Back by popular demand...Fake Bake Month! (Maybe we should call it the Summer of Faux Tan?)

I had never heard of Famous Dave's tanner until I posted asking for suggestions of tanners to review. When several readers suggested it, my first thought was that someone was trying to play a trick on me. The only Famous Dave's I knew was barbecue sauce!

But alas, there is a Famous Dave's tanner, and I made quick work of ordering a bottle. Famous Dave's prides itself on having the truest color, lowest odor, and smoothest application. Tall order, eh?

The lotion is indeed fragrance-free (Dave says added fragrances intensify DHA reek), but I did detect a bit of that telltale "health food store unscented lotion" odor in it. Know what I mean? It's hard to describe, but it just had that raw smell. I didn't mind, because within a few minutes, it had evaporated. After a few hours, I did smell the DHA but, as promised, it wasn't nearly as foul as some of the more heavily-scented offerings.

As for application, the lotion is a bit opaque, so it requires a good bit of effort to get it completely rubbed in. This is a GOOD thing, as it forces you to evenly distribute the product on your skin. The opacity makes up for the lack of tint, which would otherwise serve as a guideline for where you've applied the product.

Once it's dry, you've seen the last of it. Famous Dave's didn't come off on my clothes or sheets, or sweat off into a gooey mess (it was rather hot the day I first tried it).

A few hours after application, a VERY believable tan develops. It's even and golden - not orange at all (see the information about how pH contributes to the orange tint, on the Famous Dave's website). It loses just one point because it wasn't as dark as I was hoping for. I was able to achieve a darker tan with a second application two days later. And honestly, since Famous Dave's is pretty much fuss-free, I didn't mind.

Overall, this is a perfect choice if you're sensitive to fragrances and/or can't stand the messiness of other tanners. I'm surprised it hasn't been featured in more magazines, although I'm guessing the problem is ad dollars rather than product effectiveness!

Fake Bake Month Official Rating

Scent: 4
Color: 4
Texture: 5
Drying Time: 4
Neatness: 4
Bonus Points: 4 (for the no-nonsense approach and simple descriptions of WHY it works!)

Total Rating: 25/30