Product Reviews Rated 4.2 out of 5 stars
41 Reviews
Most Helpful Positive Review With revisions to application, got the desired results Throughout the year I tan my legs to match my naturally tanned arms, and on my face/décolletage/neck I use Tanologist face/body drops (which I ADORE for my olive/medium skin tone; they also work well on my body but I find they are the absolute best product for my face). Over the last two years, I have tried 29 other self tanning products (drugstore to high end, including several St. Moriz products, Tan Luxe, Fake Bake, Clarins, SkinDrop, Vita Liberata, Minetan, Banana Boat, Australian Gold, Tanceuticals, Jergens, Loreal, La Mer Gradual tan, Ulta Limited Edition Gradual Tan Face Mist, and more). Surprisingly, Ulta Limited Edition Gradual Tan Face Mist was so great on my legs but is still out of stock at Ulta. So, Tanologist Express Tan Mousse (Dark) was my latest to try and I have to say my first attempt didn't go well (the result was too intense and an unflattering orange hue on me). I was crushed because I LOVE Tanologist products so much and couldn't believe that the mousse wouldn't work as great on my legs as the Tanologist drops do on my face. However, as I'll explain below, I modified the application approach and the second time it turned out extremely well, with a nearly perfect color match to my arms. With the first application, I think what happened was that I simply put WAY too much on. I LOVE that there's no color guide but it's sort of hard to know if you are getting enough on to be effective, it dries fast/the mousse sort of feels dry on the mitt, so I probably used WAY too many pumps per area. AND I left it on overnight. By comparison, with the 2nd application (after about a week later; normal exfoliation returned my legs to a nice normal tan color underneath the initial orange hue), the result turned out GREAT and I think it is because this time I only used about 2-3 pumps per shin (and 2-3 per thigh), and I only kept it on for 5 hours (NOT overnight), then rinsed off with lukewarm water (no soap). Before applying, I always put lotion on my feet /knees/dry spots first/then let lotion dry. I applied the mousse with a mitt (with glove underneath to be safe) in big movements/circles (I always self tan the day after thorough exfoliation/shaving). For the second application, I went REALLY easy on the feet/insole/heel/toes because I absorb so much color there (first time I wasn't as careful there and it showed). After applying the mousse, I buffed out lightly around toes/insoles/ankles/knees with the dry/clean side of the mitt. Color started to develop in the 5 hours while I was wearing it, I rinsed off, and development continued overnight. Next day the color was an extremely even natural-looking tan (NOT warm or orange-y/yellow at all). There was no transfer on anything (nothing on clothes/sheets/toilet seat), and like my Tanologist drops, this mousse has great staying power - 4 days later and I still have a nice, even natural brown tan that is a very close match to my arms. I am so glad I gave it a second chance because I am so pleased with the results after I revised the application. I have seen no streaks or flaws, no patchiness or orange or yellow anything. I love that I see no tiny amounts of color on tissues after my daily shower when I'm wet (like I see with other tanners), but I do recommend avoiding hot showers/dabbing with a towel after. There is a fragrance (similar to the drops) but it is not super strong or offensive (sort of a subtle 'clean' scent to start then a bit of the usual self tanner smell which I actually like). I love that I only have to keep it on 5 hours. Now that I figured out how to apply this mousse in a way that works for me, I am thrilled and plan for this to be my weekly summer self tanner for my legs. Like the Tanologist drops for my face, this is great for me color-wise and the price is perfect. I rank this as among my top three self-tanners I have tried (among 30 total).
Most Helpful Critical Review Fading Issues Been using the dark tan for a couple months - the color's a bit too orange/yellow for my liking but the color lasts. Smell isn't too bad, stays sticky but that's typical for inexpensive tans. Not very streaky and doesn't stain.
However, the fading is very uneven. My hands, forearms, back, and torso are back to normal, but my legs, neck, the tops of my arms, and feet are still dark and are fading in patches. My feet genuinely look like I have vitiligo. Scrubbing doesn't help; I've been waiting two weeks for the color to fade.
Reviewed by 41 customers Best Self-Tanner on the Market (Dark solution) 5
Simone from Vancouver, WA
By far the best self-tanner on the market. I cant get over how amazing and hydrated my skin feels after using. I have only tried the DARK solution - so I can not speak for the other colors but the dark has never disappointed me. I put it on at night before bed and then shower in the morning!
Love it! 5
Isabel from Chicago, IL
I've tried a ton of self tanners and this one is amazing. I love that it goes on clear, so it won't stain your sheets or clothes. I apply it and let it sit overnight, then shower it off the next day. Great color!
Surprised it's so good 5
Lea from Buffalo
I have tried St Tropez, Loving Tan, and Bali Body.
I am most in love with the Loving Tan but it's so expensive for the size of the bottle you get and I couldn't keep up with my sunless tanning routine because I had to keep repurchasing every 2 weeks. I decided to take a chance and try the Tanologist. I was nervous because there is no color guard so I couldn't tell if I missed any spots on my body. I used Dark. My first application was easier than I thought. I slept in the tan overnight and woke up to beautiful sun kissed dark tan. Looked like I had been on vacation for a week on the beach. Everything was even and blended. I showered with soap and water and the color did not really fade like other self tanners, only by 1 shade maybe. 3 days later and I'm still just as dark as the first day I showered. It's not coming off patchy like The Loving Tan does. The color is also very similar to Loving Tan. With Tanologist, I have to do 2 coats to get my desired color. I do one coat then wait an hour and do a second. It gets dark. I'm excited to try the extra dark since I know this product is good. So happy I found something just as good as Loving Tan for 1/2 the price point.
No color with the light 1
Tori from Texas
I'm very pale and got no color with the light. Literally no color at all.
Great Product but color was too late for me 4
Karmakyoto from Houston
The light color was lighter than I should have gone. I believe, had I chose Medium, it would have been a perfect match. The product itself is a superior product. The color was very smooth and even and there was virtually no smell associated with the application or the next day. It absolutely worth a try for those who want a natural-looking, quick, sunless tan.
Great product! 5
Bay from Kansas City
I have been using multiple different self tanners for over 10 years as I do not do tanning beds. This product is the best self tanner I've used, it has a great color and develops super fast. I put it on and let it set for 2 hours or so and already saw a difference in color. My new favorite product for sure! You won't be disappointed🤘🏽
Phenomenal for fair skinned folks! 5
CEH from Detroit, MI
This product line is so incredible for fair skin. I am super light with cold undertones and this ALWAYS look good on me. I have never had that with any other product I have tried - and I have tried them all. I think the light mousse does the job perfectly and haven't tried any of the darker ones out of sheer satisfaction with the light - but I am sure the outcome would be beautiful as well. Application is seamless - I have never had streaking or patchiness. I always use a foundation brush on my hands, feet, and face (I use the water version of the product for those places) to smooth it and blend and I have not once had an issue - those are always my problem areas with every other product. I use about 6 pumps each leg, 3 pumps each arm, 2 pumps stomach, 2 pumps chest area, 1 pump around each shoulder/ upper back, 3 pumps rest of back. It lasts about 6 days before going patchy so I usually exfoliate/ scrub every 5 days. A whole container will last a little over a month - maybe 5 weeks. Such a value for what you pay and the result is epic!!!
New Fav 5
EdenTans from Little Rock, AR
My new fav tanner! I've used Loving Tan and Bondi Sands in the past but thought I'd try this one for the price it smells great, almost floral? Since there is no color guard you do have to make sure you apply everywhere- this gets so dark that it's VERY obvious if you miss a spot. I've only used it twice so far but can TOTALLY tell it lasts way longer on my skin than any other tanners I've tried. I will be repurchasing!
Oompa Loompa 1
Ashley from Clarksville
I usually use Loving Tan but went in and saw that this was way cheaper so I tried this out. Definitely came out looking like an Oompa Loompa lol, so not the tan I was going for.
You have to rinse of 3-5 hours in! 5
PinkBerry from New Orleans, Louisiana
I bought the light Mousse. I'm very fair, redhead, freckles. I have tried several different application approaches with this and got different results each time. Using too much will make you look orange, leaving it on overnight without rinsing will make the DHA keep developing, it won't stop developing until you rinse. Go easy on hands and feet, make sure you're only using what's leftover on your mitt or gloves! Highly recommend wearing gloves! Don't use too much product, it won't dry properly and leave you feeling sticky and streaky! This is the most natural self tanner I've tried in a long time(if used correctly), and I've tried probably 20 this spring/summer due to quarantine and having the opportunity to try things and not being scared of having to go out in public. When applying to hands after taking off mitt or gloves, use whatever is left over from the mitt or gloves and makeDAMNsure you get between your fingers, make a claw like hand movement and get the finger joint lines otherwise they'll be white lines when you move your fingers or make a fist, do this same process with toes and toe knuckles(lmao), any creases on your body, inner arm creases, fingers, toes, underboobs, underarms, set with a baby powder when these areas are fully dry! Use a fine baby powder like the Caldescene Baby Powder brand and use a large kabuki or face powder brush to lightly dust these areas, otherwise you can and probably will get white untanned lines in these areas bc our bodies are always producing sweat even if we aren't hot. I've had ZERO transfer issues with this product on my sheets or clothes, the smell is pleasant for a few hours but there's always going to be that underlying self tanner smell but it does go away. If you follow these steps, I promise you'll LOVE this product.
Yes, I would buy again 5
Cid from Hillsboro or
I really like the way this product wears when applied as directed
Better tan than products 2-3x the price 5
BrandiJA from Kentucky
This tan gives the most beautiful color for me. I exfoliate and shave on a Saturday, then apply this after my shower on Sunday morning and I'll do another layer in the afternoon. I don't wash off either application until the next morning. The color is gorgeous for me and it fades beautifully and not patchy. I just switched to this from the Tan Luxe drops, which are $60 a bottle. Definitely will keep purchasing and highly recommend to anyone who wants to begin self tanning. I do stick to the face Tan Luxe drops for my face/neck because it does so wonderful and doesn't break me out.
LOVE it 5
Grace from Cypress Tx
I am pretty pale so I have tried a few different self tanners and this one is by far my favorite. I think it smells pretty good, and it doesn't stain clothes or bedding
I will buy this product again 5
BJ from NC
I asked an Ulta professional to help me with finding a sunless tanner that did not stink. I was directed towards Tanologist and St Tropez. I have used St. Tropez and liked a lot about it, but my husband said that he could still smell it when I used it. It was a negative. It was also very expensive. Tanologist is quite a bit less expensive and does not have that awful self tanning smell. It was great on my light completion. It looks natural, but gives me the color I need so that I can wear shorts and a bathing suit and not feel like a ghost. Yea!!!
Easy for a beginner like me 5
tesee from San Diego
I'm not very experienced with at-home tanning products, I've used the gradual tanning lotion a handful of times before but that's it. This stuff worked out great for me, I got nice even color (just applying with my hands since I don't have a mitt) that looked natural and faded really nicely (not splotchy like some other reviewers mentioned). I didn't use the primer beforehand like the directions recommend and I shaved my legs the day before because I was worried about the mousse irritating freshly shaved skin. It did take kind of a long time to soak in, my legs were a little sticky for at least half an hour. I left it on for 3 hours then I got in the shower and just rinsed it off using plain water and my hands. My tan was more noticable the next day though, not sure if it's because I didn't rinse it all off and it continued to develop, but I like it. I'm fair skinned and bought the medium, I think it's the perfect darkness without looking out of place on me.
10/10 5
Brooke from Texas
I've tried just about everything out there and this was by far the best I've ever used. The color is fantastic, I felt moisturized, and I got so many compliments! I am naturally very pale and when someone thinks my tan is natural, it's definitely a score. I was nervous about how their wasn't a guild color but it developed so well and wasn't patchy. If you're shopping online or in the store looking at reviews, just buy it!
With revisions to application, got the desired results 5
Sifrina from NE
Throughout the year I tan my legs to match my naturally tanned arms, and on my face/décolletage/neck I use Tanologist face/body drops (which I ADORE for my olive/medium skin tone; they also work well on my body but I find they are the absolute best product for my face). Over the last two years, I have tried 29 other self tanning products (drugstore to high end, including several St. Moriz products, Tan Luxe, Fake Bake, Clarins, SkinDrop, Vita Liberata, Minetan, Banana Boat, Australian Gold, Tanceuticals, Jergens, Loreal, La Mer Gradual tan, Ulta Limited Edition Gradual Tan Face Mist, and more). Surprisingly, Ulta Limited Edition Gradual Tan Face Mist was so great on my legs but is still out of stock at Ulta. So, Tanologist Express Tan Mousse (Dark) was my latest to try and I have to say my first attempt didn't go well (the result was too intense and an unflattering orange hue on me). I was crushed because I LOVE Tanologist products so much and couldn't believe that the mousse wouldn't work as great on my legs as the Tanologist drops do on my face. However, as I'll explain below, I modified the application approach and the second time it turned out extremely well, with a nearly perfect color match to my arms. With the first application, I think what happened was that I simply put WAY too much on. I LOVE that there's no color guide but it's sort of hard to know if you are getting enough on to be effective, it dries fast/the mousse sort of feels dry on the mitt, so I probably used WAY too many pumps per area. AND I left it on overnight. By comparison, with the 2nd application (after about a week later; normal exfoliation returned my legs to a nice normal tan color underneath the initial orange hue), the result turned out GREAT and I think it is because this time I only used about 2-3 pumps per shin (and 2-3 per thigh), and I only kept it on for 5 hours (NOT overnight), then rinsed off with lukewarm water (no soap). Before applying, I always put lotion on my feet /knees/dry spots first/then let lotion dry. I applied the mousse with a mitt (with glove underneath to be safe) in big movements/circles (I always self tan the day after thorough exfoliation/shaving). For the second application, I went REALLY easy on the feet/insole/heel/toes because I absorb so much color there (first time I wasn't as careful there and it showed). After applying the mousse, I buffed out lightly around toes/insoles/ankles/knees with the dry/clean side of the mitt. Color started to develop in the 5 hours while I was wearing it, I rinsed off, and development continued overnight. Next day the color was an extremely even natural-looking tan (NOT warm or orange-y/yellow at all). There was no transfer on anything (nothing on clothes/sheets/toilet seat), and like my Tanologist drops, this mousse has great staying power - 4 days later and I still have a nice, even natural brown tan that is a very close match to my arms. I am so glad I gave it a second chance because I am so pleased with the results after I revised the application. I have seen no streaks or flaws, no patchiness or orange or yellow anything. I love that I see no tiny amounts of color on tissues after my daily shower when I'm wet (like I see with other tanners), but I do recommend avoiding hot showers/dabbing with a towel after. There is a fragrance (similar to the drops) but it is not super strong or offensive (sort of a subtle 'clean' scent to start then a bit of the usual self tanner smell which I actually like). I love that I only have to keep it on 5 hours. Now that I figured out how to apply this mousse in a way that works for me, I am thrilled and plan for this to be my weekly summer self tanner for my legs. Like the Tanologist drops for my face, this is great for me color-wise and the price is perfect. I rank this as among my top three self-tanners I have tried (among 30 total).
OBSESSED!!! 5
Stephanie from Annapolis, MD
I used this once and overnight got the prettiest glow!! I'm obsessed! I was torn between whether to try Tanologist or Isle of Paradise and I definitely don't regret getting this product and I will definitely not switch products!!
Fading Issues 3
Tori from Austin, TX
Been using the dark tan for a couple months - the color's a bit too orange/yellow for my liking but the color lasts. Smell isn't too bad, stays sticky but that's typical for inexpensive tans. Not very streaky and doesn't stain.
However, the fading is very uneven. My hands, forearms, back, and torso are back to normal, but my legs, neck, the tops of my arms, and feet are still dark and are fading in patches. My feet genuinely look like I have vitiligo. Scrubbing doesn't help; I've been waiting two weeks for the color to fade.
3/5 3
Corrie from San Antonio, TX
Smelled great upon application, but after drying it smelt like a typical self tanner but heavily scented. Gave a nice tan but became very patchy after about 3 days. I would recommend the Ulta brand express self tanner over this product.
THE ONLY Self Tanner I Use!!! 5
Kathybgood from Michigan
I've used every tanner out there!! By far the best I've ever used. The price is great compared to so many other good tanners out there. Easy even application when I apply and rub with a mitt. A lot goes a long way and is very buildable. Best thing- no rub off on sheets or clothes. And color is great!
PLEASE DONT STOP CARYING THIS BRAND!!
No, just no! 2
KB from Bethlehem pa
I was wso orange after using this. I felt like a walking cheetoh. My husband even commented on how bad the color was. I used lotion and prepped dry spots before applying and it was still not good. I'm going back to my more expensive brand.
Streaky and gave me a rash/bumps 1
LM from Colorado
I followed instructions and still left me with a very streaky tan, everywhere! The next day I had a rash/tiny red bumps all over my stomach and chest area. Never buying again. Next time I will spend the extra money and get a better quality tanning mousse.
I've tried a lot of self tanners but I keep coming back 5
Sara from New York
I've tried quite a few self tanners but this is the first one that I went back to. It smells good and I equally like and dislike the fact that it doesn't have a guide color, even though you can't completely see where you're applying, it does still come out even. I wish it was more green based when it developed. But it does look like a natural color and not overly orange. It smells good too.
Just buy it. 5
Anna from Dallas
Better than a ton of products that are double or even triple to use! Doesn't stain sheets or clothes and has a beautiful natural looking color!!!!
