Because summer is just around the corner, I thought I'd go over some necessary sun information for my fellow ladies, and men! I remember the good 'ole days laying out for hours, getting that sun-shined tan while also not realizing how badly I was damaging my skin. Back in high school I even used to use a tanning bed EVERY DAY. I hate myself for doing so, but I didn't really know the facts about tanning. Yes I always heard "It's bad for you," but I never understood why.
A tan is
no different from a sunburn in terms of how it affects our skin.
Tanning is an indication that your healthy skin has been exposed to UV
radiation-- neither are safe. They also cause DNA damage to skin. Prolonged UV radiation could result in wrinkled, leathery skin with dark splotches. Talk about unattractive! And not to mention you could look 60 years old when in reality you're 45. Now who wants that? Not I!
Some studies even show that tanning is almost as bad for you as smoking a cigarette.
Now, I don't know about you, but I think about my future often, and what I plan to be doing, and what I think I'll look like. I think about how I want to live a long, healthy life for my children and my family and my fiance. I don't want them to have to watch me go through Chemo-Therapy, and struggle in a hospital bed because of something I could have tried to prevent. Therefore, I have personally tried out many Tanning alternatives. The ones listed are ones that I think to look natural, and not orange-- as long as you thoroughly wash the palms of your hands!
I strongly recommend the L'Oreal Tanning Mist pictured below:
Not only does it give an amazing gradual tan, but it's an easy, mess-free way to have a gorgeous spray tan at your convenience. No need to head to a salon to get sprayed, you can do this at home, for around $8 for more than ONE tan. This is my go-to sunless tanning product. You can find it at your local Target.
My second favorite, is the St. Tropez Mousse. It comes out like a light foam, and is so easy to give a streak-free bronzed glow. This ones around $30, so it's a tad more on the pricier side, but guaranteed streak-free. Dancing With The Stars dancers use this too!
You can find it at your local Beauty Supply Store.
My third favorite, is the Nivea body Sunkissed Glow, this one is easy to apply everyday in place of your lotion, because it moisturizes your skin while also gradually tanning. It also doesn't smell like tanning lotion, it smells good! You can find it at your local Target.
My fourth favorite, is the L'Oreal Sublime Bronze. This one is a little stickier, but it give you a glistening look all day. It has light glittery sparkles that look really pretty. Once you shower and wash it off, the glitter goes away but the you have an enhanced tan! I'd recommend leaving it on for at least 4 hours before washing it off so it soaks in right. This one you have to make sure you rub in easily, otherwise you'll have streaks. Other than that, I love it! You can find it at your local Target.
My fifth favorite, is the Tantowel. You can buy it in a box of ten. You can buy it for around $25 at your local beauty supply stores. It gives you an even tan if you apply it correctly ( circular motion). And it dries quick. It does dry out your skin a tad if you apply is every day, so what I've done is one day use the tantowel, and the next day use the Nivea body Sunkissed Moisturizer. That way I am still maintaining a healthy glow and moisturizing my skin.
I also included the elf Bronzer. for $1, you can have a gorgeous bronzer for your face. Not only is it an amazing price, but it is no-joke, my favorite bronzer I've ever used. It doesn't look orange, it's lightweight, and it looks gorgeous.
What are your favorite sunless tanners? Have you ever tried any of the ones shown?