Tips for Tanning

Gone are the days when we can sit in the sun slathered in Baby Oil holding a reflector.  I love looking tan but I get so nervous about sun damage!  I was never really crazy about self tanners because I had heard so many horror stories!  I knew that there must be a way to achieve the beautiful "kissed by the sun" look without the streaking and orange palms that come along with the self tanning experiments. The first think that you must consider is whether you really want to look like Jennifer Aniston? She always looks like she just returned from a relaxing vacation in paradise. Honestly, the gorgeous fair skin of stars like Anne Hathaway, Nicole Kidman, Liv Tyler and others can be very flattering as well. If you decide that you want to be bronze, here a few safe ways to get the look:

Spray Tanning and Airbrush Tanning are all the rage in Hollywood and here at home. The results last for anywhere from 5 to 10 days and you can get a spray tan in a booth at a tanning salon or a professional can spray you by hand. One Dallas hot spot, Bella Vita Rejuvenation Center in Preston Center does the Sun FX airbrushing by hand. After selecting your depth of color, they spray you with the non-chemical, non-streak potion and in 5 minutes, you are golden! This is a great option to help you prepare for a special occasion but be sure to do it the day before your event, not the day of.

Tanning Towelettes have gotten more and more popular as they are easier to use. Oprah recommends the Tan Towel. They are easy to use and you will see less streaking. They can leave your elbows and ankles a bit darker though!

Tanning lotions are wonderful if you use them properly. I love Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer and recommend it everyone! At only $7.99 it is a lot less expensive than a vacation to a beachy resort! It is made for Fair/Medium/Tan skin tones and contains Antioxidants and Vitamin E. It is very natural looking and impossible to mess up because the tan appears gradually. If you use it everyday for a week, you will have the perfect tan. When I use it every day, it can get too dark so I alternate days. My sister says that I smell bad on the days that I use it so I try to use it at night so that only my husband suffers!

Preparing your skin for a faux-tan is the most important part of the process. Here are few tips:

• Exfoliate your skin everyday for three days before you use self-tanner.
• Liberally moisturize your skin everyday for at least three days before you apply self-tanner but skip the lotions on the day you tan.
• Tanning lotions are easier to use than foams.
• If you have streaks, lemon juice might help lighten them.
• Picking the perfect color can be a challenge so do a small test spot when trying out a new product.
• My roommate in college used self tanner every few days and she always wore disposable rubber hospital gloves to apply it. It really worked! She never had orange palms or knuckles!