The 8 Best Smelling Tanning Lotion Reviews & Guide 2024

Tanning is a vital part of our beauty routine, which has been a trendy fashion practice for a long time. It is a way to get that elusive sun-kissed glow and maintain the level of confidence you’ve always wanted in your swimsuits and watersports clothes.

Tanning gives you that beautiful summer shine in no time. It is practical, safe, and a great alternative to damaging UV rays.

However, there is a major drawback in the usage of tanning products due to the trademark DHA smell.

While tanning has been around for a while now, many tanning products have a disgusting smell.

For a lot of people, the awkward tanning smell is discouraging. As a result, they have decided against this beautiful process.

Looking beautiful with a less appealing smell is not exactly what you wanted when you decided to tan your skin.

The chemical reaction between your skin’s amino acids and dihydroxyacetone (DHA) derived from plant sources like sugar cane or sugar beets give the skin a tan and develops a foul odor.

The odor isn’t perceivable when the content is in the bottle, but once it comes in contact with your skin, you begin to notice it. Each smell differs from each person depending on how it reacts with your skin.

Some describe it as having a yeasty smell while others perceive it as that of a burning flesh, cat pee or old gym socks. Not very nice if you ask me.

Perfumes might help a bit, but they are not the best solution. You have to find the best smelling tanner with less offensive smell that won’t make you stand out for the wrong reasons.

Nevertheless, there is a handful of tanning lotion that smells nice. So you wouldn’t have to worry about the usual foul smell.

Searching for the right tanning products is stressful, and this is what puts many people off self-tan. There are too many products out there, and getting the best one for yourself can sometimes be a herculean task. But hey, it doesn’t have to be that way any longer.

We have decided to research the best smelling tanning lotions that will give you that sun-kissed glow with a matching pleasant smell.

That’s good news considering what you might have been through.

This compilation is a direct result of our extensive research of products with outstanding user reviews across top e-commerce sites. I’m sure you’d love them.

Read on and see tanning become a pleasant experience.

Best Smelling Tanning Lotion in 2024

Flawless Fake Bake self-tan liquid

[su_amz asin=”B0046VGPHQ”]

Many of its users confirmed this is a perfect sunless tanner that comes with a black coconut scent. It overrides the DHA smell without compromising its effectiveness.

It rubs off evenly and works for different skin types. It sinks into the skin almost immediately and dries off fast, which means you need to apply a moisturizer before usage. It also stays on for long.

The lotion works perfectly with your natural skin tint. This means that it can either darken or brighten your skin while retaining the desired bronze glow.

For a perfect result, follow the directions on the pack. It is natural and relatively easy to apply. Just work it on your body in a circular motion with your gloves.

A good deal! You don’t have to smell awful while looking beautiful with this lotion. It is the complete tanning package that enhances your skin glow and gives you that nice pleasant smell. It is also affordable.

Lastly, before purchasing the fake bake lotion, you should consult their color guide for a fantastic and appropriate result.

Sun Bum Moisturizing Browning Lotion

[su_amz asin=”B08BWBLQ5G”]

It’s a premium darkening lotion developed to accelerate the tanning process on your skin initially triggered by the sun.

This browning lotion feels like a moisturizer with a chocolate scent. It gives you that fast, deep tan, without having to spend long hours in the sun.

It makes the skin way darker while giving it a bronzed glow like a beauty queen. The skin also becomes incredibly soft and smooth after usage.

It helps you get an even tan on every part of your body.

However, this lotion can stain your clothes with all its browning ingredients, so you have to be careful when applying it.

It’s a great product that can give you that desired glow with a pleasant scent.

Evagloss Sunless Tanning Lotion

[su_amz asin=”B079HFVKMJ”]

Everybody loves this self-tanner, and it’s not just about the scent, but the fact that it gives you a wonderful bronzed glow.

The ingredients used in formulating this product are natural and safe, selected after several rounds of lab tests. This lotion works for all skin types. Everyone who has used it has fascinating things to say about it.

A pleasant smell, not greasy, no streaks, and color shows up in a few hours.

Safe to say this is an excellent natural self-tanner that will enhance your look with a pleasant smell.

So what more are you waiting for? Give it a try!

Tan-Luxe the body illuminating self-tan

[su_amz asin=”B086VPZM7M”]

This tanner is one of the best smelling tanning lotions you can get out there. It comes in a variety of Light/Medium and Medium/Dark.

It is formulated with natural ingredients such as aloe vera, raspberry seed oil, vitamin E, and much more in place of paraben and alcohol to improve its scent. The manufacturers also use a naturally derived DHA to make it safe for use in your daily skincare routine.

Tan-luxe tones and firms skin with caffeine. It will help you develop that robust, natural-looking, and radiant glow in 4-6hrs.

This tanning lotion will give you flawless skin and a vibrant look without having to break a bank. It will help you achieve an even skin tone and reduce its redness.

Apply by mixing 1-12 drops to your body moisturizer, serum, or face oil and rub evenly over your body. The higher the drops, the deeper the result.

This is a good tanning lotion with a pleasant smell. Check it out!

Millennium Solid Black Tanning Lotion

[su_amz asin=”B0058E3XJI”]

This is a great indoor tanning lotion, specifically made to help accentuate the indoor tanning process. It smells heavenly while leaving your skin soft, supple, and silky.

A perfect product for those who want a fast and deep tan that lasts long for summer. It works as a tan enhancer and silicone bronzer. It evens your skin tone and protects it from the summer sun.

The lotion will stain your hands, but you don’t have to worry about it. Just be sure to rinse off your hands after application. Be careful too.

This is a wonderful tanning lotion that can help you achieve your desired look without a bad smell.

Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning Cream

[su_amz asin=”B0016LY7PQ”]

This is one of the best tanning lotions that can help you look your best in any weather. It is made with pure cocoa extracts, giving it a light cocoa scent.

It blends easily with the skin and provides a perfectly natural-looking tan that lasts long in an instant.

This delicious self-tanning lotion moisturizes, hydrates, and nourishes the skin with the help of its rich ingredients. It provides your skin with a lot of benefits and enhances the beauty of your skin.

It can help reduce wrinkles and fine lines while maintaining that perfect youthful glow. Just a small amount of this lotion will give you a bronzed look. It is light and gives the skin a silky, and soft feel.

This lotion comes with a mistake proof application that ensures you get a fantastic and even result. It leaves you with a smooth and radiant skin without having to go through any stress.

Pamper your skin with this cocoa scented lotion and see your skin develop the bronzed glow you’ve always dreamt off.

This lotion can stain your hands so you’ve got to be careful and wash thoroughly after application.

Now, you can move around with a scented natural tan and a lasting radiance. It is most definitely worth your money!

Dr. Dennis Gross Skin Care Alpha Beta Glow Pad Self Tanner

[su_amz asin=”B073RGYJJT”]

This tanner is formulated with the Salix Alba (Willow), Bark Extract, and active acids, among others. It is streak-free and effective.

It is odorless and works for all skin tones. It’s tender on the skin and protects it while giving you the desired tan.

It doesn’t work overnight, but you can use it as often as you want. It evens your skin tone and gives you a deep color penetration. It enhances the skin’s texture and also reduces blackheads and acne scars.

The Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract comprises a considerable amount of ascorbic acid. This helps to reduce wrinkles and pigmentation.

Do you have super pale skin and wish to get that golden tan? This is the product for you. It’s easy to use and works well. A lot of users have attested to its quality and efficacy.

It’s a great product you’ll be happy to have.

Bahama Tan Organic Self-Tanning Lotion

[su_amz asin=”B010INTC98″]

This is a very high-quality organic self-tanner that looks and feels great on the skin. It is a medium shade self-tanning lotion made with natural DHA, food-grade preservatives, and other natural ingredients to give you that rich, deep tan and glow you have been looking for.

It deeply moisturizes and hydrates the skin with the help of ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, argan oil, and Monoi de Tahiti Oil.

It works for all skin types, including sensitive skin. It gives you a smooth and even finish and restores your natural color with no streaking.

The added natural ingredients make this lotion smells amazing, masking any foul smell from the DHA. It won’t stain your skin because the ingredients do not contain dye or synthetic fragrance.

It is free of paraben, toxic chemicals, gluten, fragrances, and propylene glycol. It is absolutely easy to adjust how dark or light you want your tan to end up.

It works great for the entire body with natural ingredients that are beneficial to the body.

The lotion has a pleasant scent and is immensely useful. You have to love it.

How Can I Prevent Fake Tan from Smelling?

Now, you know why self-tanners smell but do you also know there are ways you can adopt to reduce the smell?

Most of the tanning lotions I listed above either covered the smell with chemical technology, natural ingredients, or strong fragrance. The downside is that the neutralizers might fade off before the lotion completes its work.

These are ways you can also adapt to get rid of the overwhelming smell.

1. After giving the tanning lotions enough time to develop fully, a long shower and gentle cleanse should follow.
2. Apply a scented lotion, cleanser, or moisturizer to overpower the lingering smell.
3. You can use household items like baby powder to neutralize the smell. Take note of what works for you. It differs.
4. Apply your self-tanner before going to bed and take a thorough shower in the morning. This gives the tan ample time to work before rinsing it off. The smell also becomes easy to wash off.
5. Also, try to avoid sweating and keep the tan off your armpits because it enhances the disgusting smell.

Even if these methods do not take away the bad smell, it can make the process bearable for you.

Conclusion

Tanning lotions can become a problem because of the odor they produce as the tan develops. They can give you that beautiful tan you have always wanted. You no longer need to sit in the sun for hours and risk damaging your skin, but they will also come with that distinctive scent, either good or bad.

Your method of managing the smell solely depends on you, really. What you enjoy, what you can cope with, and how the lotion works for you.

Alternatively, you can always try the tanning lotions in the list above if you are uncomfortable moving around with a bad smell. A little color minus that awkward smell is what you will get!