And...we have a winner in the scent category! Victoria's Secret Bare Bronze is the only self tanning product that has ever garnered compliments FOR THE SMELL. I've been using the Daily Glow Moisturizer, a gradual tanner, and it has this amazing, beachy, coconutty scent. It's fantastic layered with my new favorite warm weather scent, Creed Virgin Island Water.

Bare Bronze Daily Glow has the texture and drying time of a good body lotion; there's no sticky, greasy or tacky feel. And somehow, that gorgeous scent remains throughout; I never detected the DHA smell, even though Bare Bronze seems pretty high-potency for a gradual tanner. Read on...

It might just be that my impatient self had to have the "Medium to Deep" version, but this tanner is rather potent and thus, runs a higher risk of streaks. One errant or sloppy application could leave you with striped feet or dirty-looking elbows. Just apply with care, or, get the version for fair skin! Less DHA means that mistakes are less noticeable and more easily corrected (you can avoid this problem entirely by going for a "full strength" tinted tanner to track where you've applied it, but that's another animal entirely).

Minus the streak potential, the actual tan delivered by Bare Bronze is quite good - golden brown after a few applications, no orange. But the scent is really what keeps me coming back for more. Summer in a bottle - both in scent and color! And apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so - Bare Bronze Daily Glow was a CEW Beauty Award nominee this year.

For whatever reason I can't find it on the Victoria's Secret site; I purchased it in the store only about a month ago. Fingers crossed that it's simply out of stock and not discontinued!

Fake Bake Month Official Rating

Scent: 5
Color: 4
Texture: 4
Drying Time: 3
Neatness: 4
Bonus Points: 4 (that scent!)

Total Rating: 24/30