Sunless Tanning

It wasn't long ago when we paid a hefty price for our burnished glow ~ Prematurely aged skin and skin cancers from lying on the beach or in a tanning bed. But now, there's a smarter, faster, safer route to a golden complexion ~ getting a fake tan with bronzers and sunless tanners. But with so many different products on the market, how can you know what's best for you?

First, you need to know that these products fall into two main categories: cosmetic bronzers that wash off like regular makeup and sunless tanners that actually stain the skin. The color of sunless tanners fades as skin cells slough off.

Cosmetic Bronzers and Other Wash ~ Off Products come in several forms and add a bronzed glow to the face, legs, and body. Apply them and wash off with soap and water later in the day, as you would with any makeup. Bronzers can spice up your skin for a special occasion or an evening out, or you can use them daily.

Bronzing powders ~ These are the most forgiving and can be placed exactly where you want it and build on it, depending on where you want it, whether it's all over the face, down the nose, cheekbones, forehead, or chin.

Bronzing gels ~ Harder to see than powders and more difficult to get an even tone. The gels can lead to that dreaded orange tone. However, I have heard that Benefit's Talk to the Tan is a popular product for those who prefer gels.

Airbrush Tanning: Airbrush tanning is also called spray tanning. This is a form of spraying on color to the top layer of skin. The formula used does not stimulate your skin to tan like tanning lotions. Tanning lotions often take a couple of hours for the tan to fully develop. Instead, airbrush tanning is like applying makeup to your skin. It applies color that can be washed away after a few times in the shower. Most tanning salons offer airbrush tanning. The most common use of airbrush tanning is for upcoming, short events. You shouldn’t use this method of tanning if you expect long-term results.

Sunless Tanning Lotion: Sunless tanning lotions are a way to chemically induce a tan on your skin. Sunless tanning lotion products contain dihydroxyacetone -- DHA. When DHA is combined with amino acids naturally found in your body, it produces melanoidins. Melanoidins are brown in color though the effects are temporary; this color is only applied to the top most layer of the skin. The skin naturally replaces itself as skin cells fall off every day. To keep the color, you have to re-apply the lotion as directed.