Shoppers Say Their Skin "Looks and Feels Better" After Using This $10 Firming Tanning Lotion

Many people around my age can recall the first time they tried Jergens self tanning lotion. My foray was in my tweens, where my love for the bronzing formula was instant and lasted, well into my college years. In the decade since — mostly due to my job, which requires copious, varied product testing — I’ve drifted away from the stuff I once slathered religiously. 

Of course, Jergens still very much exists — and, per shopper reviews, is better than ever. Case in point: The Jergens Natural Glow Firming Self Tanner, a lotion that boasts skin benefits beyond basic bronzing, has almost 14,000 five-star reviews at Amazon. The Jergens Natural Glow +Firming Self Tanner is a highly hydrating, gradual bronzing lotion that imparts a streak-free, natural-looking glow within a few days of consecutive usage. An apparent improvement upon the Jergens lotions of my teenage years, this souped-up formula features skin-firming prowess, and can even help smooth the appearance of cellulite, per the brand.

Shop now: $10 (Originally $12); amazon.com

InStyle named the Jergens Natural Glow Firming Self Tanner as the best gradual formula of all the popular tanning products tested. As one tester noted, the product fares perfectly between more intense mousse-based tanning sessions, as it provides a light, buildable wash of maintenance color. Moreover, its lotion-based formula hydrates dry skin, in turn, leaving a flattering sheen and silky feel. Plus, in light of its hydrating properties, this lotion can lessen the risk of an uneven, patchy self-tan — which is often attributable to dry patches of skin soaking in more color than surrounding areas.

In addition to DHA — the active ingredient in most self tanners, which deepens the color of the outermost skin cells to create a sunkissed glow, sans skin-damaging UV rays — this lotion contains erythrulose, which, per Jergens, creates a more believable bronze than most self-tanners provide. While natural-looking color is key component of any stellar self-tanner, the skin-firming, collagen-infused aspect of this lotion is the key draw for me; as someone who self-tans twice per week with mousses (most of which solely offer color) I’m intrigued by Jergens’ additional skin benefits. The ingredients list includes green tea extract, an anti-inflammatory antioxidant, in addition to collagen and elastin to improve skin firmness. Dr. David Kim, board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at Idriss Dermatology, previously told InStyle that it’s “beneficial to use topical products” infused with peptides like collagen “so that there are building blocks for the skin cells to use and produce more collagen."

Per shoppers, skin-firming — alongside a beachy tint — is absolutely apparent. One reviewer claimed the lotion “eliminated” their cellulite and added that their “skin has never felt softer” than it does after using the product. Another reviewer noted the lotion made  their “skin look and feel better” compared to “any other body lotion” they previously used. Finally, one 76-year-old shopper raved that they “constantly receive compliments” on how “beautiful” their skin looks thanks to the Jergens tanner. (They noted that they “cannot attest to experiencing any firming,” but are “very pleased” with the product “and will continue to use it.”)

After feeling nostalgic for my first ever tanning brand and pouring over positive shopper reviews, I’m eager to try Jergens’s improved formula. If you’re equally intrigued, shop the Jergens Natural Glow Firming Self Tanner at Amazon, where it’s currently $10.