Sun Tanning Tips

Have you ever wondered how to gain the perfect tan? A bronzed skin tone is usually an indicator of health and well-being and can be easily achieved without expensive trips to the tanning salon. If you want to gain the “sun-kissed” look and welcome in the summer, outdoor tanning with the aid of natural sunlight can give the results you want. As anyone who has ever had a painful sunburn can tell you, you have to be careful, but following the tips below can ensure a safe, free and enjoyable method of tanning.

Many people use indoor tanning salons, which are an option for those who live in perpetually overcast areas or cannot afford the few hours of sun exposure to get a full tan. However, natural tans do have a much more natural look and does not cost any money out of pocket. During the spring and summer it is a common sight to see people tanning themselves on their lawns and at beaches, but a healthy tan can be achieved anytime a person is outside and has exposed skin. Even playing, camping, and yard work can add to a tan – and without the added risk of falling asleep and getting more sun exposure than is healthy.

Exfoliating

Many celebrities credit exfoliating with their gorgeous tans. is the process of removing dead skin from one’s body, which exposes a new and healthy layer of skin. A gentle scrubbing with a sponge and exfoliating body scrub before applying sunscreen will make a tan last longer and keep it even.

Sunscreen

“Applying sunscreen?” Yes, as contradictory as it may sound, sunscreen is an important part of tanning. Sunscreen with an SPF of 10-15 is ideal for tanners as it will protect skin from dangerous rays and allow the tan to build gradually which prevents sunburns or a reddish tan. Make sure to cover all exposed parts of skin evenly to avoid an uneven tan – don’t forget the backs of elbows and knees.

Take Time

A healthy and natural tan takes time to develop. Spending one to two hours a day tanning is enough for most people, and will let the tan build on itself. The American Medical Association recommends avoiding sun exposure during peak hours (generally 10am to 2pm), and tanning during those hours may give a deeper tan or even cross over into sunburn territory.

An All Over Tan

If you are going for an all over tan, make sure to expose all parts of the body to the sun equally. Lying on your stomach for 45 minutes and on your back for 10 minutes will make the tan on your back much deeper. Also, make sure to fully expose all areas you want tanned – that includes spreading out your elbows to get the inner arms tan and making sure the backs of your knees are exposed as well.

After Tanning

A brief shower after a sun tanning session will help get rid of all the sunscreen and re-hydrate the skin. Dry skin is unhealthy and may peel or not maintain the tan very well. Gently rubbing a washcloth is usually enough to remove the sunscreen and prevent the tan from peeling. Immediately after the shower apply a good moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated and supple.

How to Prolong the Tan

If you follow the steps above and properly care for your skin, a lasting tan can be achieved with little effort. During the winter months when sunlight is scarce or not an option there are tanning creams that can be used to supplement the natural tan. Keeping your skin healthy and nourished through proper nutrition and hydration is the easiest way to maintain your tan.

Natural Tanning Tips

Are you tired of looking dull and pale when looking at yourself in front of the mirror? Have you ever wondered how it feels like to see yourself with some good sun kissed color on your skin? Getting a tan can be achieved the natural way. This article helps you know some great facts and tips about tanning and the processing of getting it the safest way possible and how to get it naturally. However, there are already other tanning methods in the market today that do not need the sun’s rays such as salon tanning and the use of self-tanners.

When you think of summer, there are two things a person have in mind: the beach and a perfectly good tan. Tanning the natural way is making use of the sunshine. Tanning is the effects of the skin’s reaction to the damage already done by the sun rays. The sun’s ultraviolet rays are very threatening, linking skin cancer to sun tanning. Since the sun can have damaging effects to our skin, there are several tips that should be highlighted in order to still get the perfect tan while protecting your skin from further damage from the sun’s potential damaging effects.

Use Sunblock with Low SPF

Always remember to use sun block with low SPF when exposing the skin to the sun because SPF proves small degree of protection against the sun’s rays while still allowing the skin to get a tan. Apply first coat of sun lotion indoor and then reapply SPF lotion again at frequent intervals to guarantee a safe sunbathing. Reapply lotion every time you get out of the water. Other protective barriers such as hats, shirts, shades, towel and sandals should not be disregarded, for the most important tip is to prevent one from getting burned.

Higher Risks For Some

Some individuals who are at higher risks (those with fair skin, with macular lesions such as mole, freckles etc., kids and teens, with a history or familial history of skin cancer and those who get burned easily or doesn’t tan easily) should practice extreme caution when getting exposed to the sun.

Short Periods of Time in the Sun

Do not attempt to get exposed to the sun one time at a prolonged period of time. It should be gradually exposure to prevent sun burns. More caution should be exercised when taking a plunge in the water for the skin may get badly burned without showing any warning signs. When the sun is at its hottest, from ten in the morning to three in the afternoon, prevent from getting exposed from the sun. Stay under a shade and provide extra protection to your skin.

Special Attention For Your Lips

The lips also need to have some form of protection to prevent cracks and burns.

Sun and Sports

Those who are avid fans and enthusiasts of outdoor sports and activities and water events should use heavy sun screens that are waterproof to give prolonged protection to their skin.

Know Your Skin

It is best to consult your dermatologist before exposing self to the sun for a tan to get expert advice and recommended sun protection formulas that you can bring and use when going to your summer getaway.

How to Prolong the Tan

There are also some great tips to prolong your natural tan and at the same time keeping your skin healthy. Exfoliating before you tan and after a shower will speed up circulation and helps remove dead or dying skin cells. Moisturize often to prevent skin from drying out causing flakes to appear. This will also keep skin healthy. The use of self-tanning lotion will keep skin moisturized and gives a glowing effect to the skin. Most of all, remember to on get a tan, and not to get burned. So take it easy when going under the sun.

Outdoor Tanning Tips

Have you ever been frustrated with artificial tanning? Turning into orange rather than achieving that nice, brown glow? Not to mention the expenses you’ve incurred! You’ve paid good money to give your skin an unflattering shade rather than achieve the desired tan. Outdoor tanning could be the best solution for you! There’s no need to go to tanning parlors and pay big bucks to get that golden or bronze glow you’ve always wanted. Outdoor tanning is simply—-getting a tan under the sun, right at the comforts of your own home. Just expose yourself to direct sunlight and there you have it!

Staying under direct sunlight can give you that instant, natural tan. But because of certain risks nowadays of skin cancer, you will have to be very careful when it comes to picking the right time of day to expose yourself to sunlight and for how long you will be exposing yourself. Most people just take advantage of their backyards and reclining chairs when they do outdoor tanning. There’s no need for elaborate tanning beds or tanning sprays. All you’ll need is a bit of privacy, a chair to lounge on, and of course, the sun!

Maximize Your Tanning Results

In order to maximize the results of outdoor tanning, it’s best if you expose yourself to direct sunlight between the hours of noon until 2pm.

Take Care of Privacy

Most people prefer going nude or topless in order to avoid having tan lines when wearing tube tops later on. Just make sure you have enough privacy when you do that.

Do Not Overexpose Yourself

The trick to getting a good natural tan is to start off outdoor tanning slowly—do not overexpose yourself to the sun for such a long period of time that it will give you sun burn and not a tan.

Use Sunscreen

To avoid such risks, it is still best to use sunscreen but it has to be of a low SPF only. Otherwise, you’re not gonna get that tan. Start with SPF15 and expose yourself to the sun for about 15 to 25 minutes a day. You can go outdoor tanning for about two to three times in a week using this method.

Some people use baby oil instead of sunscreen because they want an immediate darkening of the skin. As you go along, you can increase the amount of time you spend under the sun going from fifteen minutes to half an hour and, eventually, an hour. But don’t overdo it.

Set a Timer

To avoid any risks of skin diseases caused by overexposure to the sun, it is best to limit your exposure to two hours. Anything longer than that and you risk giving your skin a bright shade of red or perhaps a dark, toasted hue apart from getting skin cancer. It can also be helpful to use a timer or alarm when you’re tanning outside. Sometimes, you can get carried away and fall asleep, thereby losing track of time. And before you know it, you’re sunburned! It’s best to set a timer for every outdoor tanning session so you that you don’t go overboard.

Protect Your Eyes

Another tip is to protect your eyes. Make sure you wear sunglasses because getting exposed to the sun just when it’s at its highest can cause damage to your eyesight.

How to Prolonge the Tan

If you want to prolong the color you’ve gotten from outdoor tanning, consider using a tanning lotion. Most of these tanning lotions are SPF6 only, so they both protect your skin and give you room for skin tanning. Apart from the natural tan and protection from the sun, certain tanning lotions also have ingredients that moisturize your skin. By applying this on the areas you wish to tan, you can make sure that your tan will last longer and that you’re not going to damage your skin in the process.

Prevent Overexposure

Do you want to have the same golden glow in February that you had in August? Indoor tanning is the solution. Tanning beds and booths use bulbs that emit ultraviolet (UV) rays. These bulbs emit both UVA and UVB rays. The UVB rays are strong and tend to burn the top layer of skin. UVA rays reach deeper into the skin and stimulate melanin for a longer lasting tan. They also cause wrinkles and some types of skin cancer. Here are a few tips for using indoor tanning beds safely and having glowing skin in the winter.

If it is not done properly and there is overexposure, indoor tanning can burn your skin, burn your cornea and cause melanoma. Because of this, the FDA has published indoor tanning facts to prevent overexposure. The salon attendant should make sure you are aware of these safety rules.

Indoor Tanning Safety Rules

Indoor tanning has an advantage over outdoor tanning and can be much safer. You are able to regulate the time of the sessions, wear protective eye goggles and control the temperature. You also get a more even tan indoors because cloud coverage, time of day and reflective surfaces do not play a roll as they do outdoors. Indoors you can gradually build a good tan without the fear of burning or pealing.

Protect Your Eyes

Protecting your eyes is your first consideration. Simply closing your eyes or wearing everyday sunglasses will not be enough protection. The FDA regulates indoor tanning eye protection, and this is what you must use. The eyelid is very thin and the UV light can penetrate it to damage the retina and cornea. The tanning salon should give you goggles, but you can buy your own if you plan to continue having tanning sessions.

Protect Your Lips

The lips should also be protected with sunscreen.

Are You Taking Prescription Medication?

If you are taking any prescription medication, you should tell the salon attendant. Some medications make the skin extra sensitive to UV rays.

Indoor Tanning Tips

Moisturizing the skin is also important for gaining a tan and keeping it. Dry skin will flake and the tan will go quicker. There are lotions that are especially for indoor tanning. These can be purchased from a qualified retailer to get the best product. Inferior products will not serve their purpose.

Difference Tanning Accelerator and Tanning Lotion

A tanning accelerator is different from a tanning lotion. The accelerator promotes the melanin levels in the skin. It is a lotion that is applied daily or just before your tanning session. An indoor tanning lotion is meant to maximize the effects of direct sunlight. It only works when you are in sunlight, and since it increases the effect of the sun, you should not stay in the sunlight too long. The length of time you spend in the sun with a tanning lotion will depend on your skin type.

Avoid Overexposure

It is very important to avoid overexposure. Sometimes it takes 24 to 48 hours before the pigmentation becomes visible. It is best to wait at least one day and possibly two depending on your type of skin between sessions.

Before Tanning

When you go for a tanning session, make sure you are clean and free of perfume and makeup. You cannot be sure how the cosmetics will react to the UV rays and it could cause uneven tanning. Perfume almost always causes a rash or stinging sensation in a tanning bed.

How to Prolong the Tan

Your year-round gorgeous tan will look fresh if you keep your skin moisturized and visit the tanning salon twice or three times a month, once you have achieved the level of tan you want. Dry skin will reject the UV rays in the tanning bed and what tan you have will flake off quickly. Moist skin tans faster.

Spray Tanning Options

If you have ever gone tanning, then you have probably wondered what spray tanning is all about. Spray tanning is the application of chemicals that mimic the effects of the sun on your skin, producing an even, sunless tan. This method of tanning has been around since about 1997. If you are considering spray tanning as an alternative to tanning beds, then you should know more about spray tanning methods and tips for tanning and keeping your tan. Here are some important facts and tips about spray tanning that will help you when you go to get your new tan.

Today, spray tanning comes in two forms, airbrushing and tanning booths. The airbrushing method of spray tanning involves a technician using an airbrush machine to apply the tanning chemicals to your body. The second method of spray tanning is automatic tanning booths, which apply an even, continuous mist of tanning chemicals over your body while you stand in the booth. Both methods of spray tanning offer degrees of tan, and allow you to choose how tan you would like to be.

Tanning through spray tans is much safer that using a tanning bed or laying in the sun. Spray tans take out the harmful UV rays which are the main cause of skin cancer. The main chemical in spray tans, dihydroxyacetone (DHA), has been tested and marked as safe for use by the FDA. Spray tanning has even been approved for pregnant women, but it is important to keep the chemicals out of your eyes.

Spray Tanning Tips

When you go to get your spray tan, it is important to go prepared with tips and techniques to ensure you get the best tan possible.

Before Tanning

The first thing to remember when going for a spray tan is to shower, exfoliate and shave before your tanning session. Exfoliating your skin before your session removes the top layers of dead skin, and helps your spray tan in two ways; removing these layers of dead skin gives you a smoother, more even tan and allows your tan to last longer. Shaving, or waxing, the night before your tanning session ensures that you won’t shave the day of your tan, which would remove layers of your tan in the process.

Another thing to keep in mind for your spray tan is not to apply moisturizer the day of your tan. Applying a moisturizer before getting a spray tan can prevent the chemicals from making contact with your skin, either preventing you from tanning or leaving blotchy patches in your tan, so come to your session clean and dry.

After Tanning

After your tanning session, try to avoid wearing tight clothes, panties or bras for five to six hours. Any tight clothing rubbing against your skin can cause spots where your tan is not even or present at all. The best thing to wear after getting your spray tan is a loose sun dress or other light, loose clothing. Once you get home, it is most advisable to sit on a towel because if a bronzer is present in the spray chemicals, you could wind up staining clothes or furniture.

Do not exercise, sweat or shower for about six hours after your tanning session, because any water running over your skin can cause streaks, light spots, or wash away your tan. After six hours has passed you can safely shower without harming your tan. Showering removes excess residue from your session. After showering, you can also exercise or perform other activities without damaging your new sunless tan.

How to Prolong the Tan

After you have gotten your spray tan, you will want to make sure it stays around for as long as possible. There are a few ways to prolong the life of your tan.
Firstly, moisturizing every morning and evening will keep your skin healthy and help your tan last longer. Healthy skin cells take longer to die and become the layer of skin that gets exfoliated. Avoid using skin care products that contain acids or harsh chemicals since these products speed up exfoliation of skin and will shorten the length of your tan.

How Does Airbrush Tanning Work?

Do you want a darker skin tone? This article focuses on the airbrush tanning method as a safe and effective tanning method. Useful tips are given on prolonging the tan and maintaining skin health between treatments.

Exposing skin to UV rays via direct sunlight or tanning beds are two ways to darken the skin, but these UV rays can cause burning and can eventually lead to skin cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends UV-free rub-on or spray-on tanning solutions as the safest ways to tan the skin. Of these airbrush tanning is the best method because it assures an even and longer-lasting tan.

Airbrush tanning does not use UV rays, yet it can give an instant tan once applied to the skin. The main active ingredient in most airbrush tanning solutions is Dihydroxyacetone or DHA, which has been proven safe and gentle on skin.

A pen-sized precision instrument sprays the solution directly on the skin. Once DHA comes in contact with skin, it reacts with the skin’s amino acids to produce melanin, the compound responsible for darkening the skin. The spray is able to reach difficult areas such as the elbow, feet, and hairline. One airbrush application is equivalent to six tanning bed sessions, thus making it a more economical and convenient tanning method.

Airbrush Tanning Tips

Select an airbrush tanning salon whose staff is specially trained and experienced in the method. Base your choice on the salon’s reputation and on recommendations by friends or clients you may meet in their office, rather than solely on price. Many new airbrush salons offer bargains but may have limited experience in this procedure.

Before Tanning

Before tanning, take a shower and exfoliate the skin to remove any residue of perfume, deodorants, lotions, or any other foreign substances on the skin. Such a residue on the skin will act as a barrier against effective retention of the airbrush tanning solution on the skin’s surface. Remove all jewelry and clothing, and try to keep them off several hours after the tanning.

During Tanning

During treatment, use towels, pieces of clothing (such as underwear) or patches to cover any areas that are not intended to be tanned, including tattooed areas. A tattoo, especially a light-colored one, will darken slightly when the tanning solution is sprayed on it. However, the darkened effect is only temporarily and should disappear gradually in a matter of days.

DHA (Dihydroxyacetone)

The DHA content in the solution is safe to use on virtually any skin area, and can effectively cover freckles, skin blemishes, and scars. You can even use it to hide bald spots on the scalp. The tanning solution takes several hours to set on the skin, so wear only loose clothing over the tanned areas.

After Tanning

DHA can stain wool, silk, and nylon so clothes with these fabrics should not be worn right after tanning. If you do experience such stains, they can easily be removed by soaking the garment in water and oxygen bleach solution.

How to Prolong the Tan?

Once the tan sets, the color produced by the tanning solution will not wash off with ordinary soap and water, although it does fade gradually when the upper layers of the epidermis wear away. If for any reason you want to remove the tan, you can gently scrub the tanned surface with a soft wash cloth or sponge. The tan will not completely disappear immediately, but your skin will lighten a bit.

Depending on individual skin type, it may take several applications before the desired skin tone is achieved.

Keeping Skin Healthy after an Airbrush Tan

Some salons recommend applying a tan extender on the skin for three consecutive nights after tanning. Also, it is a good idea to keep the skin moisturized to avoid peeling. If desired, the tan can be maintained with repeat applications.

Remember that the tanned surface is still susceptible to the sun’s harmful UV rays, so use lotion with high SPF before sun exposure.