Product Review: L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Luminous Bronzer Self-Tanning Lotion Instant Action

Hi everyone,

Summer is almost gone but I miss it already! Although it's a far stretch, it's hard to miss summer in the Sunshine State where we get close to 300 sunshine days a year. I think we're only second to Arizona on the number of shiny days per year. During the summer, unless I purposely go to the beach/lake/spring without sunscreen, I rarely get a tan. My skin would get about a shade darker and that's it. While there are so many college girls with Cheetos tans in town, I never feel the need to go get myself a tan or anything because I know better.While taking Genetics class, my professor scared my straight with the damage of UV lights in the dark (gene mutation, anyone?) But even before that, I'm happy with my own skin color a lot.

Then one day, the beauty fairy came knocking on my door with a bottle of L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Luminous Bronzer Self-Tanning Lotion Instant Action. Again, this product has a thesis/dissertation name on it (+3 for team L'Oreal!) And off I went to another (for the lack of better terminology) experiment.

Outdoorsy L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Luminous Bronzer Self-Tanning Lotion Instant Action

I have to admit, this is a first for me: until that moment, I had never used a self-tanning lotion. I barely use bronzer, either. So, what should I do?

"It should not be too bad, right?" I thought. "If it goes really wrong, I would just wear long pants, jeans, and PJs for a whole week."

This picture was taken at T-1 to me, a bit before I *er* tested the product

I prayed really really hard to the beauty god and proceeded to the bathroom with the bottle. It felt firm in my hand and once I flipped open the cap and squeezed a bit of product in my palm, a glob of caramel liquid oozed out.

Per instruction, I slathered the liquid to my lower leg, from the knee down to my ankle and washed my hand before it dried off. Despite my own reservation, this self-tanner did smell good. It smelled like a vacation in a bottle with a fruity-floral-caramel fragrance. I also noticed some sparkles on my skin.

The first application did very little to my skin. Although it looked darker, it was not enough to tell a difference. So, the next day after I took a shower, I reapplied the stuff to the same areas. And boy oh boy, did I look tan! In fact, my legs looked like two pieces of really sparkly grilled KFC chicken! And that's a good thing, people. At least, they did not look like two chunky Cheetos sticks.

For the sake of experimentation, I even did a "with and without" shot

With all that said, I did not dare to go for the third round because I did not want to look tanorexic. The tan cling on and on: after 2 weeks later I still see it without any weekly re-applications. Again, I am happy with my own skin and I do not want the many dogs in the 'hood to mistake my legs as two pieces of fried chicken!

Ingredients: water, alcohol denat, dihydroxyacetone, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, caramel, VP/VA copolymer, synthetic fluorphlogopite, fragrance, xanthan gum, C12-15 alkyl lactate, methylparaben, PPG-26-buteth-26, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, CI 77891 titanium dioxide, tocopherol, linalool, benzyl salicyla isomethyl ionone, benzyl alcohol, coumarin, limonene, CI 17200 red 33.

The bottom line is the L'Oreal Sublime Bronze self-tanner does work. I cannot say if it works better than anything else because I haven't tried any self-tanners before. Or ever again, for my own safety's sake.

Should you use it? I guess you should, if getting tanned is your thing. After all, it's still a lot safer than going under the UV light. Also, it's a whole lot cheaper than getting spray tans as well. But if you're like me, I suggest you to veer yourself toward the L'Oreal HiP display and get some makeup.

Price: $9.49 at mass-market and drugstores
My rating: B+

That's all for today, folks! I hope you'll have a wonderful week ahead.



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