It’s not often that the best products are the cheapest, but that proved the case with tanning sprays and lotions. We paid up to $150 for sprays that were difficult to use and less than $10 for a couple of creams that most of our 14 panelists praised. The 12 women and two men were each asked to assess six products generally made for medium skin tones.

The creams--L’Oréal and Jergens--are called moisturizers, not tanners, but have the same tanning chemical as the sprays. You may need to apply them for several days to get an optimal tan. Color lasts about two to five days once you’ve stopped.

The spray-on tans work in a few hours, and most lasted somewhat longer than the creams, but panelists were more likely to need a partner to help with application and said the process could be messy and required too many steps. Lancôme and Jet Tan include two products, for the body and the face.

All the products provide at least several uses (you get more applications per container with the creams, but you might have to make more applications to get the tan you want).

CR’s take. If you can wait a few days to turn tan, use the L’Oréal moisturizer. If you need immediate results, consider using the Lancôme or the Neutrogena. Follow these tips for the best tan:

• Apply a barrier (such as petroleum jelly) to nails, elbows, and knees, which can get darker than other areas. Consider using gloves, since tanners can stain palms even if you wash soon.
  
  
• Use a sunscreen. None of the products has one.
  
  
• If you choose a spray, use proper ventilation, protect bathroom surfaces, and wear old clothes.
  
  
• If you go to a tanning salon, avoid those that use UV light in favor of those where an attendant applies a spray. Our panelists were critical of automatic-spray booths.