We all want our natural Summer tan to last all throughout the cold harsh Winter, so in order to do that we can maintain it with indoor tanning. I want to share what I know about tanning!
tanning background xx
ok, here is the boring but very necessary knowledge you should know prior to indoor tanning. first let us begin with how the beds work.
There is the vertical or 'stand up' beds. These are my favorite as I am a germaphobe and do not like to lay down on a bed millions of others were on unless I know the tanning girl who cleans the beds, and trust her cleaning. Stand Up beds also provide a 100% even tan, as opposed to the horizontal beds which cannot get your pressure points (parts of body you're putting most pressure on when laying down) such as your lower back, and under your butt cheeks ;] Also under your arms, and your feet! The horizontal beds are ideal for relaxing though.
Then there are low pressured beds with UVB rays and high pressured beds with UVA rays.
Okay, so there are level 1-6 tanning beds. Every salon has different beds, but usually the levels 1, 2 and 3 are UVB bulbs. Beds 4, 5, and 6 are UVA bulbs. The difference between the two is UVB bulbs penetrate the skin plateau way deeper giving you a base tan that lasts longer because it goes deeper. This is why it is pertinent you start with a level one bed if you are new to tanning, or if you are fair skinned. The UVA Bulbs only penetrate the top two layers of the skin which is beneficial for maintaining a tan. The higher the level, the more high pressured the bulbs are. So in short, UVB starts the tanning process by stimulating the tanning cells to produce pigment, and UVA rays darken the melanin that has been produced maintaining an overall tan.
tanning necessities & wants xx
okay, so now that we got the boring technical stuff out of the way -- onto the goodies! this involves shopping-- woo hoo ;) what do you need when you are going to tan? personally, I have my own purse for tanning LOL what that bag includes are:
[-] hair tie to tie your hair up
[-] lip balm because your lips are very likely to burn or dry out quickly
[-] my jewelry holder case to store my jewelry in when I am in the tanning bed
[-] change of clothes-- usually sweats/gym clothes I don't care if they get stained, etc.
[-] my tanning lotions-- my body lotion, face lotion, accelerator,& post-tan extender.
[-] my stickers, eye protectors, hair net protector.
[-] mini towel to wipe myself off after tanning
[-] hair heat protectant spray-- yes I am a freak about it! my hair is past my butt, so I am very anal on keeping it healthy, and tanning beds are extreme damage.
In addition to the tanning stickers to place any where on your skin to judge the depth of your tan after every session, there are many other cosmetics you can use while tanning. Check out the picture to the side, you can really see the difference in shading huh?? I just love this idea of tanning stickers! :)
Tanning salons have many different kinds of stickers including peace signs, thunder bolts, hearts, play boy bunnies, stars, palm trees, little guns, hello kitty, and many many more. the main three are hearts, thunder bolts, playboy bunnies, and palm trees. i love the hearts and stars, but switch it up in the summer time. it usually takes 2-4 sessions to notice a different in shade. the stomach is the best spot as our stomachs seem to tan the hardest.
Another product I absolutely love are the sprays my tanning salon carries.
One is GLO Naked which is a body shimmering spray. It makes you skin silky smooth, and shimmers the right amount without overdoing it. I use it on my legs only unless I am going somewhere where I will be in water-- then I will do my entire body.
The other product is Bare Shine Hair Spray. This spray is ideal for protecting it from heat, especially tanning bed heat which is why it is recommended to apply to hair prior to tanning.
I love the smell of both the sprays, and they were about $16 each.
Tan Extenders
Below are three different lotions I love to use. White bottle is the HEMP NATION tan extender, middle blue bottle is Kardashian Glow Tan Extender, and far right is Aloe There tan Extender.
I have used HEMP NATION and Kardashian Glow, not the Aloe There yet.
My favorite is the Kardashian Glow Tan Extender. There was a time I was on vacation and did not tan for over three weeks, and still maintained my sun kissed bronze and I believe it was due to this lotion.
Next we have two products most tanning bed users do not know about. They are 'Nail Savers."
As you tan more and more, if you have acrylic nails on all the time like I do, you will notice your nails start turning green or yellow. it is disgusting, and I do not ever want to see it happen to my nails so I use prevention and use these babies on my nails! I do not have any thing but polish on my toes, so I do not use the toe savers, but some girls do! to each their own, right? =]
tanning basics xx
Many people wonder what they should wear to the tanning salon. This is very much based on your own preference. I know many women who come right from work in their dressy work clothes and do not mind. I personally carry a change of clothes in my tanning tote bag for when i get out of the tanning bed, so what i wear TO the salon is irrelevant.
Now, when it comes to what you should wear IN the bed -- this is also personal preference. Some people are absolutely appalled at the mere thought of laying in a tanning bed naked, especially knowing that someone else laid in that tanning bed naked. Others could care less, and trust their tanning salon to properly sanitize the bed before they get into it. Their are a lot of different views on this particular question, and it all comes down to one very simply answer: wear whatever you are comfortable in, and remember that you will get tan lines. if you wear your bathing suit every time, you will have tan lines that reflect that. This is why I go 100% naked!!! ;]
tanning lotions xx
I will add a few basics here but I have a separate blog post on lotions which answers which lotions are my favorite and least favorite; why do we need lotions; what is inside the lotions; why are they so expensive; and what the different types of lotions are and which are beneficial to your skin type. Very informative post!! The link will be provided when i am finished with it. For now here are some of the basic lotions i use. Face lotion and a body lotion. Designer Skin is my favorite brand.
Now, when it comes to what you should wear IN the bed -- this is also personal preference. Some people are absolutely appalled at the mere thought of laying in a tanning bed naked, especially knowing that someone else laid in that tanning bed naked. Others could care less, and trust their tanning salon to properly sanitize the bed before they get into it. Their are a lot of different views on this particular question, and it all comes down to one very simply answer: wear whatever you are comfortable in, and remember that you will get tan lines. if you wear your bathing suit every time, you will have tan lines that reflect that. This is why I go 100% naked!!! ;]
tanning lotions xx
I will add a few basics here but I have a separate blog post on lotions which answers which lotions are my favorite and least favorite; why do we need lotions; what is inside the lotions; why are they so expensive; and what the different types of lotions are and which are beneficial to your skin type. Very informative post!! The link will be provided when i am finished with it. For now here are some of the basic lotions i use. Face lotion and a body lotion. Designer Skin is my favorite brand.
Most salons do have a market for sunless tanning, as with the very well known tanning horror stories-- many people turn to sunless tanning to as a means to an end. lol Below are products that L.A. Tan has which is my go to tanning salon. VersaSpa Pro is the newest machine they have which provides an amazingly even sunless glow with four different levels to choose from. Below are pre tan exfoliants, moisturizers, and after tan extenders all used with sunless tanning for a better, richer, longer lasting glow.
I sunless tan when i want a dark bronze color in the shortest amount of time -- for instance a couple days before a wedding, etc. always sunless tan 48-72 hours prior to an event! You may have streaking, but more importantly the sunless tan takes that long for its truest color to develop!
I hear these questions asked in the salon I go to the most. if you have any other questions, chances are I will more than likely know the answer. Please just leave it in the comment section below and depending on the question, I might even add it to my post, of course with your name and blog next to it for the great recommendation, and my best and most honest answer! thanks babes! xx
[x] why doesn't the entire body tan at the same rate? there are lotions specifically made for the face, for the legs, etc as those tend to not tan as fast/dark as the mid section of the body. my abs tan the hardest-- my stomach is SUPER dark. The fact, however, is an exposed area. With a mix of the day's lotions, make-up, sweat, bacteria and other substances-- they all act as a barrier to a portion of the UV light. Also, we all wash our face which tends to rub off skin cells more so than on other parts of the body.
[x] why doesn't the tan last? well some of you may not know this but, the skin's repair mechanism consists of the top skin layer (epidermis) replacing all it's skin cells every 28 to 30 days. A tan can only be maintained by repeated exposure to the UV light in the beds.
[x] should I shower before or after tanning?
It would be better if you showered first, exfoliate and MOISTURIZE ---then used the bronzer. The easiest way to make a distinction is to think of bronzers as a form of make-up. Self-tanners can last up to a few days, even with showering, because they produce a chemical reaction in the skin. If you’re after a longer lasting effect, exfoliate your skin prior to using a self-tanner. If you don’t exfoliate first, it’s like using car polish on a paint job that is oxidized. For a longer lasting effect you would first use a compound to get rid of the oxidized paint, and then use a polish! get it!? also, you do not want to be streaky because you showered prior to the recommended 4-6 hours. However, there are now types of tanning lotions such as natural bronzers which allow you to shower immediately after you tan for situations such as you going out that night, etc.
Last but not least -- stay hydrated!!! your skin needs to regenerate, and stay moisturized!! keeping hydrated it very important in developing a great, but safe tan!!
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Always do your research!!!
thank you my lovelies <3
It would be better if you showered first, exfoliate and MOISTURIZE ---then used the bronzer. The easiest way to make a distinction is to think of bronzers as a form of make-up. Self-tanners can last up to a few days, even with showering, because they produce a chemical reaction in the skin. If you’re after a longer lasting effect, exfoliate your skin prior to using a self-tanner. If you don’t exfoliate first, it’s like using car polish on a paint job that is oxidized. For a longer lasting effect you would first use a compound to get rid of the oxidized paint, and then use a polish! get it!? also, you do not want to be streaky because you showered prior to the recommended 4-6 hours. However, there are now types of tanning lotions such as natural bronzers which allow you to shower immediately after you tan for situations such as you going out that night, etc.
Last but not least -- stay hydrated!!! your skin needs to regenerate, and stay moisturized!! keeping hydrated it very important in developing a great, but safe tan!!
____________________________________________________________________________
Always do your research!!!
thank you my lovelies <3
