Articles

Self Tanning 101

Feb 23, 2009

We'd Rather Be at the Beach...

While we'd muchrather rather spend a day at the beach, self tanning can be a fantastic (and healthier) alternative for getting that sun-kissed look that we've been missing these past few months! Self tanners often get a bad rep for being messy and smelly.  And we can't forget how they were once notorious for turning the skin into that streaky orange color.  But in recent years, companies have gone to great lengths to perfect their tanners.  These days, most over the counter tanners create a much more natural looking tan.

Self Tanning Tips for First Timers

• Start out with lighter shades of tanner to see how your skin reacts.  You would rather see subtle results at first than extreme ones!
• Test out a small, inconspicuous patch of skin before applying to the entire body
• Exfoliate your skin before application to remove any excess dead skin cells.
• After you apply the product, wash your hands to avoid staining your palms or other objects you might touch.
• Use cotton balls to apply to your hands and fingers.
• Read the instructions on the label!  (We can't stress this one enough!)  Every product is made a little differently, so it is important to follow how each one is supposed to be used!
• Even more sunless tanning tips.

At Home Sunless Tanning Options

Self tanners come in several different forms.  Depending on what sort of results you want should determine which technique is right for you.

Tanning Moisturizers

Tanning Moisturizers combine very small amounts of tanning ingredients with your daily moisturizer.  With moisturizers, it can be difficult to get a noticeable tan on the first use, but over time they gradually produce a very natural tan.  Moisturizing self tanners are perfect for if you have fair skin.   We recommend Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Moisturizer 

Tanning Sprays

Tanning sprays or mists both leave your skin with an even bronze glow.  They are perfect if you don't have a lot of time because they can cover large areas of the skin in one quick spraying motion.  They dry much faster than moisturizers, often on the spot without leaving any greasy residue.  We recommend Fake Bake Instant Self-Tan Spray  

Self Tanning Towelettes

Towelettes are the easiest of the three to use and leave the least amount of messy residue!  They are ideal for covering up tan lines or or smaller areas of the skin because all you have to do is wipe them to apply!  We recommend Tan Towel Classic Half Body Towelettes

Other Quick Tan Options

If you're still unsure about self tanning products, you can always fake a tan with bronzer!  We advise using a large bronzer brush for all over, natural looking coverage.   The only precaution is that the shimmer of bronzer can be more or less noticeable in different lightings.  Keep this in mind when applying to make sure you're not too sparkly! For loose powder, we recommend Bare Escentuals Faux-Tan Powder, for a compressed powder, try Physicians Formula Pyramid Bronzer

Dangers of Tanning

We can't discuss self tanners without quickly mentioning that tanning beds can be very dangerous.   They have become accepted as part of the norm for our society, which is not necessarily a good thing.  Women in the UK have taken the obsession with tanning to a different level and have been injecting themselves with an illegal and unsafe chemical that can make skin appear tanner.  We all love to feel a natural glow to our skin, and once in a while it's great to sit out in the sun (with SPF of course). But it's important not to get carried away!

Tell us how you maintain your tan all year long? Would you ever consider melanotan (skin pigmenting) injections?