Famous Dave's Tanner Self Tanner Lotion

Great. Makes it easy to add a bit of color to my face, arms or legs. Need to be careful around the ankles and knees as it does darken a big there, but a bit of a rub with a towel or wash cloth will lighten it up. Doesn't make you turn orange. This medium doesn't give a dark tan but tans enough to keep you from glowing in the dark. Sometimes I use a mitt, sometimes not, but after washing well with soap and water, I find I don't have overly tanned palms. No strong smell. One trick around ankles and knees is to put an equal amount or smaller amount of your favorite lotion with it. It still tans but not as much. Adjust as needed.

I wanted to use this a couple times before I reviewed it. Best tan product I've ever used at any price. I consider this a great value. My tips: I shower/shave/exfoliate with my regular body wash and a pouf. I use a little moisturizer (Vaseline Intensive Care) on my feet/knees/elbows. Two pumps will do my entire leg, saving my knees for last. The most important tip is to rub it in in a circular motion and CONTINUE doing that even after it seems to have all been absorbed. I DO NOT use it on my feet and only rub my hand over my elbows after the product has been completely absorbed off my hands on my arms. If I make a little goof on my feet, a baby wipe with mineral oil as an ingredient will scrub it right off. I have zero streaks and no "dirty" looking creases. I use a small amount on my face and then use my moisturizer. It is a lovely tan and not even a hint of nasty orange. I do not use mitts, but wash my hands after applying with no issues. Dries quickly. That your "tan" lasts a week or more is another plus. I am a devotee to this product!

I did not give this product a 5 only because no self tanner is ever perfect. However, to date this is the best self tanner I have ever tried. While the size is not large, it will last for a very long time because first thing I noticed is a little goes a long way. It did not leave any orang-ey color at all... which is a first for me! I am fair skinned, and it gave a nice subtle sun kissed color. I did get a few streaks on the tops of my feet, but it was not very noticeable. I did not notice any patchy spots as it faded, and it seemed to last throughout the week. The smell is slightly that of a self tanner, but after showering the next day I no longer noticed it. I sometimes have a problem with skin lotions causing a slight rash, small reddish bumps on my skin that hurt to scratch... I have gotten this reaction with just about every self tanner I have ever tried... but that did not happen with Famous Dave's. Very happy and would recommend! This is an update: I am happy beyond words with this tanner! I apply it every Sunday evening before bed. It lasts through the week, just gradually fading. It does not fade in patches, and it actually smells quite nice. I heard many tips, and this is what I do for my perfect tan: 1) I don't do any "extra" exfoliating, I already use an exfoliating washcloth daily, so I use that and a quick shave on my legs. 2) Put a quick dab of my regular Aveeno lotion on my kneecaps, elbows, ankles and feet, I apply my usual face lotion. 3) Put on some latex gloves (bought a box of 50 at Wal Mart for under $4.00) 4) I put on a section at a time. Start with my right lower leg, less that 1/2 pump, and just rub in and rub in until there is nothing left to rub. Do my upper leg, then move on to my left leg and so on. I use it very sparingly and lightly on my face, arms and chest. The only thing I recommend is that if you are darker skinned or looking for a darker tan (I am fair skinned, but not pale, and I do tan pretty well.) But you may want to see if they have a a formula for darker skin. I do not think it looks orangey, but I am thinking if I applied it more frequently it could get that way, so I just stick to once a week. This product also goes a long way, it takes such a small amount, this bottle will last forever!

My skin is so white, I am translucent. I'm not kidding. I have been going to a tanning bed for a few years to obtain some color because I tend to look anemic. My mother had skin cancer removed from her face last year. She never went to a tanning bed or laid out in the sun. I do not want to go through that, so I have been looking for an alternative for myself. Most of the products turn me orange. This product gives me just the right amount of bronze color without looking orange at all. I can also add it to my face cream! Once you get a nice base color, you only need to use it once or twice a week. Or, you can dilute it with other lotion for the "in between" times. I just canceled my account with the tanning bed place. I will be ordering more of Dave's items. Regarding the smell: This product does not add a fragrance, therefore it will smell like any other self tanning lotion. I did not take off points for that because they ALL Smell that way or they try to mask the smell by adding too much fragrance. I usually use this product on the nights I am not going out. Side note: get the mitt... it makes using a self tanner so much easier.

Photos shows a 48 hour difference, both photos taken at 12 noon for identical lighting to be accurate. Four applications in 48 hours. I tried this product & was super excited. Medium/Dark tan? Not so much. It definitely tans you, but I didn't get what you would expect from FOUR applications of a medium/dark cream within 48 hours. I prefer building the tan with lotions such as these & I'm not fond of bronzers. This is just what usually gives the most natural looking tan. The lotion definitely works but not as much as I was hoping. It did give off some of that icky tanning lotion odor, but not as much as I much as others I've tried. It does have a tiny hint of orange as well in some lighting, I have naturally olive skin undertones & generally tan very easily so it gets an ehh rating from me. Ultimately, it's great if you want to build up a tan very slowly so you don't just show up to work one day with a tan that looks like you spent a week on the beach. Worth a try but don't expect a miracle tanning lotion. I've tried them all & this isn't my top recommendation, but it's also not at the bottom of my list.