautiful glow and natural looking tan that it provides. Congrats to Loreal. You’ve got a customer for life.
