The Bottom Line: If you don't mind being a bit orange, this is the perfect product. The foam is easy to spread, washes off hands and clothes easily and provides instant (bronzing) results.
4rhodes's Full Review: Neutrogena Instant Bronze, Sunless Tanner and Bron...
Does Anyone Remember Q-T?
In the 1970’s, Coppertone put out a product called Q-T, short for “quick tan”. It came in a white Coppertone shaped bottle, smelled just like Coppertone suntan lotion but magically tanned the skin overnight.
I have always loved lotions! A child of the 1960’s and 1970’s, I begged my mother for a bottle of the original Coppertone suntan lotion (way back then spf ratings didn’t exist, you either bought the lotion or the oil). I have skin that tans, so suntan lotion wasn’t a priority on my mother’s shopping list.
My friend Nancy had the lotions, though, and she was always happy to share them with me. One summer she had a bottle of the lotion, a bottle of Sun-In and a bottle of Q-T. At first my mother was aghast that we would consider using any of the products on bodies, but relented when Nancy’s mother told her that the Sun-In was a lightener that would fade out of my hair by the end of summer. Her mother even encouraged my mother to use the Sun-In in her hair.
Are You Laughing Yet?
We both turned orange. My mother was dyeing her hair then, so the Sun-In reacted with the peroxide from the dye and her hair turned a bright, bright orange. My hair got nice blonde highlights. My skin turned this garish orange color. We looked horrible! Fortunately for both of us, my fake tan faded and my mother was able to correct her hair color.
So, I’ve stayed away from self tanning products for over 25 years. I noticed the self tanner craze take hold in the late 1980’s. I had an acquaintance who was in love with the Chanel self tanner. Another acquaintance would always ask “is that you or is it Chanel” whenever they saw each other. At the time I was still tanning and although the color the got from the Chanel product was only slightly orange, I just didn’t understand the point (both of these women still tanned in the sun).
Time I Stopped Laughing
While pregnant with my eldest son, my husband had his melanoma. It was a small bump, but required enough cutting to leave him with a softball sized scar on his upper back. It was time for me to stop tanning. Like any addiction, it was hard to give up. I’d usually make it until August when those long, humid free 75 degree days would roll around and I could sit and read a book while the baby slept (in the shade). Finally, the day came along when I really stopped. I now slather myself with the highest spf I can find, slap on a hat when gardening and just avoid the beach. It has been easy. I’ve been chasing small children and the idea of them running into the surf isn’t appealing at this point.
That Curiosity Cat Got Me Again
For the past four years I have been seeing new “revolutionary” self tanners flood the market. I admit that I have been intrigued, but also frightened about the results. Then I took a long look at those legs of mine the other week and decided that I’d rather look at fake tan legs than chicken white legs with too many varicose veins.
One of the beauty magazines, I don’t know which, extolled the virtues of Neutrogena Instant Bronze as the best self tanner on the market. The label says ”Instant bronze glow as your sunless tan develops”. For $7.99 at my local Target, cheaper than a seat at the first run movie theaters, I couldn’t resist.
How To Not Make The Same Mistakes As I
By now you all know that the sunless products must be applied to clean, dry skin. Preferably exfoliated and moisturized in the rough places like ankles, knees and elbows. The Instant Bronze recommends applying in circular motions, using one pump per arm and two pumps per leg.
I thought I was all set. I shaved my legs, added some additional moisturizer to those rough spots and started applying the product.
At this point I recommend that you get a pair of disposable latex gloves. My hands were positively orange by the time I finished one leg.
The bottle is shaped in a cylinder. Yellow base with a brown pump and a clear top. Looking at the bottle I was convinced that my tan would be a lovely golden brown as the bottle. The product even smelled like I did after a day at the beach, a bit salty, a bit sweaty, a bit like suntan lotion (but not overpowering). The best part was that it is a colored foam, so I could tell where I was getting the product and where I was missing. To a point.
The Results
I couldn’t really see how well I was doing behind my legs, so subsequently they are much “tanner” than the usually are. Also, those rough spots on my ankles really got tan. It was easy to use the product. It is a foam, so it comes out of the bottle like a mousse or like whipped cream! I looked so good after applying that my neighbor commented on my “savage tan” when I went outside to water my gardens.
I did miss some spots and I did get some lines. Not streaks, but there were places I should have rubbed in more like my arms. I wanted to try to mimic my tan to a true suntan, so I didn’t apply the product all around my forearms. This is not a good idea.
I awoke this morning to orange legs. Yes, they really are more orange than brown. I went to school, lifted up my pants leg a bit to show a colleague, who laughed at my vanity. She told me it was a mercy that the weather forecast for the Boston area is for cool and rain for the next four days so I could continue to wear pants to hide the mess I created.
Do It Again?
Well, I have an entire bottle left. Of the 4 ounces that was supplied, I think I used maybe a quarter of an ounce. I did use only 6 pumps (two each for the legs, one for each arm).
This product is unique because it comes with a bronzer which makes you look instantly tan while the self tanner goes to work. Neutrogena claims that the self tanner takes between 2-4 hours for the tan to show up. I used it at 4pm, the deepest color was showing at about 11 pm. And it is a bronzer, so it is messy if you accidentally brush up on something even after the product is dry (Neutrogena says to avoid clothing until the product dries, which I did, but I did get some rub off on my clothing later that evening (I started with a tank top and shorts, and changed to sweats). I recommend taking a shower after a few hours. The discoloration washed out of my clothing easily, without bleach.
The discoloration washed out of my hands easily, too, but it also washed off of the tops of my hands, so I’ve got one of those funny tans that ends at my wrists.
What’s In It?
Here is the list of chemicals: Water, Dihdroxyacetone, Glycerine, Sorbitol, octylhydroxystearate benzoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Methylgluceth-20 Benzoate, Magnesium Aluminium Silicate, Cetyl Alcohol. Methylporpanediol, Phenonethand, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Caramel, Methyl Glucose Sequistearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Carmine Isopropylparaben, Isobutyl Paraben, Butyl Paraben, Methyl Paraben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Fragrance.
Nope, I’m Not Using It Again
I think I’m going to live with my chicken legs and veins for awhile. Someday I’ll have the veins lasered out. My skin tone is on the olive side and the orange was more pronounced than the tan.
Hold On!
I also used the face version. I'll write that review next week. It is funny!
Relating It All To Q-T
No, the Neutrogena product was not as orange as the Q-T, but it did turn my skin a bit orange. You'd think I'd learn..........
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