Sunless tanning is the only safe way to achieve the perfect tan you want. They can be used year round or just for a holiday or vacation. You can achieve a beautiful artificial tan at home or visit a salon or spa for a session in a sunless tanning booth. A benefit of self tanning is that it can be done at any time and in any weather.

Sunless Tanning at Home

Some people cringe when they hear self tanning. They are usually thinking about the earliest self tanners, which were notorious for the ugly orange color they produced. Products have improved dramatically over the years. Self tanner products come in a variety of forms including lotion, crème and spray. You can find them in stores or on the internet wherever tanning bed lotions are sold.

Preparing your skin is very important before using a sunless tanning lotion. Shower and exfoliate the skin before using any product. This removes dead skin cells and prepares your skin to accept the tanning product. Good exfoliation results in better absorption, more even color and a tan that lasts longer.

Applying the product evenly is very important. Tinted lotions help you see where you have applied the lotion and help ensure even coverage. Wear plastic gloves during application to help prevent the hands from staining. Apply the product to the rough and dry areas of your body last. This includes the elbows, knees and ankles.

The best lotions contain an active ingredient called DHA. The DHA reacts with your skin cells to change the color. It can take between 45 minutes and 1 hour to see the full effect of the product. The tan will last between five and seven days. To maintain the color, apply the lotion every three to five days.

Sunless Tanning in a Booth

Sunless tanning booths are popping up in day spas, beauty salons, tanning salons and health clubs across the country. As people become aware of the dangers of UV exposure, the popularity of booths increases. A few minutes in the booth, and you can have the color that it would take days in the sun to achieve.

Booth tanning is done in two ways. The first is a shower booth with nozzles on every side that spray your body with the solution. You get into the booth naked with a shower cap on your head and eye protection. The nozzles spray you down with the tanning solution. Bronzers in the spray give you some instant color. The full effect of the tan will be seen in a few hours. In some cases, you will need to rub the solution into your skin. It’s important to blend it evenly for the best color.

The other method used is airbrush. A technician uses a hand held airbrush device to apply the solution. Since the mist is much finer than a spray and a technician is applying it, the color is perfect and even. You just wait about five minutes for the mist to soak in before getting dressed. Wear very loose clothing to the salon, as tight clothing can rub off some of the color.

Most people enter the booth naked for no tan lines. If you are shy being nude with a technician, you can wear a bathing suit. Choose an old bathing suit for the booth. The solution will stain the bathing suit.