By Sarah Corley

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Solerra Bronzing Mitts – $24.94 for 4 & Solerra Exmitts – $11.95 for 3

I was so so excited to try these tanning mitts from Solerra, I do like to tan – and as we know now it's not safe to do it naturally – but I'm often put off by the mess, so the idea of a completely mess free tan was definitely a draw.

I got to try both the Ex-Mitt and the Instant Bronzing Mitts. The Ex-Mitt is an exfoliating and moisturizing disposable mitt that works really well – it is rough – but it does the job and it smells exactly like blue raspberry freezer pops (it took me awhile to put my finger on what the smell was – but that's exactly it!)

The bronzing mitt is the best tanning product I have ever used. The mitt isn't very easy to get on, if I could try it again (this was one I was unable to try again as it was a one use product) I would use baby powder or talc on my hand to get on with ease. However, once on, the mitt glides over the skin evenly distributing tanner over your body, and the mitt makes even the hardest to reach places, not easy, but at least reachable! And because the mitt only has so much tanner on it, there's very little risk of patches or too dark spots (I left my feet till last which solved my usual too much tanner on the feet problem)

I used two mitts for my entire body – however I think I could of gotten away with one, it's hard to say because I didn't even try to use just the – that and I'm not exactly short at 5ft 10!

The colour the mitt produced was even, deep, natural but bronzed. I was so very impressed by this product. Easy to use, great colour and at just under $25 for four, it's affordable too and is therefore the winner of this little challenge!

By Kelsi Smith

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Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe by XEN-TAN – $56

Since I am naturally very fair and especially prone to sunburns, I have never been one to just layout in the sun without sunscreen. I gave up trying to get tan years ago when I realized that my sunburns hurt too much and did not even turn to tan skin. So I have embraced being fair and dressed in a way that complements it. But recently, XEN-TAN found me and made me realize that a natural-looking tan can be possible without the sun. 

As advised on the instructions, one should apply to clean skin and use the instant color as a guide. You can use your hands or a mitt provided by XEN-TAN—I preferred using my hands. On my first application, I doubted that it was even working because the instant color was not very noticeable on my skin. Since it is a time-release tanner lotion, it was difficult to know how much was being applied. At one point, I went a little overboard on the lotion and had to correct later-realized skin smudges with some exfoliation. But when applied not as thick, the tanner worked well and showed up in a natural color with minimal streaks. 

In the application process, I found it important to allow myself plenty of time. At one point, I spread the lotion on my legs and went on to work. When I came home, my legs were a beautiful color, but there were a few streaks from my clothing (my mistake!). On my second round, the result was much better, as I devoted more time to let everything dry completely. Expect it to fade slightly after 5-7 days and reapply to keep up the look or go darker.

Overall, this is a fantastic product. The color is rich, the lotion smells good, and the tan lasts!

By Sarah Corley

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Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer (Revitalizing, Medium-Tan) – Drugstore.com – $8.49

The Jergens 'natural glow' daily moisturizer is one of those products that does exactly what it says on the tube. Use it every day and the colour will gradually build up over time and at the same time will keep your skin moisturized and revitalised at the same time.

The colour that builds up is very light but very natural, making it the perfect first step for a first time tanner. That said is as the colour does build up it starts to look dull and you do notice a build up, I'd recommend a good exfoliation between every two-three applications to keep the colour fresh and natural.

It's remarkably available in two shades and two formulas – fair-medium and medium-tan and revitalizing or firming. It's also available as a facial moisturizer.

Altogether the best looking natural colour you're going to get for under $10, a great and inexpensive way to try out a tanner for the first time and is therefore the winner of our best value prize.

By Kelsi Smith