Tanning salons
When it comes to tanning, there are a lot of options. For the longest time, if you wanted a dark, sexy tan, you had to spend hours outside sunning. Then tanning beds came along; which were great, unless you’re like me and very prone to burning. After that, there were a lot of sunless tanning products, but there are now so many it’s hard to decide. While you may want to tan at home, you’re best option is to go to a tanning salon. Nowadays they can offer you many options for getting a great tan.
The first option you have at tanning salons is the tanning bed. Many people have shied away from this method because of the increased risk of skin damage and cancer. The truth is, most of the damage from sunlight is caused by overexposure. When using a tanning bed, you get a controlled amount of light for a short period of time. This makes it much safer than tanning outdoors. Plus, there is a great benefit to tanning beds that many people don’t know about: Vitamin D. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for our body. Along with other benefits, it helps calcium bind to bones preventing deterioration and osteoporosis. The best source of Vitamin D is actually not from the food we eat; it’s from the sun. Tanning beds also provide this vital nutrient for those of us who don’t go outside that much, and for the long, cold winter months when there isn’t really a chance to get a lot of sun. Increased amount of light also can have a positive effect on mood and be used to treat seasonal depression.
Another tanning method that these salons can offer you is spray tanning. For this method, you go into a booth and are sprayed with an artificial tanning solution. There are now products to spray tan from home, but those little bottles can be very temperamental, producing a splotchy and uneven tan. With a professional spray tan, the equipment is likely to be kept in good shape producing an even mist and an even tan. The best part of this method is that you go in, spray, spray, and then leave. You don’t have to waste time sitting under lights or laying outside.
One of the newer methods available on the market today for sunless tanning is the airbrush tan. They use an airbrush (the same thing they use to doctor magazine photos) to spray on a thin layer of tanning solution. Because an airbrush produces a finer mist than a spray tan, you are less likely to get any streaking or dripping. The important thing to remember with this type of tanning is that there is an ingredient in airbrush tanning solution that may be harmful if used internally. That’s why it’s important to wear goggles, nose plugs, ear plugs, and lip balm when getting this type of tan. If you take these precautions, the method is perfectly safe.
While you may think, “why should I go to a salon when I can just go to the grocery store?” While at-home self tanners may seem convenient, they can be a messy hassle. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stained clothes and everything else from using self tanners. Plus, the results are marginal. It’s just like cutting your hair; you can do it yourself, but it sure will look a lot better if you get a professional to do it for you.
