The battle of your tans longevity is being waged just below the surface of your skin in the dermis.  Every 30 days regardless of your efforts to keep your color, your body does a change of guard through a process called exfoliation.  Exfoliation is the bodies' natural process of getting rid of the old skin cells and replacing them with fresh new skin cells.  During this process, the outer surface of the skin the epidermis (where your tan lives) is the first to go.   You can slow the process of exfoliation by heavy moisturizing, or you can speed up the process by using exfoliation gloves, seas salts and other abrasive beauty aids, but try as you will, you cant stop the process. 

Once you understand the exfoliation cycle of your skin, it may shed... some light on ways to keep your tan longer.   UV tans, indoors or outdoors require two main elements to promote smart tanning; intensity and duration.  Too much of either and you burn, and too little of either and you wont see results.  Tanning outdoors is really a crapshoot with a very high possibility of a burn in your future.  Sunscreens offer some protection against sunburn, but the keyword is some.    Indoor tanning offers a better alternative providing

FDA regulated intensities and durations that promote tanning rather then burning.  However many times the end user is in control of the duration, and too much UV exposure too soon can lead to a burn even indoors.  Professional tanning salons and professional indoor tanning products help you to promote smart tanning and reduce your risk of burning.     

Another cosmetic tanning option that offers the most promising alternative to traditional tanning is sunless tanning.  Sunless has come a long way in the past few years, and the new DHA sunless products are all natural UV free, sunburn free and deliver natural, convincing results.  For millions it has become the perfect choice.  Sunless tanning is far less invasive, expensive and time consuming then traditional tanning methods.  It is also the only tanning option for people that don't have the genetic predisposition to tan normally or have never had a tan.    It's fast, easy to use, and natural in appearance and lasts 5-7 days.  The best part of DHA sunless of course is the fact that you get the color almost immediately!   Some products bronze instantly while others reach full tan appeal over several hours

Having a tan can suggests a life of wealth, leisure and status in our society.    If color is part of your lifestyle or an aspiration, use sunscreen outdoors, practice smart indoor tanning, or step over to the really dark side and see if DHA sunless is the right choice for your tanning needs.