To Tan or Not To Tan

The other day I had a lengthy convo with a friend who was considering – and stressing wildly – over whether or not she should go tanning for her wedding day. She initially picked out her gown last summer and fell in love with how the dress looked with her summer glow.  Six months later, with her big day approaching, she is beginning to feel not so… bronzed.  We started to chat about other options and talked about who we knew that had tried sunless tanning.  We both knew people who loved it and some who have not been so impressed with their experiences.  After weighing all of the options, we finally decided that if she truly wished to wear her dress with “sun-kissed” skin, her best option would be to do some research on sunless tanning.  One of my biggest concerns was the faux tan discoloring the lining of her dress.  She joked that she had a very good dry cleaner and that looking what she felt was her best was more important on her big day.  I felt compassion, and concern. Alas, after a series of calls, texts and BBM’s, here are a few quick tips we received from friends and fam who have taken the plunge, before taking the plunge.

There are several types of sunless tanning out there – self-applied lotions, spray tan booths and airbrush. The latter should be applied by a trained tanning technician(please!). These trends are a popular choice for obtaining the coveted “glow”, without the harmful effects of UV rays and of course, the undeniable off-season convenience.  Reaching that perfect shade can be tricky if you are a newbie and there are a few things to know. Please keep in mind that I am no tanning expert (if you know me, you prob already figured this), but just some food for thought…

• Everybody’s skin reacts differently to sunless tanning, so it’s is best to have a trial several weeks before the big event.  By performing a “test run”, you can learn how the shade will appear on your skin, if any irritation will occur and how long it will last.
• Do not go too drastic!  Going for extreme differences in skin tone may cause your skin to steal the focus from beautiful you and your beautiful gown. The goal of a sunless tan is to add a glow, not to make you unrecognizable . I’ve seen it happen!
• To avoid staining light colored clothes, some have found it helpful to use a solution that does not contain bronzer.  Apparently bronzer can enter your pores and risk staining clothes if you sweat. Oops, I meant glisten.
• Try recommended prep techniques including skin exfoliating and application of lotion on hands and feet to act as a barrier. (hm, never would have thought of that one). Also try to avoid wearing make-up, perfume and deodorants that may cause uneven application.
• Use touch-up solutions and tan extenders to prolong your tan for your big day.  I know it’s not easy, but try to avoid contact with water for at least 8-12 hours after applying the tan.  This includes showering, sweating, and swimming.
• If you liked the sunless tanning choice used in your trial run, by all means use it again!  If at all possible, try to return to the same salon, using the same lotion, and even using the same technician if you did airbrush.
• If your trial run was unsuccessful, don’t lose hope.  Just like any other cosmetic, different brands work better or worse with different people and skin.  Don’t be discouraged from finding that perfect sunless tan if that is truly what your heart desires! Sometimes multiple trial runs are necessary, so start early.
• As expected of any beauty method that includes applying color to your skin, you run the risk of transfer to your dress.  Although bronzer free solutions may reduce this risk, there is still a chance that your flawless white dress will suffer from some discoloration.  So I guess the last tip for sunless tanning is to be aware of the risks and prepared if you encounter them. Most importantly, please speak to a professional. We may think we know all there is to know, but of all days, why chance it now?

Doesn’t that last one kind of look like a money booth where all the bills blow around and you have like a minute to grab what you can? Sweet.

xx,
Salome