Rated 2.88 out of 5 stars
60 Reviews
This is the most hydrating gradual tanner I've tried, I'm so impressed. Smells great doesn't leave that tacky feeling and is so easy to spread. I skip the mitt & apply bare handed as it's not tinted like an express fake tan foam or lotion with guide color, just wipe my palms with a wet rag after applying and have had no issues with discoloration. I first used when very pale and I'm so glad I did, woke up with subtle color which is buildable day to day and no streaks. This is also going to be great to use as moisturizer to extend my usual self tan/spray tans.
I tried (and returned) the tinted "lotion" for the same reason - it's just not thick enough. I read the reviews for this gradual tanner lotion and didn't see the same complaints, so I purchased it. Already realize it was a mistake. Just used for the 3rd time and it's just too runny coming out of the tube. This lotion is way too thin. I wanted to use it to complement the ULTA express tinted mousse, which is GREAT! But it is not an option. Disappointed.
1
Stacy from WA
Ulta carries really nice self tanners like, Loving Tan and St.Tropez. But I thought I'd save money buying this and I assumed it would compare to Jergens. I used it once, it's too runny and smells so bad, didn't even give much color. I returned it.
T from Austin, TX
This isn't lotion, it's liquid. It's so thin. This makes it too hard to apply without it spilling out of the bottle or dripping down the side making a mess. The price is nice and it eventually absorbs well, but I'd rather splurge on a $30 brand after this, or even Jergens. Please reformulate this, or change the packaging so you can control the amount coming out.
4
Joel from San Jose
A pump bottle'd give it 5 stars, cause it's runny! I'll just put it in one! First time using tanner. I looked like I got my arms and neck from the Pick-N-Pull!!! I have to take my shirt off for CrossFit but I'm embarrassed by my farmers tan.
Holly from Michigan
I had bought Ulta's sunless tanner before and it was a nice consistency lotion and left a subtle color with a pleasant smell for a sunless tanner. Unfortunately it has been reformulated apparently, and now is super soupy and thin. I wouldn't recommend this product unless you already knew of the products consistency.
Mac from Phoenix, Arizona
Having to 'make a product work' shouldn't be part of the experience. I was so careful and it ended up spilling on my floor. Wrong container for this product. Its not usable.
Sarah from Blairsville Ga
Giving one star only because you cant give negative stars. Should have known by the price that the product would be junk but Ulta brand items are usually pretty good. But not this one! The "lotion" is so thin that when you try and use it it just makes a mess everywhere. So glad my floors are a dark wood color otherwise they probably would have a brown streak in them because this went all over the floor. Put it in with a mitt and it was so hard to even keep on the mit long enough to get it on my body. The only good thing I can say is that it doesnt have a strong smell and it does actually tan you but it was not worth the fight it went into it.
Amanda from Richmond, TX
I bought this with low expectations and it still managed to be a let down. This stuff is runny. It had the consistency of old milk. It came gushing out of the bottle when I opened it. It got everywhere. Had to take a second shower. Will return.
Ivyjane from Georgia
I truly liked it. The upsides were it was easy to apply, natural finish, and buildable. It was a little runnier that I was used to so I just used regular gloves instead of a mitt to save product and it worked fine. I would recommend this.
Disappointed from Niles, Ohio
I have never used this brand before, and I probably will never buy it again. The price was right, but it is not thick like a lotion. It is more a watery/serum. As soon as I open the lid, turned it upside down it was already coming out of the tube. I am using it in between the tanning bed. I do feel that it helps keep your tan, but as far as the consistency that would be my downfall.
Diane from Vestal, New York
This is far from a lotion, it is a green soupy, sticky goop that spills out of the container uncontrollably after opening… I thought it was a prank, highly disappointed with this ulta product… into the garbage it went
Mgc from Virginia
This used to be my favorite gradual tanner. I purchased 4 bottles to stock up. It's definitely not the same formula. It used to be a lotion, but now it's a watery green mess. This got EVERYWHERE.
morgsanne from Lincoln, NE
This was the biggest let down I've had from an Ulta brand product so far. The consistency is so thin and soupy that it just escapes from the bottle. It is so messy, the color payoff is meh. It took forever to dry down.
Alissa from Nj
I chatted support because when I opened the product it was green liquid coming out. I had to send multiple pictures because in the first one they said it didn't look green so I had to send another photo on a white piece of paper. They're going to send me a new one but reading the reviews it seems like there's something wrong with this product.
Laura from Albuq NM
Ew, the formula has changed and now this lotion dries sticky. It comes out like a soupy mess, and smells like tanner, and feels sticky all day. Probably the worst tanning lotion I've ever used.
5
gradual tan from vermont
this is my new go to gradual tanning lotion. you can't beat this as a gradual tanner because it's budget savvy especially when ulta is running it as buy 1 get 1 40% off which is how I bought mine. the scent is mild and nice and the consistency is so easy to rub in adequately. I love the bottle its cute and it does have a decent amount of product for the price. good as a buildable tan (love that it's for face and body) or how I usually use it as a tan extender for a darker once a week tan
3
Shay from Wilmington
I think all of the pigment settled to the bottom of the tube so the first two times I used it I got great color and then after that I barely noticed a difference. I'm also very pale so fake tan shows up well on me, and this did not. The smell isn't great, so if you're sensitive to smell maybe avoid this! I may have gotten a bad tube, and this did okay for the low price point, but I think it's worth it to shell out for a higher quality product.
Ana from Arkansas
I applied this with a mit and it slowly starts to give a natural tan ! Not streaky at all. Good if starting out with self tanner!
Monstera from Pittsburgh
Good consistency, no streaks. Dries relatively fast. Nice tan color, not fake orange. Does not stain clothing or towels. Did not cause breakouts or clog pores. Was a good moisturizing lotion with the added benefit of an even tan skin tone. Smell was standard gradual tan lotion smell
Mystique from Pittsburgh
Has a slight fake tanner smell but is definitely not as bad as it could be. Applies smooth, lotion not too thick so there are no streaks. Did not turn me orange. Will definitely buy again next spring before my summer tans set in
Fake tan lover from West coast Michigan
Your previous formula was the best. It had a pleasant scent, creamy color, easily applied. This product is stinky and stains your fingernails if your not conscious about application. I have recommended it to young and old in the past but I'm so disappointed in this formula that I threw out my seasonal purchase. Your competitors have the non staining, nice smelling formula but the cost is almost double. You could sell at lot more self tanning lotion if you'd bring back the old formula.
2
bridget from kingston, pa
I've purchased Ulta's gradual tan lotion before and enjoyed it, so I was very surprises how watery this was. It literally POURED out of the bottle and was very hard to manage. Definitely going to return.
ellimacj from Downey, CA
My complexion is fair. A few weeks before spring began this year (2022), I wanted to try this Gradual Self Tan Lotion by Ulta since the weather was already getting very warm in Southern California. I followed the instructions. It smells nice to me, but the gradual build up is a very slow process - unlike other brands I have tried in recent years. For my fair skin, it barely created a tan. I would try to use it every other day applying after a shower. As long as you wash your hands soon after applying, you should not have any discolored palms. It was worth a try for a couple of months, but now I have a natural sun glow. The only other thing I do not like about this product is how runny it is. I keep in my bathroom with a temperature of about 74 degrees Fahrenheit. Be careful, it might splatter out quickly.
Pale Girl from Chicago, IL
The self tanning lotion itself is good. A truly gradual tanner, I never get streaks, and the smell is fine. The only issue is with the bottle! The lotion is pretty watery so as soon as you have the lid opened and turn the bottle upside down, the product just pours out. It gets pretty messy if you're not careful. Ulta - please make this bottle like the good ketchup bottles where it only comes out when squeezed!
Gena from San Antonio
This really works. It looks natural and does not turn you orange. It doesn't streak like a lot of self tanners do either. But you need to appt often to keep the color. Also it is very runny so be careful on that first squirt!
Emily from Portland, OR
I use gradual tanning lotion consistently in the spring and fall, and tried this out for the first time a couple months ago. I was attracted to the low price point when compared to brands like Jergens, but the thin texture of this lotion was less than ideal. It was so watery that I could only apply a little at a time and needed to use more than usual. It was difficult to gauge which areas were covered, which made the effect patchy. It also spilled easily. I've since used Jergens, which was even more streaky and patchy and more expensive, so this is better than that. However, I wouldn't recommend it.