Sunless Tanning Methods
SUNLESS TANNING METHODS Tanning products, both sunless and sun, go to work on the epidermis, or the outside layer of your skin, and not the dermis or inner layer. However, the layer of epidermis that is affected by sunless versus the layer affected by sun tanning products differs. Sun tanning lotions, sprays, gels and other assorted items, go to work on the stratum basale or deepest layer. And sunless tanning items go to work on the stratum corneum or outermost layer. Applying Self-Tanning Product WHEN - Since most self-tanning lotions have no sunscreen for protection outdoors, the best time to use self-tanners is at night before going to bed. If done earlier, allow a minimum of two hours and test for staining before putting back on your regular clothes. Note that if your lotion contains extra coloring formula or if you're using a spray, staining could be a major issue and you won't to go to bed and stain bedding; so use these types of products earlier in the evening or when you have more time to "dry" after applying (at least a few hours). WHAT - Gather your necessary items together. Choose what you want to wear for tanning lines, whether it's a swimsuit, undergarments, etc. Use caution in your choices because the product may stain or run so choose old clothing, especially without nylon (permanently stains this fabric), and not loose clothing (to inhibit runny lotions). You will also need to be able to shower or wash beforehand. So round up a cotton washcloth or whatever you use to exfoliate your skin (sponge and other product, etc.), soap, any moisturizer you may want to use, your self-tanning product, disposable clear gloves, a nail brush, a ball cap, hair pins or accessories to keep hair from your face, a sponge roller brush or paintbrush if you will apply product to your back, and access to a clock. TIMING NOTE: if you are not going to use disposable gloves, you will need to wash your hands and scrub your nails about every minutes while applying the tanning product so that they don't stain orange. Hence the need for the timer mentioned above. WHERE - Begin with a shower or washing to remove dead, flaky and dry skin. Wash with your washcloth or exfoliation sponge, gently going in a circular motion. Special areas of focus are your knees and lower legs, your ankles and feet, and your elbows. When finished, dry yourself, including your hair, thoroughly, and get hair up off neck. Let steam out of the room, if you'll be continuing in there. (Remember: moisture like steam & sweat can cause the self-tanning product to run / wear off.) MOISTURIZER STAGE- Gently rub moisturizer into the special areas of focus mentioned above (knees, ankles, etc) to prepare (prep) for the self-tanning solution. Some apply this to the face and neck areas, too. SELF-TANNER STAGE- Now it's time to suit up and apply your tanning product. Note: beginners should practice on small areas first. FIVE MINUTE LEGS - Begin by applying the tanning product to your legs. Work with one leg at a time, applying in a circular motion from top to bottom. Don't rub it in thin. You want a good even coating. For feet and ankles, go ahead and apply a little thinner coating. You can skip sides of feet, toes and heels or go lighter here or mix in moisturizer a little for easier coverage (knees, too). (If you are not using gloves, work quickly and check timer to wash up when finished with this stage). FIVE MINUTE UPPER BODY - Continue applying product upwards in circular motion. Most prefer to cover the torso first, using the roller brush or paintbrush on the back, then continue with the arms. If it's taking awhile to cover all areas and you're not using gloves, remember to check the clock and wash hands and nails thoroughly before continuing. (Treat elbows as you did knees). FIVE MINUTE NECK-UP - Time to finish up with the neck, face, ears, nose, cheeks. "Go thin" is the motto for these areas. DRYING STAGE - Now it's time for drying. Wait at least 30 minutes before coming into contact with anything. Stand and read or sit on the edge of a chair and enjoy computer games, television, a friendly phone chat or something. After the 30 minutes, you can wear loose clothing. Skip the jeans scene, though, and other tighter clothing to allow for around one to two hours. Check your specific product instructions for guidelines. FOLLOW UP STAGE - Keep in mind different products have different drying times, so you don't want to get wet, even by sweating, for at least three hours. Depending upon the tanning product and your kin and genetics, you will want to wash, exfoliate the dry, flaky, dead skin cells and re-apply product every few days or so. Check your product for guidelines and monitor your skin for any rashes or other irritations that could develop. Then What? What happens is that you apply a tanner or tanning solution, be it a lotion, crème, spray, towlette or other form, by gently rubbing the product into your outer skin layer. Then those that are most effective, the ones that list dihydroxyacetone (DHA), an isomer of glyceraldehydes, as an active ingredient, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, begin to work within around 40 minutes to an hour. DHA is a dull (in coloring) sugar important in the metabolism of carbohydrates. It interacts with the dead cells located in the stratum corneum or outermost layer of the epidermis. In other words, DHA reacts with amino acids in the epidermis, producing a natural pigment called melanoidin that bonds with proteins in skin cells. And results are a change of color that can last up to about seven days. A couple things to note here. First is that although melanoidin is produced, and melanoidin and melanin (the dark pigment that enables a "sun" tan to develop via UV exposure) work together in the absorption of harmful rays, a self-tan only provides about a SPF 2, more or less, not high enough to offer enough protection. So take care to wear protective outer garments, eyewear, etc. and / or a sunscreen. And second, note for a quick overview that in general, sunless tanning products that are out on the market today are reported to provide users with pretty much "real" looking tanning results. From start of application of the tanning product until complete drying time or about three hours, you can have a sunless tan that can last all week. The chemical makeup of the products versus where and how they interact with the different parts of your body can affect tanning results; i.e. some areas may demonstrate different color variations and the tanning may last longer. Then what? Where does the tan go? Dead skin cells rub and wear off the epidermis, resulting in the fading or losing of the tan. In fact roughly once a month or a period between 35 to 45 days, the epidermis is all rejuvenated. In order to keep a tan going long-term, many companies recommend that you reapply their sunless and self-tanning products approximately every three days. Some products last longer and wear better than others, too. So experimenting, even with products that do not list DHA in the ingredients, might prove to be rewarding.
This article is part of our Tanning Bed Solutions section on Commercial Tanning Beds.
