Spray Tanning

Spray tanning is the new rage in skin enhancement. A fresh tan typically symbolizes heath and beauty, but in the past required the risk of sun exposure. Now, with a little cash and some chemicals, you can look like you just came back from a relaxing vacation, without leaving town.

Is a spray tan in your future?

While we all need sunshine to survive, in order to receive the healthy glow of a tan you essentially need to stay in the sun far past our vitamin D requirement. Excessive sun exposure ages your body quicker, damages the outer skin layer and can ultimately lead to skin cancer. Luckily for those sun gods and goddesses out there, technology has come to the rescue. With the advancement of a more natural looking tan from sunless tanning products, the potential exists for that realistic tan without going outside.

The great advancement in sunless tanning came to us in the form of a chemical called, dihydroxyacetone (DHA). It is the active ingredient in all spray tanning products on the market today, allowing them to offer the natural tans they advertise. DHA is essentially a sugar molecule that reacts to amino acids on the surface of the skin. A product that has been listed by the FDA as a color additive for the body and found inside many cosmetic products for over 30 years. It is completely non-toxic and not absorbed into the body. Designed for external application only, avoid getting DHA onto your lips, eyes or mucus membranes for safety.

The amount of DHA within the spray tanning mixture is particularly important. Too much DHA creates a rusty unnatural look and too little generates only a light tan that fades quickly. The effects of a spray tan session with DHA last about five to seven days as the chemical reaction takes place within the most outer layer of the skin surface. Therefore, as the dead skin cells slosh off, so does the tan.

DHA does not instantly color your skin. The process is actually an interaction response that causes the skin to gradually darken over the next day or so, with maximum color usually reached within twelve hours.

Before applying a spray tanning product it is ideal to prep the skin. About six to twelve hours before your session, gently exfoliate the skin you plan to tan, particularly the more exposed areas. Take a shower and clean the skin right before the application to remove all lotions and cosmetics that will inhibit the chemicals from absorbing into the skin. It is also a good idea to avoid showers and baths for at least twelve hours after the application.

Keep in mind that sunless tans are not a true tan and will not offer any natural sun protection like an authentic tan would. Keep your DHA tan well moisturized for maximum performance and always apply sunscreen when outside.

Sunless tanning booths have cropped up all over offering a quick effective way to apply a spray tan. The booths are designed into a shower-like system that sprays the product all over your entire body in a short amount of time. Lotion is applied to the areas that you do not want to tan, like the palms of hands and fingernails, and a cap over your head to protect your hair. Essentially, you are provided a private room with a spray tanning stall. After undressing and covering your hair, you enter the booth, close your eyes and hold your breath. The mist lasts about fifteen seconds and then you step out of the stall to take a deep breath. Next, you step back in and turn around to even out the product on both sides.

Sunless tanning booths are the fastest method of acquiring a fake tan, but make sure the place you choose uses standard cautions. Obviously everything should be clean and sterile, but also double check that they take all precautions to ensure no spray chemicals enters your nose, eyes or mouth.

A similar concept to the spray tanning booth, but a more precise application process - the spray tanning chemicals are applied to your skin by a technician with a compressor and air brush. The solution contains DHA, but also a temporary bronzer to help the technician apply the product accurately. The bronzer provides you with an instant tan that washes off with your next shower, usually about the time that the DHA reaction has kicked in to develop your tan.

As the air brush method is more precise, you can either have an all over body treatment or simply select a facial application. While the shower booth system takes seconds to apply, air brush tanning sessions usually last about fifteen minutes. Both do require a drying time of ten minutes before replacing your clothing.

If you want to avoid the cost or hassle of a professional session, you can purchase your own spray tanning product for a homemade tan. An example is the product Spray Tan in a Can which advertises the same 8% DHA concentration found at the sunless tanning booths. When spray tanning at home keep all the safety cautions in mind and work with a steady hand!

• Fall Makeup Ideas
• Animal Face Painting
• Bad Makeup Pictures
• What Is Your Makeup Style
• Sexy Eye Makeup Quiz

• Eye Makeup Pictures
• How to Apply Eye Makeup
• Eye Makeup Ideas
• Free Makeup Samples
• Eye Makeup Tips

• Jimmy Coco Spray Tan
• Dr. Dennis Gross, Dermatologist
• Black Onyx Tanning Lotion
• Swedish Beauty Tanning Lotion
• Titanium Tanning Lotion