Sunless Tanning: Tips For A Safe, Gorgeous Tan
Copyright 2005 Priya Shah
Tanning products, both sunless and sun, work on the
epidermis, or the outside layer of your skin, and not the dermis or
inner layer.
When you apply a tanner or tanning lotion, crème,
spray, or towlette by gently rubbing the product into your outer skin
layer, those that are most effective (the ones that list dihydroxyacetone
or DHA as an active ingredient), begin to work within around 40 minutes
to an hour.
DHA reacts with amino acids in the epidermis, producing
a natural pigment called melanoidin that bonds with proteins in skin
cells. The results are a change of color that can last up to about
seven days.
Here are some tips to get the maximum benefit from
your sunless tanning products.
Apply Your Self-Tanning Products At Night
Since most self-tanning lotions have no sunscreen
for protection outdoors, the best time to use self-tanners is at night
before going to bed.
If done earlier, allow a minimum of two hours and
test for staining before putting back on your regular clothes. Use
sprays or products that contain extra coloring formula earlier in
the evening, or when you have more time to "dry" after applying.
Tanning How To's
1. Choose what you want to wear for tanning lines,
whether it's a swimsuit or undergarments. Choose old clothing, especially
without nylon, and not loose clothing.
2. Take a washcloth to exfoliate your skin, soap,
moisturizer, your self-tanning lotion, disposable clear gloves, a
nail brush, a ball cap, hair pins or accessories to keep hair from
your face, a sponge roller brush or paintbrush if you apply product
to your back, and access to a clock.
3. If you are not going to use disposable gloves,
you should to wash your hands and scrub your nails about every minutes
while applying the tanning product so that they don't stain orange.
4. Start with a shower or washing to remove dead,
flaky and dry skin. Wash with your washcloth or exfoliation sponge,
gently going in a circular motion. Dry yourself thoroughly and get
hair up off your neck. Let steam out of the room.
5. Gently rub moisturizer into knees, ankles, elbows
to prepare for the self-tanning solution. Some apply this to the face
and neck areas, too.
6. Suit up and apply your tanning product. Beginners
should practice on small areas first.
7. Begin by applying the tanning product to your legs.
Work with one leg at a time, applying in a circular motion from top
to bottom. Don't rub it in thin. You want a good even coating. For
feet and ankles, go ahead and apply a little thinner coating.
8. Now start on your upper body. Continue applying
product upwards in circular motion. Most prefer to cover the torso
first, using the roller brush or paintbrush on the back, then continue
with the arms.
9. Time to finish up with the neck, face, ears, nose,
cheeks. "Go thin" is the motto for these areas.
10. Now it's time for drying. Wait at least 30 minutes
before coming into contact with anything. Stand and read or sit on
the edge of a chair and enjoy computer games, television, a friendly
phone chat or something.
11. After the 30 minutes, you can wear loose clothing.
Skip the jeans and other tight clothing to allow for around one to
two hours. Check your specific product instructions for guidelines.
12. Keep in mind different products have different
drying times, so don't get wet, even by sweating, for at least three
hours.
13. Depending upon the tanning product and your skin,
you may need to wash, exfoliate the dry, flaky, dead skin cells and
re-apply product every few days or so. Check your product for guidelines
and monitor your skin for any rashes or other irritations that could
develop.
From start of application of the tanning product until
complete drying time or about three hours, you can have a sunless
tan that can last all week.
The chemical makeup of tanning products as well as
how they interact with different parts of your body can affect tanning
results. Some areas may show color variations and the tan may last
longer.
Where Did My Tan Go?
Dead skin cells rub and wear off the epidermis, resulting
in the fading or losing of the tan. Roughly once a month or a period
between 35 to 45 days, the epidermis is regenerated.
In order to keep a tan going long-term, many companies
recommend that you reapply their sunless and self-tanning products
every three days.
For more tips on getting a gorgeous, long-lasting
tan check out the Sunless
Tanning Guide.
Priya Shah edits The
Glutathione Report and Health
Naturale. This article may be reprinted as long as the resource
box is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.
