Le Tan original tanning cream review

Not much has changed since my last blog post about my search for the perfect self tanner. This week I am doing a review on a product made by one of my favorite brands, Le Tan. I am a big fan of some of the Le Tan self tanning products because they usually give me great results. So when I saw the Original Tanning Cream by Le Tan I had to give it  a go. 

The Original Tanning Cream claims to give you the perfect natural bronze tan which is streak free and develops in 4 hours. Unfortunately, this product didn't really live up to my expectations for three reasons.

Firstly, the product doesn't smell very nice. It starts off having a sweet kind of smell but that quickly turns into a strong fake tan smell. Having a shower after appllying this product will not get rid of the smell and you need to have around 2 showers in order for it to fade.

Even though I don't like the way this product smells, it is not the reason that I am so dissapointed with it. This product actually gave me the worst streaks I have experienced with a self tanner. As you can see from my video and the picture below, the tan developed unevenly and I had brown patches over my arms. Since I apply a lot of fake tan (as can be seen from my YouTube videos where I am a different colour every time!), I have developed a great routine which ensures that I always get an even tan, so for a product to end up so streaky after all the exfoliating and careful preparation I do, it is a big deal.

I think that the reason for this problem comes from the fact that the product itself is actually white. When you rub it into your skin, it is see through so you cannot see where you have applied it and whether you have missed any spots. As you wait for the product to develop, you have no idea what it will turn out like and whether you will have a dark brown patch on your arm.

The third thing that is a letdown about this product is that it takes a lot longer to develop than the advertised 4 hours. For me, this product takes around 8 to 10 hours to develop into a noticeable colour. The extra developing time may be due to the fact that I am naturally very pale so it might not take as long on someone who has a darker skin tone.

On a positive note, this product is great value for money. It costs approximately $12.99 for a 150ml bottle and one bottle will give you around 3-4 full body applications of the tan. It is also widely available and you can get it form your local Priceline, Woolworths and Target. The product is relatively runny in consistency which makes it easy to apply and rub into the skin. I also like the colour it gives, it has a bit of a yellow undertone but as you can see from the video it actually looks very natural (when it's even!). Comparing it with the Naked Tan Goddess Bronze I reviewed last week, this product gives you a lighter colour than the Goddess Bronze.

I tried this product a number of times and every time I would end up with streaks on different areas of my body. It doesn't give me the natural tan that I want during summer. For this reason, I will not be repurchasing this product and do not recommend it. I think that Le Tan has a lot better products on the market other than this one.

Have you ever used a self tanner that gave you dissapointing results?