Devoted Creations DC Special Reserve Ultra Advanced Cashmere Bronzer
Price:
$32.00 eBay $102.98 Retail Review: I like the majority of the Devoted Creations lotions, and I was very antsy to get a "special reserve" lotion by them. The main thing that caught my eye other than DHA being ingredient #5 was the fact that this is a Cashmere bronzer. Also, the scent is described as "Twilight Woods," which sounded very incense like to me. The bottle of this lotion is my absolute favorite design. It has a stand that is removable and the bottle looks just like a potion or elixir of some sort. The cap is rather large and twists off. The description on the back is pretty typical for DC lotions, and it describes how good the lotion is for your skin. The lotion is very, very dark. It resembles a mud color with some burgundy hues. The scent is even better than Brown Sugar Bare! I thoroughly LOVE this scent. The lotion is very smooth and applies very easily. I tanned for 15 minutes in a level 4 HP bed, and I did not smell anything that remotely resembled ATO. No burning skin smell, no nasty DHA smell, and overall just the original AMAZING scent. When I was done with my tanning session, I was noticeably a bit darker. My skin remained soft and smelled amazing for the next few hours. 5 hours later, my color is phenomenal, I have no ATO or DHA scents, and my skin is still smooth. Verdict: I give this lotion a SOLID 5 out of 5. Devoted Creations really made an amazing lotion! While I am very skeptical about paying full price for lotions, I would even say the $102.98 retail price really fits this lotion. I was completely satisfied and cannot wait to tan again with this lotion! This is my #1 Bronzer recommendation for anyone who already has a base tan. I LOVE THIS LOTION! |
Tan Inc. Brown Sugar Bare 99x Silicone Bronzer
Price:
$30.00 Amazon/eBay $65.00 Retail Review: This is one of the newest lotions from Tan Inc's Brown Sugar line. I was very excited to get this lotion in and try it out. The bottle claims 99x bronzers, but I did not see anything mentioned about DHA. I believe this lotion is a natural bronzing lotion. The color of the lotion is pinkish-beige. The consistency was absolutely perfect and applied very easily to the skin. It was not like Black Aura, which took several minutes to rub in. The smell of this lotion was very very strong, and I absolutely love how the scent stays on for hours after tanning. After using this lotion, I did not see too much of a color boost as the bottle described. In fact, I was disappointed that I was not an entire different skin tone when getting out of the tanning bed. As far as moisturizing, it excelled my expectations. My skin was so smooth and soft, smelt great, and looked absolutely amazing. I wanted to be darker, however. I used this lotion again a week after my first application and now, my skin is slightly darker after using it. This lotion is rather complex and really good for your skin, but I would recommend using it more than just once. Verdict: I am rating this lotion 2 out of 5. I am a sucker for Tan Inc's lotions, but this lotion fell short with bronzing. I love the smell, the consistency, and the overall outlook of my skin after using this lotion, but honestly, I am tanning to get darker, and I expect my lotions to take me to the next level. While I do love this lotion, I could not rate it as high on the scale as DS Luminary or Tan Inc's Brown Sugar Black Aura. |
Tan Inc. Brown Sugar Kissable Fruit Fusion Tanning Complex
Price:
$20.00 Amazon/eBay $50.00 Retail Review: I just got this lotion in the mail yesterday after wanting it for months. I LOVE Tan Inc's Brown Sugar products as they really are underrated and provide AMAZING results. The bottle is very..uhmmm...pink. The design is for a girl, but I still love it. It comes in the standard Tan Inc Brown Sugar type of bottle with the silver cap. The lotion is bright white because this is an accelerator. The lotion was very smooth and slick upon application and smells like the tropical skittles that I used to eat when I was younger. You can definitely pick up on the scent of berries and skittles. After my 15 minutes in the level 4 HP bed, I had zero ATO. I didn't notice color boost right then, and I wasn't disappointed since this lotion only cost me $20.00. I figured the results would be small if any. Once I got home, I changed my clothes and when I took off my shirt, I noticed I was noticeably darker. I was shocked. Normally, accelerators do not give me such a color boost. I then re-read the label for the lotion where it describes "sublime color." Upon waking the next morning, I was even darker. I am completely satisfied with this lotion, and my skin is so smooth! Verdict: Another amazing product from Tan Inc. This lotion deserves no less than a 5 out of 5 and I cannot recommend enough based on results and the very cheap price. My skin actually feels better and more moisturized as opposed to the normal dryness after tanning. I have the most faith in Tan Inc's Brown Sugar line and will continue to purchase their lotions. You cannot beat the results! |
Australian Gold Raydiant Warm Bronzing Complex
Price:
$32.00 Amazon $90.00 Retail Review: This is one of the few Australian Gold products that I have tried. The bottle is very cute, and the fake diamonds on the cap really make this a nice looking tube. The lotion is a warming-lotion and you can expect that with the Hawaiian/tropical scent. The lotion is very creamy and very easy to rub in. I immediately felt the warming after I had applied this to my body. While in the tanning bed, it got unbelievably hot. I am used to using tingles, but this was not supposed to be a tingle. Even after getting out and dressed, it continued to get even hotter. I felt like my skin was on fire. My skin was very smooth and moisturized, and I got some pretty good color from this. The color did last and the next day I was still the same color. Verdict: I would rate this one 4 out of 5. My boyfriend uses this just about every time when he goes tanning and I have seen him develop such good color. Although I did not like it that much, it is still a really good lotion. I like warming lotions to get warm, not so hot that I can barely stand it. My boyfriend says that it doesn't get that hot on him and most times, he cannot feel it. |
Designer Skin Mood Maximum Sizzle Quadruple Bronzer
Price:
$25.00 Amazon $60.00 Retail Review: I work with a lady who swears by this lotion, so I was very excited to try it out. Another coworker stated this lotion was unbelievably hot and she had to scrub it off because she could not handle it. The bottle is adorable, and the standard Designer Skin bottle. It has a picture of a candle on the label, and I did not understand why until I started to put this lotion on. The color is standard tingle color-brownish. The lotion smelled just like a candle and is one of my favorite smells now. I was nervous about how much sizzle this one packed, so after applying liberally to my entire body, I waited just a minute before going into the bed. I did 15 minutes in a HP level 4 bed, and the whole time I was waiting for it to light me up with the sizzle. Needless to say, the sizzle never affected me. The back of my neck was red and slightly tender, but the rest of my body was not tingling. After getting out, my body was deep brown color. I am used to tingles leaving me bright red, but this left me deep, dark brown. Verdict: For a tingle, I rate this lotion as a 5 out of 5 for the color that it left. I had never been so brown after using a tingle, and this definitely increased my color. Even for 2 days after tanning, I still had the same color. I really like Designer Skin Roar, but this lotion is a better bronzer. If you want to be bright red. then I would recommend DS Roar. |
European Gold Dark Star 40X
Price:
$5.00 Walmart (small bottle) $8.00 Walmart (large bottle) Review: Another cheap European Gold lotion, and I was ready to try this one. It has more bronzers than their other lotion, 25X. This Dark Star 40X has deepwave bronzing technology, and honestly, I am not sure what that meant. The lotion is a brown-red color and smelled pretty good. I can't put a name to the scent of the lotion. It was rather thin and absorbed quickly into my skin. After applying the lotion, I noticed my palms were pretty red. I rubbed off the remainder that was on my hands with a towel and used a level 3 HP bed for 12 minutes. Once i got out of the tanning bed, I did notice my skin was a bit darker and more red in color. My palms were really red-orange still though. My skin felt very smooth but was rather dry. By the time I got home, my skin looked darker, but I was still red and this lotion was not a tingle. That night after showering, I noticed most of the color disappeared. I believe this lotion may just have a red blush in it that is temporary color. Verdict: 2 out of 5. The scent was okay and very sweet smelling (along the lines of citrus), but the orange palms ruined it for me. My palms were still orange the day after. Also, the color was temporary and most washed off. I would keep this lotion as a back up lotion, but would not solely rely on using this. |
Designer Skin Pandora Age Defying 14 (XIV) Bronzing Blend
Price:
$28.00 Amazon/eBay $72.00 Retail Review: I wanted to try a new lotion, and I noticed this bottle many times at my salon. I was told this lotion is very good, so I decided to give it a try. The bottle itself is very feminine, and shaped in an hour glass. The description said it is age-defying and even though I am not middle-aged, the 14X bronzers intrigued me. There is a big key held by leather that is wrapped around the bottle. The bottle is very eye-catching, but again, very girly. The lotion was rather thin, and beige-brown in color. It smelled just like fresh berries, but the description implied Wineberry. Not sure if it smelt like wine, but I could definitely smell a berry scent. It was very easy to rub in, and my skin was very moisturized by the time I laid in the tanning bed. After my 15 minutes ended, I got out of the bed and still smelled just like the lotion. There was no ATO, but my color did not darker immediately after tanning. By the time I got home, I noticed that the color was very subtle. Verdict: 2 out of 5. The smell was amazing, no ATO, but the color improvement was just not there for me. I would rather buy a less expensive lotion for these effects. My skin was left soft, but nothing spectacular happened with this lotion. |
European Gold 25X
Price:
$5.00 Walmart (small bottle) $8.00 Walmart (large bottle) Review: Okay, I will admit, I was not too excited about buying a lotion from Walmart. The scent is somewhat unusual and the bottle stated that it has 25X bronzers. The bottle is really adorable, but I really do not like the smell all that much. I have used this lotion about 5 or 6 times now, and I have awesome results from this cheap lotion. While the 25X bronzers are not on the same level as Designer Skin's Luminary, it was still a nice golden tan everytime. The smell is horrid after tanning, so I will recommend an After Tan Lotion like Moisture Lock by Australian Gold. Also, this lotion did leave my skin somewhat dry, so make sure you moisturize! The lotion was creamy and goldish-brown in color. The scent really makes my stomach turn every once and awhile, but for the price and after these results, this is one that I will stick with. I've used this lotion outside as well, with less intense but still satisfactory results. Verdict: 3 out of 5, based on results and price. The smell makes me want to look the other way, but paired with a good after tan lotion, this lotion is one of the best for the price! |
Tan Inc. Brown Sugar Black Aura
Price:
$70.00 Retail $27.00 eBay Review: This is a 2011 product from Tan Inc's Brown Sugar line. The bottle reads "world's darkest tanning lotion" and after using it this week, the results I got really support this statement. The lotion itself is extremely white. I was expecting a brown-colored lotion like most of DS lotions, but this lotion did not follow that trend. The lotion smells much like Coconut & Hemp, but I did not smell any mango-scent as described on the Tan Inc website. This is the thickest lotion I have ever used, and the lotion describes it as having double amounts of Argan Oil and max silicones. Applying the lotion was slightly difficult due to how thick this lotion is. It took some minutes off of my tanning session due to the amount of time for me to rub this in. The lotion is not absorbed quickly into the skin, so i was a little moist from the lotion when I got into the bed. I used a Level 3 HP bed for 12 mins, and after the bed turned off, I noticed a large amount of sweat remaining on the bed. I am not sure if it the max silicones or double amount of Argan Oil, but this lotion really made me sweat. After I got out of the tanning bed, I did notice that I was slightly darker. My feet were a ton darker. My skin felt moisturized and very soft to the touch. I did not have ANY ATO, and the only scent lingering was the coconut/hemp smell from the lotion itself. I was shocked that I had no ATO!!! A couple of hours after tanning, is when I noticed how dark I had become. This is because this lotion contains DHA. My legs were SO dark thatI looked like a different ethnicity and my stomach had a very dark color to it as well. I was extremely impressed with my results. For a product containing DHA, I had absolutely no lingering ATO or DHA odor! Verdict: Without a doubt, this lotion deserves a rating of 5 out of 5. I cannot recommend this lotion enough! While it was very thick and slightly difficult to apply, the results were completely astonishing. I do not mind taking extra time to rub the lotion in since the results were so extraordinary. I plateaued lately with my other lotions, and this lotion did exactly as described "breaking plateaus." For $27, you cannot get better results. This to me, was better than ANY other lotion, even the Designer Skin lotions that I have tried that retail over $100. If you want a super dark tan, go buy this lotion. You will not regret it! This has become one of my favorites! |
Millennium Tanning Black & Tan 75X Silicone Bronzer
Price:
$90.00 Retail $17.30 Amazon Review: I only heard about this lotion on Amazon because my local salon does not carry Millennium Tanning products. There are many reviews on Amazon on this lotion, and most of them are 4 & 5 star ratings. I bought this bottle and was excited to hop in my level 4 tanning bed for 15 mins. The bottle is very compact and cute and reminds me of pirates. The lotion itself is almost white in color, very light brown. I did not see any "energizing beads" as the description implied, but the lotion went on easy and smooth. It smells just like berry lemonade. I love the scent! After 15 minutes of tanning, I could see a darker color. This product has "auto-darkening technology" so a couple of hours later, I was even darker. I really enjoyed gaining so much color so easily. The evening after I tanned, I could smell an unusual odor. This product is a 75X bronzer and contains DHA (dihydroxyacetone) and because of this, you will be left with an unpleasant (for me at least) odor for some time after using the product. The next morning after using this product, I still had a vague DHA odor, and I noticed that the skin between my fingers was somewhat orange. If you try this product, I recommend wiping hands thoroughly after applying. Verdict: I rate this lotion with 3 out of 5 stars. While I loved the results, I hated the ATO and DHA odor! It gave me color super fast, and I was darker even hours later after tanning; however, the color did not last. and 2 days after tanning, I was back to the same shade before using this product. |
Designer Skin Roar Maximum Sizzle, Ultra Dark 7 (VII) Bronzing Serum
Price:
$74.00 Retail $26.40 Amazon Review: This is my first tingle. I have used this lotion several times, and I am completely satisfied with this purchase. First, the packaging is very eye-catching. The bottle is 10oz (slightly smaller than other Designer Skin products which are normally 13.5oz) which is common for a tingle lotion since you are not supposed to use this lotion every time you tan. I would recommend using this product every other time or once every 3 times that you go tanning. As far as the tingle experience, this lotion does deliver an INTENSE tingle. I really cannot compare this to another tingle as this is the only tingle that I have tried, but compared to a warming lotion like Designer Skin Obsidian, this is a much more serious heat. The fragrance is listed as “Summer Essence,” but I would describe the sent as smelling floral like freshly-cut Gardenias or Magnolias. The fragrance has become my favorite of all the lotions that I have smelt. I have reached a plateau lately and haven’t achieved darker results until I started using this lotion. It broke my plateau and after tanning for 15 minutes in a stand-up, high pressure level 4 bed, I was a couple shades darker. The tingle effect caused my skin to be a bright pink color, and I felt like I was on fire. After about 1.5-2 hours, the tingling stopped, and I had developed a genuinely dark tan. There was no ATO and no after-tanning greasiness. I truly believe this lotion is one of Designer Skin’s best products to date. Verdict: I rate this lotion with a 5 out of 5 rating. Not only was the tingle INTENSE, but the color I gained from this lotion was AMAZING. I love this lotion, and it is my new favorite. I am ROARING with excitement about finding a terrific lotion at a terrific price. |
Designer Skin Obsidian 30X Bronzing Matrix
Price:
$125.00 Retail $42.00 Amazon/eBay Review: I used obsidian for the first time yesterday afternoon. The description claims to be more bronzing than DS Luminary, it is more expensive than DS Luminary, and it smelled a lot better. The smell is along the lines of fresh citrus fruit, and it smells wonderful. The texture of the lotion was very smooth and after application, my skin felt wonderful. This product does contain silicone, but my skin was not left sticky or greasy. The description states this is a warming lotion due to the volcanic minerals in the lotion. After I had applied this product to my entire body, I felt an immediate warming sensation. I figured it would not get any warmer, so I hopped into my high pressure level 4 tanning bed for 15 minutes. After the bed started to heat up, the lotion started to become warmer. After a couple of minutes, my skin felt like it was extremely hot. I have never used a tingle so I cannot compare this to a tingle lotion, but my I felt like the lotion was getting way HOT. I felt very relaxed with this lotion heating up, and I had no ATO during the tanning session. The only way I can describe this hot/warming feeling from the lotion would be to say that I felt like a tropical island with hot lava running all over me. It was very intense, but I LOVED the experience. Upon getting out of the bed, I had no ATO at all, my skin was very soft, and the lotion was still feeling very warm. While the results were not dramatically different immediately after getting out of the bed, a few hours later I noticed I was a lot darker than before I went tanning. Verdict: This product deserves a 4 out of 5 rating. I seriously LOVE this lotion and will be adding this to my arsenal of tanning lotions. This is without a doubt, one of the best lotions I have yet to use. If designer skin continues to make lotions of this quality, I will continue to buy their products. I am completely satisfied with this lotion and cannot think of a way to improve it further. |
Devoted Creations Pauly D The After Party High Intensity Black Silicone Bronzer
Price:
$74.98 Retail $27.00 Amazon/eBay Review: Another Devoted Creations lotion and I couldn't be more excited. I love Jersey Shore and this lotion is made for guidos! It is silicone based and smells very tropical. The lotion is a very "sunless tanner" brown. It provided very good moisture and smoothing for my skin without making it overly greasy. It did leave a very bad ATO and also made my skin release more sweat when my tanning session was over. After I got out of my tanning bed, I was noticeably darker. I really dislike the ATO, though. Verdict: I would recommend this to someone who needs a lotion for an evening out. It will get you dark after tanning, but the results are not permanent. I found that when showering, most of the "bronzing technology" would wash off and I was back to a lighter shade the very next day. The ATO stayed with me for a couple days after using. I would rate this lotion with 2 out of 5. If you want to be dark and don't care about the smell, then this lotion is for you! |
Devoted Creations Couture Sport Extreme Tanning Serum
Price:
$50.00 Retail $25.00 Amazon/eBay Review: I LOVE this lotion. This is one of the only lotions that I have come across that smells absolutely masculine. The smell is very refreshing, smells just like cologne. This is a Level 2 tanning lotion and it absorbs so well in the skin, and it really does vanish instantly. There was really no ATO after tanning in a high pressure bed for 15 mins. The lotion is not brown like most; it is actually a white lotion. The texture is just like body lotion and feels very fresh on your skin. I really enjoy this lotion. Verdict: Rating 4 out of 5. I recommend this product to anyone who wants something that smells very nice, is light-weight, and leaves skin feeling amazing. I plan on keeping this product in stock at home, and still use it every week. For the price, the quality is AWESOME! |
Austrailian Gold Jwoww 50X Black Bronzer
Price:
$75.00 Retail $30.00 Amazon/eBay Review: My boyfriend bought this lotion when we first signed up to start tanning. He talked about how much he loved this lotion, and I decided to start using it. The smell is warm and tropical, and the texture is very creamy. This lotion is not silicone based so it does not leave skin sticky or slimy. The color of the lotion is more of a natural color, looks almost like a light chocolate color. When tanning with this lotion, I felt like my skin was a bit more sensitive afterwards. My skin absorbed this lotion quick, and I was pleased with the results. This lotion helped give me a base tan, but not any super bronzing color. The price is better than others, and I really like the shape of this bottle. This product eliminates most ATO. Verdict: I would give this lotion a 3 out of 5. My skin felt amazing after tanning, and I was very pleased with the natural-looking color. The only way I see this product improving is if it had more bronzing power. |
Designer Skin Luminary 25X Black Label Private Reserve
Price:
$120.00 Retail $40.00 Amazon/eBay Review: I was really excited to try this lotion. I had heard over 100 positive reviews and thought this product would be phenomenal. The lotion itself is a brown color with some shimmery glitter mixed in. It smells really similar to Britney Spears' Curious perfume. The texture is very slick, and the product leaves your skin feeling very soft and smooth after application. I used this product for a few weeks and did not realize how dark the lotion made me until after I had switched to a new product. The lotion made me incredibly dark. After taking a 2 week break, I used this lotion this weekend, and I am still amazed with how dark it made me with just one tanning session. This product lives up to the hype and is definitely amazing. Verdict: If you decide to buy this product, order through ebay for less than the retail price. Honestly, the results are nothing less than amazing, but I would not pay $120 for a lotion. This lotion has given me the best tan, and I love the shimmer left after tanning. I give this lotion a 5 out of 5. |