Loreal Sublime Bronze One Day Review

Let me start off by saying that I despise self-tanners.  I follow all the rules, and I do everything the experts tell you to do.  I exfoliate like crazy, I moisturize my drier parts, like knees and ankles so that they don't soak up too much color, I wait 15 minutes before getting dressed, and I always make sure to purchase the lightest color, since I'm fair skinned. Yet somehow, they always turn out streaky and horrible and it's so embarrassing!  There's nothing worse than being out someplace, like, oh lets see...a friend's wedding, and having a total stranger come up to you and ask you if you spilled a drink down your leg.  (Yeah, that happened to me!) 

So, needless to say, I was psyched when I saw Loreal's Sublime Bronze One Day at Target recently.  Of course I bought it, because I've been waiting for something like this to come out for years now.  (What took you guys so long??)

Here's what the packaging says, 

"Natural Sun-Kissed Look

• Instant Tan / Non-Self Tanning
• Lasts one day, washes off with soap
• With natural caramel colorant

Results

• Instant radiance & sun-kissed glow
• Smooth, streak-free, even-looking skin tone
• Tan level builds with additional applications
• Long-lasting hydration for smooth feel

Sublime Bronze One Day instant tanning gel delivers a sheer tint of bronze color that lasts up to one day.  This unique quick-drying formulation with natural caramel colorant and golden pearls gives skin a natural-looking sun-kissed glow.  The no-mistakes formula washes away with soap and water." 

So here are a list of pros and cons that I found when using the product: 

Pros: 

• Sheer, light color you can build on if necessary. 
• No gross, fake tanner smell
• Dries really fast, so no staining your clothes
• Subtle, pearlized shimmer that hides imperfections. 
• Makes skin feel really soft and smooth
• Washes off with soap and water- you're not stuck with it.
• Can be used all over, even on the face

Cons: 

• Difficult to wash off palms- I suggest using gloves or a mitt to apply or washing hands frequently during the process. 
• May not show up on darker skin since it's so sheer. 

So here's an up close picture of my skin before and after application.  This is one coat but you can add more coats, which will deepen the result. Just a word of caution...even though this does not contain self-tanner, somehow the color deepens after about 15-30 minutes, so if you think it doesn't come out dark enough the first time, wait a little while and check on it again before adding a second coat. In the picture on the right, you can see that the color comes out very natural and reddish brown (like a real tan) vs. orang-y.  I love the pearlized effect it gives the skin also.

You can purchase this product at drugstores, like Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS, or Target for about $8.99.