BABY OIL: TANNING’S BIGGEST NO-NO

It is a common myth that applying normal baby oil to your skin just before climbing into a tanning bed provides a deeper quicker tan than any tanning lotion. This is not only false, but incredibly dangerous to anyone who acts on this legend. Not only is it bad for the surface and bulbs of the tanning bed, but it is the equivalent of dipping yourself straight into a deep fryer – you will end up more likely with serious burns than a golden glow. ALWAYS make sure you choose tanning lotions for tanning beds so that you know it has been specially formulated for use with indoor tanning, to avoid damaging the bed and yourself.

SUNSCREEN IN MY TANNING LOTION?

First-time tanners may be confused by seeing that many of the lotions offered have sunscreen in them, because they feel it hinders their tanning experience. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The addition of sunscreen to many of the best tanning bed lotions protects the tanner against harmful UV rays, which can lead to damage to the skin and sometimes even the development of skin cancers. Having sunscreen in your lotions, which is measured in SPF levels, also keeps the skin moisturized while providing an even, glowing tan.

ACCELERATORS AND BRONZERS

Some indoor tanning bed lotions offer the extra perks of accelerators and bronzers – both of which can be confusing to the novice. Tan accelerators are generally recommended to those planning short-term tanning – i.e., those visiting a tanning bed to get a quick base tan so they can enjoy fun in the sun for the rest of the summer season. Bronzers, however, are recommended for indoor tanners who already have developed a nice tan via tanning beds, but simply want to take the color of their tan to a deeper level.

SELF-TANNING

For people who need that sun-kissed look immediately without the tanning bed, a self-tanner or spray tan may be a solution. Self tanners change the color of dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, providing the user with a quick temporary tan that will wear off after a few days to a couple of weeks. Self tanning lotions are available over the counter, or a more professional spray-on version through most tanning salons.

The products offered through tanning salons are a great way to achieve the results you’re looking for, once you know the difference between them. Whether you go with a spray on tan or an indoor tanning bed lotion always be cautious and get professional advice before you use any product.

One of the advantages of using a spray tan machine over other products such as gels and lotions is that it’s much easier to get a complete and even coverage of your skin. With a tanning lotion it can be difficult to know where you’ve put the cream and where you haven’t but with a spray tan booth this is more straightforward. It’s also much easier to make sure you don’t over apply the tanning cream to one area.

Another advantage of using spray on tans is that they dry quickly and hence result in fewer streaks on your skin. This also means you can apply the tanning product and then go out relatively quickly. Also, because you don’t have to put the tanning lotion on by hand you don’t have to worry about the palms of your hands looking over tanned!

For the best results you should visit a tanning salon because they’ll be more likely to give you a spray tan with a machine that’s even and covers all of your skin. However if you can’t afford this then it’s definitely possible to apply spray tan solution yourself. If you can ask someone else to help you then you may find the tanning process easier because you’ll be able to target the difficult to reach areas of your body such as your back and shoulder blades. Just make sure they know how much to apply to each area of the body. For us metrosexual guys who care about our appearance, male grooming is part of our everyday routine so looking good and being tan is of major importance.

Remember, if you expose yourself regularly to UV radiation from the sun or tanning beds then you’re increasing your risk of getting skin cancer. If you’re sensible and don’t over-expose yourself then this shouldn’t be a problem, but it’s very easy to damage your skin and it takes less time tanning than many people realize.
For this reason using a spray on tanning method that doesn’t involved sunlight such as self tanning spray is the only safe way. While they may not be as effective as other tanning methods it’s never a good idea to risk your long term health just to get a better tan. I hope you can use these spray tan tips to better educate yourself and get a great looking tan asap.

• Apart from the clear safety benefit of getting a tan without using UV radiation another benefit of using self tanning spray is that they are much quicker. In the past, if you wanted to get an even tan you had to spend hours laying in the sun. Spray on tanning can be done in less than an hour and in most cases even quicker.

• Unlike many tanning creams spray tans performed by a professional usually produce very realistic results. You won’t have the problem of looking too “orange” if you use a spray tan service as long as the company people are trained in how to use the system and have had experience in sunless tanning spray. As long as you contact a well respected spa in your area you shouldn’t have any problems finding a competent spray tan booth.

The prices at spray tanning salons varies greatly depending on which type of tanning service you go for as well as which spa you use. However in most cases you’ll be able to get a tan for under $100 although how long this tan will last again depends on the type you buy. Make sure you know the cost and how long it’ll last before starting a spray tan treatment.

If you want to have a tan without worrying about damaging your skin then using a spray tan solution is a great way of doing so. Many of the disadvantages such as an uneven tan are no longer a problem as long as you get the tan professionally performed so there is no reason to avoid spray tanning anymore.