little white truths

Around a month ago, I was lucky enough to receive two Jergens tanning products to review: this self-tanning cream and also the matching body scrub/primer.

Unfortunately I don't love either product, although this is the worse of the two and I didn't hate the scrub (reviewed here), it's just that it wasn't scrubby enough for me so it didn't do as much for me as I would like.

My issue with this cream is that it doesn't work well at all, which I suppose isn't surprising because I have tried a different Jergens self-tanning cream before and I didn't like that either (I've reviewed that one here).

That's not to say that I don't like Jergens as a brand (I do) - I think it's just that Jergens does standard body creams better than it does tanning products.

So while there are products I've tried from Jergens that I would buy - eg the Ultra Healing Dry Skin Moisturiser (reviewed here) and the Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Moisturiser (reviewed here) - I'll be staying away from its tanning products in future because I don't think it does those well. Or at least that's been my experience.

• Reduces the appearance of cellulite
• Gradually creates a fabulous, natural-looking colour with a subtle skin-darkening complex
• In as little as seven days, you'll experience visibly firmer skin with less noticeable cellulite and improved elasticity
• Clinically proven to reduce the appearance of cellulite in as little as seven days
• No sunless tanner odour
• Designed for Fair to Medium and Medium to Tan skintones
• To use: for best results, use daily as your all-over body lotion; smooth on evenly until you feel a slight resistance (this is a signal that the product is starting to work); allow several minutes to dry prior to dressing; wash your hands after application; you'll begin to see a subtle development of colour within several days
• RRP $14.99 AUD for 220ml, but do shop around

Verdict

While I was pleased to receive this because I've liked some Jergens body products, I don't think this is very good and I don't recommend it.

First, the texture is odd. It's thick and a touch gluey - it reminds me of sticky pudding. Not something I love putting on my skin! What this also means is that it's difficult to spread and it doesn't absorb well, so I wind up using more of this per application than I do other creams. Therefore the product isn't cost-effective.

Next, I don't like the scent. The cream has a very sweet smell that's not doing a good job of masking the chemical smell underneath it (it smells like hairspray). I don't like it. I'd honestly prefer the hairspray alone and not the fake sweet stuff that's trying to cover it.

Last, the results. This takes ages to give me any colour, and when the colour does appear, it's patchy. Perhaps the patchiness comes in part from the fact that I have trouble spreading this product and getting it to absorb, so if that wasn't an issue, I may be able to get a more even tan. But I can't. Maybe it's better for normal to oily skin: my skin is dry so it does tend to 'cling' to product wherever it's driest (hence the patchy problem).

On top of this, I don't like having to wait 'several minutes to dry prior to dressing' (with most tanning creams, I can dress straight away) because I don't have time for all that. With two toddlers, I'm lucky to get a shower at all ; )

Plus I don't like that you're meant to use this daily for at least seven days to get any colour. Most self-tanning creams I use work in a much shorter space of time. If I liked the formula I mightn't care as much, but I don't so I do.

Oh! I also don't think it's firming and it hasn't done anything for my cellulite, so I don't agree with those claims at all.

Overall I don't think this is a very good product and I don't recommend it. It doesn't work well, it smells and it has a weird texture, plus it's fiddly and who can be bothered with that?

Not for me.