Real Beauty's Self-Tanner Challenge

Lately, having a safe and sunless faux glow is being considered more fashionable (and far less expensive) than carrying the latest Birkin bag. Since finding the right self-tanner is really hard work, we endured the streaks, blotches, smelly formulas, and orange palms just for you. Here are our top 25 picks, as reviewed by our fantastic fair- to medium-skinned testers.

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Courtesy of Nivea
Gradual: Nivea Sun-Kissed Beautiful Legs

Drying Time: About one minute.

Formula and Smell: "It wasn't overpowering at all — I liked it!" said our tester, Tammy, 24. "The consistency blended well and it was easy to apply."

"It smelled less like your average self-tanner," said Brianne, 23, who tested the medium to dark formula. "It's white like a lotion and has a loose, greasy texture that absorbed quickly."

Results: Tammy saw results by day three, while Brianne saw results by day four.

"I would definitely buy this again," said Tammy. "Even though I shave regularly, an added bonus is that it claims to minimize leg-hair growth."

"I always moisturize when I get out of the shower, and since it dried quickly it didn't seem like an extra step in my routine," said Brianne. "I would stand by this product — the only thing that slightly deterred me was the shimmer, although that evened out by day four."

Tester Tip: "Just as a precaution, I would apply this in the morning and let it dry while you're applying your makeup or reading the newspaper," said Tammy. "That way, you won't have to worry about messing up the results and you'll be multitasking at the same time!"

Where to Buy: $10, drugstore.com

Buy it now!

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