tanning beds, man

[Dreamergirl3]

You could probably even out if you really watch your tan and pay close attention to it's progress. Also, since you mentioned your arms are darker etc., you could try wearing a strong sunscreen on areas you don't want to tan. Granted, SOME tan will develop even with sunsceen, but it'll come much slower...so yea you could try that and see if it works out. And always wear a chapstick with sunscreen when u go!

As for how long you could stay in one, the employees should be able to help you out with that since it really is more complicated than it seems lol! A good salon will 'skin type' you. Basically, they'll have you fill out a questionnaire about like you're ethnic background, how easily you burn etc. and asses you on that. It's not completely necessary but good for people new to tanning. Then, they're are the types of beds...your average 20 minute base bed up to bigger, stronger and more elaborate beds. The time you stay in a bed depends on your skin type and the kind of bed. Check around to find a reallly trustworthy salon, and that the employees are well educated. SmartTan certified salons are great, you can see if there's one in your area here
http://tanningtruth.com/slnfind/

and please please use an indoor tanning lotion if you go! but i'd advise against buying them in salons, because they can range from 15-100 dollars! (average ones here are about 20-50$)I buy mine online for half the price they charge in salons, so you could do that too.

Oh and about the burning, be careful! I'm Latina and hardly burn in the sun as well but I've been burned a few times in beds from overexposure (i thought i could stay in longer since I don't burn...

wrong)

hth!

 

[Kiseki]

Like everything in beauty, it comes and goes.

Darker, tanned skin shows less irregularities, doesn't make dark circles stand out like you're a raccoon, yada yada, we all heard this song before.

Until you see a porcelain girl on the cover of Sport's Illustrated you'll know that tanning is the way to go (for the majority), plus we all want what we can't have. Fair-as-snow people would like complexions that their skins will never have, no matter how much tanning salons they go, it just doesn't work that way. Asian beauty has porcelain-like complexions at their utmost beautiful. It's like the old "I want what I can't have" or "the grass is always greener on the other side".


I do understand kimmy when she says that people look at her thinking she's unhealthy, I get the same reaction, the other day I was buying concealer and the girl offered me some Chanel self-tanning lotion because I looked so unhealthily pale... which I didn't, I just looked pale, that's all.

I would advise you to resort to makeup or skincare to warm your complexion, but like everything else in life, you'll have to make your choice fully aware of what it implies.

I'm sorry if this sounds preachy, but I too lost friends to cancer and tanning salons are one of my peeves.

 

[Staceypie0616]

You are comparing drug addiction to exposing your body to the possibility of skin and other cancers???? huh?

My advice: buy Loreal glow for olive skin and moisturize daily.


"There are a thousand reasons to see a Dermatologist. What's yours?"

 

[kimmy]

i went to a bed the other day for 6 minutes. i saw a little bit of a change in my legs, which is good. very slight...but a difference is a difference. this is still what i'm working with though (just so you can see how much it's gonna take to even myself out hahaha)

so i'm thinking of using some 45/50 spf on my arms next time and maybe going for 15 minutes...do you think that'd even it out a little better?

 

[little teaser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MACATTAK What's good for one person, may not be good for another, but it's their choice.

i agree

 

[Dreamergirl3]

you prob shouldn't jump from 6 minutes to 15, I think that's putting yourself at a great risk of overexposure (from itchy, tight skin, to a full blown sunburn). Your skin needs time to adjust. You should increase your time by 3 mins, 4 at the most.
Its usually recommended to increase by 1 or 2, though, each session. It's really the best for your skin. A gradual, slow increase in color is great! remember, just because you're not burning doesnt mean your skin isn't getting too damaged too fast. I know its hard when sometimes your mindset is to get dark and fast, but do it as safely as u can! It's the best for you and your skin

I think the spf thing is a good idea, def worth a shot. good luck with your glow!

 

[NutMeg]

I definitely wouldn't jump it up... An impatience to go that fast will probably result in more damage that what you're already getting. Keep it in small increments until you get where you want to be.

I also feel that I should "declare my allegience", so to speak, with the anti-tanning group. That being said I'm not going to preach to you about how to take care of your own body, as long as you are informed.

 

[_trimm_trabb]

Another vote for anti-tanning...if not for your own health or for your own skin, at least for your wallet. What a waste of money (in my opinion). I just hate seeing older ladies that you know could have beautiful skin, but they have all those spots and speckles on their decollitage or deep wrinkles on their face from tanning when they were young.

Honestly, the health & beauty marketing industry has us (women) cornered. They have us paying to spend time in premature aging- and wrinkle- inducing beds, then spending hundreds of dollars on designer wrinkle creams and anti-aging potions, or furthermore, botox!.

Can't we all just skip this expensive process? Just wear sunscreen and avoid tanning for now and save yourself the big bucks later!

/end.

 

[Gloriosa]

California Sun do a tanning lotion specifically for hard to tan legs... I can't remember what it's called, but you could probably find it online somewhere. And yes, wear a high SPF on the places you don't want tanned. I always use one on my nose, lips [and nipples! shh.]

It'll probably take a fair while for your legs to reach the deep colour of your arms, but once it's all evened out you can keep it that way, i suppose.

Also... I hear you on the olive skintone thing. I just look sallow without a tan, and I have different pigment in different places so it's glaringly obvious when I'm pale.