Banana Boat • Summer Color Self-Tanning Mist • Self Tanners

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elgruetz on 1/1/2013 2:43:00 PM more reviews by elgruetz

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I love this product! The look is very natural - even on my winter-white skin. It is easy to apply and can be sprayed from all different angles. To ensure even coverage, I spray it on, then rub it in with my hand. It gives light coverage, so often requires two applications, but I prefer that, as it's easier to apply more than try and tone it down.

The price is so reasonable! I have tried other, more expensive products, but this one is, not only the best, but the cheapest!

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edendani17 on 8/14/2012 4:03:00 PM more reviews by edendani17

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

This spray tan is horrible. First of all, the smell is really gross... It's supposed to smell like "limes" but it just smells nasty. The product itself is sticky, and even if I apply a very light layer, rub it in, and stand in front of a fan, it takes forever to dry, or at least to become non-sticky. Worst of all, it did NOTHING to me. I didn't see any difference in my skin color. It was a waste of money!! I would give it 0 if I could.

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Sunkissed365 on 7/8/2012 8:26:00 PM more reviews by Sunkissed365

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

The Good: This self tanner is awesome because the tan is a natural looking tan. Also the spray helps mist evenly all over your body and it does last about 7 days. The tan does not flake off... it just fades slowly which is very nice.

The Bad: It does not smell good. It's not the worst but not the best smelling. The smell goes away within a day. A good tip is to spray tan at night, let it dry for about 20 minutes, then sleep and wake up in the morning and shower. This will get rid of the smell.

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annp17 on 6/3/2012 11:29:00 PM more reviews by annp17

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I go the lengths of having a tan appearance living in Miami. Having fair, burn-prone skin, I always look to tanners for a no-sun sun look. I bought Banana Boat's self tanning mist spray today at Target (on sale for $6!) and tried it out today. I only have rave reviews for the mist. Not only is the smell tolerable (and fairly good), the mist really flows out well so it does all the work in ensuring the formula gets on your skin evenly. I have always used lotions so I was nervous at first to use the spray, but like I said, it was so easy to use. I waited 10 minutes for it to dry and reapplied a second coat, (for the promised 7 day length of color), and was amazed by how my skin glowed instantly. The color developed a total natural tan shade, not orangey at all! I recommend the product to all.

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HeySamJo on 5/22/2012 4:31:00 PM more reviews by HeySamJo

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Grey    

So I am a veteran self tanning girl. I live in the U.S. city with the LEAST amount of sun per year, so we don't really tan here, more like rust, lol! Anyways, so I tried Banana Boat Summer Color, and so far I like it. The color is really natural, and the scent isn't great, but WAY better than most tanners! It doesn't have that stinky "self tanner" smell. The only recommendation I can make is hold it far away, but not too far. I was a little too easy on my legs, then had no choice but to hold it closer to my arms and abdomen. So, my legs didn't tan as much as my arms, but, I can go back and reapply. I do have to say though that this stuff is FANTASTIC for your feet! Just keep a good distance and you'll be fine. I am medium skinned so as it said in other reviews it can be a bit orangy the first day, especially if you have very light skin. I do have to say it is WAY easier than lotion however, once you get the hang of it. It only took me maybe 5 mins to apply, and maybe 10 to dry. The lotions I have used took much longer to apply, and twice if not three times longer to dry. So for a super quick kick of color (if you do not have super white skin), this is pretty good stuff!

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*TOP REVIEWER* swtxos on 5/7/2012 9:55:00 PM more reviews by swtxos

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This product develops much faster than any other gradual self tanning lotion or mousse I own. I use to think my St. Moriz tanning mousse and Nivea Summer Touch lotion are the best at giving the most colour with the least amount of application, but I have to say that the Banana Boat Tanning Mist has them beat. The colour it gives, although dark, I feel is slightly orange. My skin is light-medium so it shows up slightly orange in white light but I'm sure if someone with fair skin tried this on it would look unnaturally orange on them. I don't necessarily love the colour, but in a pinch if I need to get dark fast in order to wear shorts/skirt then I'd reach for this. I didn't have an issue with streaking because I made sure to exfoliate beforehand and applying lotion on the areas prone to streaking (i.e. ankles, elbows, knees and wrists), but I did learn that with the mist dispenser, you have to make sure you cover all angles of your body or else you will miss a spot and end up looking uneven. I have learned that I need to hold the nozzle about a feet away from my body and spray in circular motions all the way down my front, my back, AND my sides. It's quite difficult to keep track of how much product you've applied because its not tinted--i wish it was! Drying time was average, I find this mist didn't dry any faster than my lotions so if you worry about damaging your clothes I would suggest you wear something dark to bed. I only apply self tanner on in the evening so the product develops overnight and I can wash away the stinky self tanner smell in the morning. This leads me to address the STINK. BOY does this product stink. The fresh citrus-y fragrance only lasts 5 minutes before it is replaced by a fried noodle/biscuit-y smell. This is, hands down, the stinkiest self-tanner I have ever used, even more so than Jergens Natural Glow. To sum things up, this product has its pros: dark colour fast, quick spray on applicaiton and inexpensive, and its cons: orange colour, uneven finish if you don't spray every angle of yourself, spray nozzle can sometimes be difficult to hold down, a little bit of orangeness and majorly stinky. It sounds like the cons outweigh the pros, but I would still repurchase because this product is perfect for the lazy girls who hate to wait 5 days to achieve the colour they set out for.

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GMJAG on 4/27/2012 10:43:00 PM more reviews by GMJAG

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Neutral   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I officially LOVE Banana Boat. I will never return to any other self-tanning brand if I don't have to. This spray tan formula first of all smells GREAT. It has a sweet citrusy smell that fades in about 5 mintues. No joke. It gives a good natural color. It's pretty economical at about 7$ a can (better than 12$ Neutrogena!). My only slight issue with it is that it can cause a minimal amount of streaking if it isn't rubbed in well after you spray. So be careful there. But for all of its pros it is FOR SURE worth buying! I only use this on my body. I went and bought the Banana Boat Summer Color lotion and use it on my face and LOVEEEEE it. It doesn't have a weird smell and also causes no breakouts or fake orangey looking results.

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aperfectsonnet on 4/19/2012 1:49:00 PM more reviews by aperfectsonnet

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I had great success with all the Jergen's products, but I didn't have time for something gradual, so I picked up this product. The only tanner that looked so bad I cried. Streaky, patchy, and terribly orange. To top it off, I rubbed my skin raw trying to get it off or fade it. Stay far away, and just spend the extra $3 and get the L'oreal Sublime. I have since replaced this product with L'oreal and no longer want to cry every time I look in the mirror.

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cady19 on 4/18/2012 8:11:00 PM more reviews by cady19

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

My ratings were: Overall = 3; Price=1; Packaging=4, Would I Buy Again? No
This tan isn't great but it's not terrible either - it's very average. It's fairly easy to apply - the can sprays from any angle and the stream stays even, no sputtering or squirting. The tan applied reasonably well but it was difficult to gauge where I had already applied the tan and it ended up going on somewhat unevenly as I over-applied it to some areas; it would be better to have some sort of colored spray so you can see where you'd already sprayed, although with practice I think most people could get it to go on evenly. However there was no streaking and it did not cling to any dry patches or make my knees and toes darker than the rest, though bear in mind that I exfoliated twice before applying the tan which probably helped.

My main issues with this tan were the color it ultimately left and the number of applications it took to see a reasonable color change. I am very fair (as in the lightest shade in most foundations is always a couple shades too dark for my face, and my legs are even lighter) and my legs are basically so fair they're transparent. I am also very cool toned with quite significant pink undertones. I was looking for a tan that would give me a bit of color on my legs to get them to match the rest of me without going orange. This product did not give me any color at the first application, but after four applications it left me with slightly darker legs - they now are close to or a little bit darker than my arms. Because it took someone as pale as me so many applications to see reasonable results I doubt that this would work well for people looking for a tanner that works in one night (although you could apply several coats over the course of a day) and on darker skin it might not show up at all. However, I could have lived with the multiple applications however if the color it gave me looked better. The reason I won't buy again is that it gave my legs a somewhat yellow tone so now they look a little jaundiced. It is close to a natural look, but it pulls a bit too yellow to be convincing. But this might not be an issue for everyone - as I said, my skin is cool toned with pink undertones - there is absolutely no yellow or really any neutral/beige tones in my skin at all - just pink. I can see the color looking very natural for people who aren't quite as cool toned me.

I will not repurchase this as I think I can find something that works better for me - I plan on trying the banana boat lotion in light/medium next. However I gave it an overall score of 3 because it is one of the cheapest tans available and can be found in most drugstores so it might be worth a try as I can see it working quite well for many people, especially those who aren't as pink toned as me and are willing to apply more than once to get their desired color.

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Missejayzee on 3/22/2012 12:23:00 AM more reviews by Missejayzee

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy   Eyes: Blue    

This is the first spray tan product I've used after giving up tanning beds! I don't have much experience with them at all so I was a little nervous to try it out. Make sure you're in a well ventillated area while applying it or you WILL choke on the fumes...not fun. I'm definietly impressed with this product though! Gives you a very healthy glow and can build into a deep looking tan if you use it everyday. I usually apply Jergens Natural Glow after it's dry which I find helps to darken the color. Not orange looking at all! The smell is citrus-y...not really a fan of that but it could be worse. It does get a little patchy when it starts to fade so make sure to exfoliate. I'm sure there are better spray products out there but for the price and quality I'll definietly be buying this again. $8 at Target!

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Beatlemaniac6070 on 1/14/2012 11:06:00 AM more reviews by Beatlemaniac6070

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I've only tried 2 self tanners my whole life. This was the better one as the last one (forgot the name of it) turned me orange and I missed numerous spots(that's my fault though)..... I got this for Christmas and I finally worked up the nerve to do it last night; I have to say application is easy, but nerve wracking when you don't know what the finished product is going to turn out like. But you do get a nice tan after a couple of hours. But I fell asleep when this was drying on my arms, and I just happened to drool on my arm. Now I have a big white mark running down my arm. LOL... anyway. I woke up and the rest of my arm looked really nice as I had an amazing tan. I noticed it in the dark even. I was dark!
But when I go outside, I look like a sunny fish. Part of my arm is so white, and other part of my arm is sooooo tan. It makes me laugh :) I put too much on myself. I used it on my legs and very nice color, I didn't exfoliate on my knees though so those look real dark. Spraying this on my legs made them look way more flattering than my pale, veiny legs, anyway. lol, I definitely suggest this to anyone; it's the best! I just recommend practicing first, or getting someone with experience to spray it on you. Enough rambling... I love this product; I can't wait to use it in the summer! My mom bought it for me, so I don't know the price. I'm definitely getting more when I run out!

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killerbees62 on 8/23/2011 6:55:00 PM more reviews by killerbees62

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I really like this stuff! My mom gave this to me as a gift so I have no idea how much it is.

PRO'S:
1.) Veeerry realistic tan colour, not orange at all.
2.) Fresh citrus scent! of course its not a perfume by any means but it is the best smelling self tanner I have ever come across.
3.) Fast dry time! It stays a bit sticky for the first minute but then it dries rather quickly.

CON'S
1.) Application is a bit difficult at first, however you just need to spray it evenly and consistently and you will not have any problems. Practice makes perfect! You might want someone you help you spray it on your back because that part can be kind of awkward.

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BellaBoo86 on 7/24/2011 10:51:00 PM more reviews by BellaBoo86

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I'm a little torn on this product... The ease of application is fantastic (although messy... just use it in the shower so cleaning up is easier!) The color is seriously beautiful and believable, the closest to my sun given coloring a sunless tanner has ever been. I had the equivalent of a base tan after 2 generous coats. The drawbacks are that I'd like a color guide. Definitely user error, but I do miss small (and not so small) patches without one. And despite what other reviewers have said, I find the smell pretty offensive. It's strong, chemical-y and just plain yucky IMHO. Thankfully, it doesn't linger. Smells always seems pretty subjective, so it might be tolerable for others. I'd really like to try St. Tropez mousse next, but given the price , ease of use and beautiful color pay off, I do see myself buying this spray again. I bought it at Ulta for about $9 or so, I'd say it's worth a try.

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kaceywacey on 6/21/2011 5:03:00 AM more reviews by kaceywacey

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I've used this several summers in a row and have been pretty satisfied with my results. I've never used any other self tanners before but I really like this one because it sprays on clear rather than being like a can of spray paint, meaning that it won't rub off on your clothes and anything your body comes in contact with. My one issue with this is that it stays sticky. I always try to apply this on a day I know I won't be sitting too much because it leaves my legs feeling sticky. It is possible to over-tan yourself with this stuff. Let the color appear before you spray on your third or fourth coating because you might end up making yourself too dark. My Asian skin tends to naturally tan a nasty, dirty brown but this gave me a nice golden tan. It wasn't even orange-y at all. I'd rather tan with this stuff than get my own natural tan because it looks so much better on me. It also smells pretty good, a little citrus-y but not too fake smelling.

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ryokokoro on 4/14/2011 12:04:00 AM more reviews by ryokokoro

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I've heard decent things about the banana boat products so I decided to give the spray version a try. Got it at Wal Mart for six and some change, not bad. I got into my bikini and sprayed it all over my body and face at a safe distance and waited. It only took maybe 5 minutes to dry in most places but I waited a full 10 before redressing. It says it develops in a few hours but I didn't really notice the full effect until the next morning when I indeed saw the start of "tan" lines and a decent light/medium glow about my face and other places that were pasty white before. But it was very uneven in areas like the legs and inner thighs. I think this is because with my upper body I held it much farther away and just let the mist waft over my skin and held it at the closer recommended distance for my legs, going down in strokes like it says to do. The smell otherwise is very nice. Nothing offensive or rancid about it, and the color isn't bad. More of a light-medium wash but MUCH less orange-ish than some of the ones I've tried in the past. Another problem I had was that the can tends to sputter here and there, so I have random splotches on my hips and thighs where little spits landed and I didn't notice. Could just be my user error but I'm sure I pressed the nozzle firmly enough. But like I said, did not have this issue on my upper body where I applied it different from instructions.

Would I buy it again? Maybe, maybe not but I'll wait it out and do it my way only, and see how I feel. I'd recommend a lotion or gel though over these sprays unless you're just using it for a quick spritz to touch up stuff like hands, feet, and your face between your regular sunless applications.

update: After further trial holding it further away than the directions state and applying it in wafting circular sprays, this product does end up pretty even. Still have problems with the nozzle sputtering here and there but otherwise, it's a nice alternative for hands and feet if lotions turn out too dark or patchy there (just don't soak them in this and they look even and natural).

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merin44 on 4/1/2011 2:27:00 PM more reviews by merin44

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I bought this product at my local drugstore for under $7.00. It was the cheapest self tanner that they had and the "citrus scent" caught my eye. It's the beginning of spring so my skin is pretty pale from not getting any sun all winter. I got home and took a shower to exfoliate my skin before applying. Application was easy thanks to the spray nossil. I tend to buy the spray tans over the lotions because they're easier to apply. The next morning i woke up and was pleased with my results. I wasnt orange at all. Instead I was a few shades darker, enough to stilll look natural. There were no streak marks, no darker patches, and no missed spots. The smell isnt that bad, its better than most self tanners out there but it does still have that "spray tan" smell. I took a shower later that day and the product still stayed on. Overall I'm please with this product and recommend it even if your really pale, it works. The ONLY negative thing i could say, on the back of the bottle it says to spray on 1 coat and let dry and then spray on another coat for maximum results. If you choose to do that be prepared to wait a LONG time for it to dry. I'm talking 4 hours here. Your best bet is to apply one coat and then apply another coat the next day.

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zbaldridge on 3/4/2011 11:11:00 AM more reviews by zbaldridge

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I loveee this stuff! its great i have a olive complection and i wasnt looking to use the tanning beds and i dont really like the lotions bc they can be messy so i've been reading reviews on spary tannning products and thought i'd just give the cheapest one a try and see how i liked it. well its great! the first time i used it i got a great sun-kissed glow, no orange, no streaks, the smell is a bit overwhelming and sweet thats the only complaint i have. but it gives you a very natural look, nothing too much,a just noticable subtle bronzed color. great as a sub. for tanning beds till summer! definantly recommeded for someone looking for a little sunkissed glow in the winter months!

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reyrey503 on 3/2/2011 8:19:00 PM more reviews by reyrey503

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

Great for when I need a quick shot of color. I am very fair skinned and this stuff after two applications does the trick. I dont like to be super dark (a lot of people do) but I do like a little color and this kind of gives me an in between. Its like the skin color I am supposed to have (since I am half Native American) The smell is nice and is super easy to apply. I usually spray it right after I get out of the shower and dry off. I let it dry (take about 30 min fully (when I spray 2 coats) ) After that I put my lotion on and I am dressed and out the door. It has lasted more than 7 days for me and is gradually fading. Definitely a re-buy.

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plushes on 3/2/2011 8:54:00 AM more reviews by plushes

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I have been using this product since 2006. Out of plenty of sunless tanning products that I have invested in over the last 20 years, this one is the best, next to having a spray tan applied by a professional. The scent is fairly light and so is the product. I spray myself once, allow it to dry, apply again and then about every other day as needed. I have fair-medium skin, but I tan easily. This product creates a very bronzed, natural looking tan over a couple of days. As with all sunless products, you must use it sparingly around knees and fingers. I also rub the product in after spraying to make sure I get everything. I use this heavily on my chest, face arms and hands when I need a quick tan for a night out. Full body application takes a while to make sure you 'cover all of the bases.' I also carefully wash my hands after applying, then I spray the back of each hand/wrist lightly and allow to dry.
For some reason I can only find this at Target, so I buy 4 cans at a time. This stuff lasts and fades nicely and evenly. Just don't let anyone kiss the areas that you spray until after you bathe. They will recoil in horror at the bitter taste! This is a great product. If you want to be darker on the first day of use, many will need to apply twice. It really does leave a nice golden bronze color.

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*TOP REVIEWER* tarapickholtz on 9/3/2010 4:28:00 PM more reviews by tarapickholtz

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Other    

Overall I like this self tanner! I prefer the spray kinds (the ones that mist and don't need to be rubbed in), as it's very quick and easy. If I have to spend a ton of time rubbing in a product, making sure I don't miss a spot or apply unevenly, I just get annoyed. I'd used Neutrogena Micromist many times and found this to be somewhat similar with how it mists the product. It takes literally under 2-3 minutes to apply it to my body, and it dries fairly quickly.

My favorite thing about the product is that it doesn't smell bad. It has a fresh citrus scent, which is pleasant and not overpowering. You can smell it most when you first apply it, and then the scent wears off. So many self tanners just smell so bad that I don't want to use them. Some of the better smelling ones start to stink after the color develops more. I have to say that this one is definitely one of the better smelling ones. This one, plus Ocean Potion Ever Glow and Hemp Malibu Tan lotions are the best scented, as they don't smell bad intially, and they don't develop that strong self tanner scent. Each may have a very, very smell hint if you sniff your skin, but I can't notice it at all right now after applying it last night.

Unfortunately, it does seem that all of the better smelling products also don't get you super dark. This does seem to be more of a "gradual tanning" product rather than a regular self tanner. If you apply one time, you might not notice a difference or you might have a very slight tan. Don't expect to be super dark unless you really spray a LOT of this. I felt like I sprayed a reasonable amount and just have a bit of an added glow. I can notice the color though, and it looks nice and natural. I will apply for a few days in a row to see how it builds. I can imagine that one might go through the can kind of fast because of using it often, but it's pretty inexpensive (I paid around $6.50).

Packing is nice and looks fine. The only downside is that I noticed that the misting cap would spray a little harder than other products, such as Neutrogena Micromist. I had to remember to keep it further away from my body to avoid spraying way too much in one spot. I'd hold it about a foot away. It also occasionally would "split" extra bits of liquid, but this didn't really seem to be an issue. The color came out very even, so those little bits didn't matter. Since it sprays nicely, it is easy to get my back and any tricky areas, and it gives a nice even coating. I was able to get dressed after only 5 minutes of dry time.

The only reason why I give it 4 out of 5 stars is that I do wish it would be a bit darker, but I guess I'm willing to give up a little bit of color for a much better scented product. I'd definitely repurchase, although I tend to shop around and like to try out new products. I also want to try one of the Coppertone gradual tanning lotions!

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