Clinique Self-Sun Touch of Bronze Moisturizing Body Lotion

New Touch of Bronze is Clinique's entry in the gradual self tanner market, and it earns major points with me for a very moisturizing formula, good color, and low DHA reek (this is mostly due to the fact that Touch of Bronze has very little added fragrance - see this week's earlier post about self tanners for more info).

Out of the tube, Touch of Bronze is quite thick, rather similar to its sister product from Estee Lauder, Body Performance Golden Naturally Radiant Moisturizer. While it makes it somewhat difficult to spread, it's actually a positive in terms of getting an even application - the thickness of the formula forces you to work hard to rub it into your skin evenly.

It also shares another characteristic with the EL version: a peculiar odor of bugspray that lurks beneath the surface. The bugspray smell in Touch of Bronze dissipates within about 5 minutes, though - faster than the EL - so no need to worry. I still can't figure out what that is, though - I've never experienced it in any other self-tanner.

The end results are also a bit darker than the Lauder version, definitely a plus in my book. After 2 applications I had a passable golden glow. A couple more days and it looked like I had been on vacation. My only quibble is that at $18.50 for 5 oz., my tube was gone far too quickly!