# -



## User93 (Apr 3, 2008)

-


----------



## glam8babe (Apr 3, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

i feel ur pain hun!! im naturally very pale especially in winter (NW15-NW20)
and i was using fake tan for 2 years none stop when i was 14/15/16ish then stopped and moved to tanning.. i loved it because i didnt have to spend a night in applying fake tan, no horrible smells, no worrying about going streaky but i stopped because of the stories i heard 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 but im going on holiday this year and i wanna build a nice base tan so i will be tanning again but not much... ive just joined iamTAN - Powered by vBulletin theres lots of great advice from people on there and i found out theres actually BENEFITS of tanning but people always talk about how bad it is.. they never mention the good things

go check on that site.. sign up if you want and check around the threads
i joined last week and i must say ive got TONNES of advice.. i even bought an expensive (sorta) tanning lotion because i realised how important they were, when i first went tanning i didnt use any lotions so now im excited for my lotion to arrive so i can tan safely


----------



## User93 (Apr 3, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

-


----------



## glam8babe (Apr 3, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Alibi* 

 
_Yeah, thank you aswell, i'm really damn scared bout that... But see, first, tan really helps me to look healthier and i have waaay less acne/pimples on the back, and those ones are awful, they are really gross, they hurt, and sometimes they leave little scars... Plus, i have a pretty pale skin, so when i'm not tanned, every single imperfection (red dots, pores...) can be seen pretty easy, not talking about this awful dark circles, making me look like my alcohol-addict husband just kicked my ass 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I mean, i'm not that tanning obsessed, but it makes me feel/look way better.

Maybe i should take into consideration lotions aswell - to be honest, i hardly use them now, i think i get tan easier without em. Really, should think of protection more.. And maybe apply band-aids or big spots, idk :/ Here they sell only Soleo lotions and an Emerald bay one, i sometimes get the 2nd one (smells like chocolate - yuuuummy).

And aaargh - i hate that bronzer creams too. They smell ok, but i hate applying them all over my body (it never gives a smooth color anyways, especially on my hands), and it sometimes like...errr rolls up on my skin in some dirt  It makes me feel really dirty after applying it, i just wanna run to the shower._

 
i know what you mean when you say it shows your 'imperfections' i have lots of acne scars on my cheeks and chin area but when i have a tan they arent even noticeable and i dont need to wear as much foundation which is great!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 my boyfriend mother has a sunbed and my bf usually go on it as he has excema and it clears it up straight away.

You should really use lotions.. i never used them at all and thats why i wasnt going as dark as quick and also felt as if my skin needed alot more moisture.  They sell emerald bay lotions at my local salon and i was gonna buy one before but i didnt have the money... but when i went on that tanning forum (iamtan.com) i saw alot of bad reviews on that brand so i ended up buying Swedish Beauty Chocolate silk on ebay at a cheapish price.


----------



## lovelyweapon (Apr 3, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *glam8babe* 

 
_i know what you mean when you say it shows your 'imperfections' i have lots of acne scars on my cheeks and chin area but when i have a tan they arent even noticeable and i dont need to wear as much foundation which is great!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 my boyfriend mother has a sunbed and my bf usually go on it as he has excema and it clears it up straight away.

You should really use lotions.. i never used them at all and thats why i wasnt going as dark as quick and also felt as if my skin needed alot more moisture.  They sell emerald bay lotions at my local salon and i was gonna buy one before but i didnt have the money... but when i went on that tanning forum (iamtan.com) i saw alot of bad reviews on that brand so i ended up buying Swedish Beauty Chocolate silk on ebay at a cheapish price._

 
I'm on iAMTAN too! lol. I saw kristinaftw! and dreamergirl3 on there I thought I was going crazy. I really thought I was the last living tanner here on Specktra. Anyway, back to the point. I bought and tried Swedish Beauty Chocolate Silk, but I have to say that Norvell's line of products is WAY better. You have to buy them at a tanning salon, hopefully it's available in the UK. But they are only like $20 compared to the $30 I spent on Chocolate Silk and $50!! on one of my favorite lotions - Matahari Golden Diva Step 2. Anyway, check out that line! Esp. their lotion for face, legs & places that are hard to tan. It's a really unappreciated brand.

I, personally, love tanning. I've done spray tan (which I also love) and fake tan in a bottle/spray/mousse. Nothing compares to tanning, even though the spray tan looked beautiful! I still had streaks, and for being $25 it only lasted 3 days or so! I was pissed. It's more of an 'emergency' tan like for special occasions.

Sorry for the rant, but I love to see discussions on here about tanning.. it seems like the plague to everyone else. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




P.S. Glam8babe
Careful w/ buying lotions online there are so many fakes! I bought Chocolate Silk on Amazon though & got lucky it was the real thing after learning about so many fakes online.


----------



## Dreamergirl3 (Apr 3, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

whoop whoop love IAT! I love to see new specktra members popping up there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 my username is the same so if you see me on any threads say hi!

anyhow, I love tanning, I like being tan, I love it all...
BUT, imo...
tanning _is_ bad for your skin, and that's pretty much the bottom line...I think you just need to remain grounded about it. There are some benefits but the damage outweighs it..stay level headed, if you tan PLEASE get regular derm checkups, check your body yourself, DO NOT overexpose your skin, all that jazz. There is no such thing as a safe tan, but I believe there is a safe-R tan...so yea just stay grounded about it and take care of yourself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




lotions, yes use a lotion!!! Tanning dries out your skin so much and moisturized skin also tans better. Also, when not tanning, try to keep your skin moisturized.

As for buying them online, I always do except for when I feel like splurging on my salon's brand that is very hard to find anywhere else. You can usually tell by the site if you can trust it or not. If the website looks dodgy, don't buy from there. I've never got an old lotion, and I've saved quite a bit of $. 
The biggest issue with buying online is getting an old lotion. Make sure the one you want hasn't been discontinued (I usually try to buy the newly released ones to make sure). HTH!


----------



## Brittni (Apr 3, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

I'm so glad to see this thread!

I'm naturally pale too. I'm too light for even the NW/NC15's. The thing is this - most of the time I love being pale...any colors look good on my face (makeup wise) and because I have clear and smooth skin it just really makes me feel like a porcelain doll and fresh, young, clean, etc. BUT, I really am not looking forward to having super pale arms and legs this summer! So....I really want to tan. 

I've had a few fake tans (always too dark on me and I hate the smells...) and I've went real life tanning for one month before a vacation one time which was PLENTY tan to leave me good and tan for quite a while. Every time I say I want a spray tan my mom says I should just go real tanning...but is she going to be the one getting me botox when I get wrinkles and paying for my cancer treatments? lol, didn't think so. I kind of want to get a spray tan first to remind myself of what I look like tan but then I'm afraid it will come out orange! (Mine was too long ago to remember...the booth kind. I like the kind where people spray you in a bikini but I don't want lines this time.)

Ok so I have tons of dilemmas.

Get a spray on tan and then build up a fake tan - will this make it uneven? idk

Go tanning 2x a week for about a month and have a good tan that will last me all summer...then use sun block for the rest of summer? 

Geeze. I wish there was a harmful-ray blocking lotion for indoor tanning...

I'm so indecisive that I'll stand in a store for HOURS debating between two colors, etc, so somebody...give me some good advice? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




P.S. Can't believe you girls didn't think to use lotion! When I did go tanning for that month I used a triple bronzer...lol...worked really well.


----------



## Dreamergirl3 (Apr 3, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

@ Brittni:
You can get a spray on tan, and then put more self tanner on if you want to go darker at home. It should be fine. For help on sunless tanners, try checking out sunless.com and their forums, it's THE place to learn more about self tanning 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




About going tanning 2x a week to get a base, hoping it will last you all summer long...it COULD happen I suppose, but going twice a week is more of something one does for tanning maintenance...for example, I just got my base and am going a little darker, after that I'm going 2x a week to maintain. Most likely that won't be enough for you to develop much of a tan. You will prob get a little color, but for more I'd suggest 3x. Using sunblock will help you from getting any darker in the sun, but it won't help preserve your tan.


----------



## Brittni (Apr 3, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

Thank you, Dreamer!

I am just afraid of doing it myself as it seems like a hassle to get it to turn out even but I do have a FULL bottle of Too Faced's Tanning Bed in a Tube...I wouldn't mind applying it every week because of the dead skin cells/only top layer...just afraid with showering every day (I workout a lot, lol) that it'll make it even more of a hassle.

3x a week probably sounds right... I just don't want to harsh my skin too much. I really won't have to upkeep it during the summer because the last time after I went for a month I had a tan for a really long time. When I did tan for that month prior to vacation I tried to go every other day or every two days. It obviously faded, but that was fine with me. I'm not looking to go super dark...just look healthy and take away from my glowing legs and arms when I'm out and about WITHOUT huge side effects, wrinkles, ickiness, etc!


----------



## lovelyweapon (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Dreamergirl3* 

 
_whoop whoop love IAT! I love to see new specktra members popping up there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 my username is the same so if you see me on any threads say hi!

anyhow, I love tanning, I like being tan, I love it all...
BUT, imo...
tanning is bad for your skin, and that's pretty much the bottom line...I think you just need to remain grounded about it. There are some benefits but the damage outweighs it..stay level headed, if you tan PLEASE get regular derm checkups, check your body yourself, DO NOT overexpose your skin, all that jazz. There is no such thing as a safe tan, but I believe there is a safe-R tan...so yea just stay grounded about it and take care of yourself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




lotions, yes use a lotion!!! Tanning dries out your skin so much and moisturized skin also tans better. Also, when not tanning, try to keep your skin moisturized.

As for buying them online, I always do except for when I feel like splurging on my salon's brand that is very hard to find anywhere else. You can usually tell by the site if you can trust it or not. If the website looks dodgy, don't buy from there. I've never got an old lotion, and I've saved quite a bit of $. 
The biggest issue with buying online is getting an old lotion. Make sure the one you want hasn't been discontinued (I usually try to buy the newly released ones to make sure). HTH!_

 
I always find the pattern of you being SUPER helpful in every thread! lol. I think you have saved my life maybe about a million times already! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




But I wanted to ask you, can you recommend some websites for me to purchase my lotions online? I'm terrible at being able to tell so I just stuck w/ Amazon but am a little paranoid because of the different sellers and limited variety. TIA!


----------



## Dreamergirl3 (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

aw thanks lovelyweapon!!! Glad I could help!
the two sites I usually purchase from are
lewiestanning.com
darkdesirelotion.com


----------



## lovelyweapon (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

^^ Wow those are amazing! Thanks again


----------



## User93 (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

-


----------



## Trace (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

Hey girls, I own a tanning salon and I can give you some tips.  Yes like anything you should be careful.  Remember this... tan in moderations and don't burn.  Tan for a low amount of time when you go in, each time you go in, increase your minutes by two minutes only.  Tanning in moderations is better then blasting your skin with over-exposure.  It takes, on average, 5 sunburns to get skin cancer.  You can still get skin cancer from tanning even if you don't burn, but you want to make sure that you are doing it in moderations.  Know this... sun rays and tanning bulb rays are the same... UV light is UV light!!
Know when enough is enough.  Tan every day until you reach the color that you like and then maintain your tan once or twice a week.
Don't tan indoors and then tan outdoors.  A burn, a heat rash, a slight burn is OVER EXPOSURE.  If you have burned don't tan.  Tanning a burn will only make it worse.
Spray tans are awesome!!!  It usually last about 5 to 10 days depending how you take care of it.  Professional spray tans don't smell bad and they are FABULOUS.  They are more expensive then sun tanning because they don't last as long.  However you can maintain them at home to keep them longer.  Go to your local tanning salon and get some sunless tanner... professional kinds won't turn orange - DO NOT BUY ONE IN THE GROCERY STORE!!  If your salon does not carry them, special order it.  When you are applying it, use a latex glove or a sponge paint brush to apply.
If you have any questions anytime, send a message to me and I am more then happy to answer you questions!!  If you want to be skin typed, I can do that too so that you know how long you should be tanning for and what your exposure schedule should look like.
Happy tanning!


----------



## user79 (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Alibi* 

 
_ I have quite a lot of birthmarks, and some of them are not flat, but kinda popping out... I'm staring at them all the time trying to find out if they're growing or not. Plus, a few years ago a new bulging birthmark appeared on my chin. I'm seriously thinking of burning em off with a laser._

 
You should get your skin checked out by a doctor. I also have a lot of moles and have very fair skin. We are in a *high risk group *for skin cancer. People with very fair skin, moles, and skin that burns easily is very susceptible to developing cancer. Yeah, scary.

Moles need to be watched, especially if they are oddly shaped or are growing. You should def go to a doctor or a dermatologist and explain your worries and fears, especially if you have some moles that are growing oddly, are weird shapes, weird colours, spotted, etc. My sister also had some moles removed. They def need to be watched bc they can turn cancerous.

Tanning - well, it's up to you, but please be aware that you are probably in a high risk category.


Also keep in mind, tanning to look better is a very short term solution, you will only need more makeup and the like to cover wrinkles and pigmentation spots in the near future. I tanned for one winter only, and I have some lasting damage to my skin because of it. Never again!!!


----------



## User93 (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

-


----------



## lovelyweapon (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Alibi* 

 
_Thanks MissChievous, I am really worried about those spots, and i already visited a dermacoligist/oncologist, that was a nice old lady, she said my spots are ok, but i still manna remove them... I'm just waiting for may to have more free time from university, it really requires lots of time... And well, about tanning to look good - thats true, I use less foundation when i'm tanned, but thats not that nessesary. Another thing is that spots on the back - only tanning makes them disappear. I tried lotions/anti-acne creams, nope, those pimples were still there. And yes, thats really "yuck". 
I just try not to tan much and maintain colour._

 
I tan for the same reason - to maintain color. I don't want to be a Malibu barbie, but if I don't tan once in a while I look super pale. Tanning seems to emphasize my makeup even more, though I know tanning should be done in moderation because of the long-term effects. I now mainly use lotions such as Designer Skin that protect the skin from free radicals and have anti-aging treatments in them to, I guess, lessen the damage. 'Amazing Face' by Designer Skin is also a great face lotion because it provides some protection from UVB rays and contains all the above. Good luck!


----------



## Trace (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

I agree, you should go to the doctor and get them checked out!  Whenever I go in, they always check my skin.

And seriously if you are this worried about, you should stay out of the sun and do sunless tanners.  With everything sunless tanners take practice!  Don't buy the ones you get in the store, you will only be frustrated and orange.  Go to your tanning salon and special order one - NORVELL sunless products are a pretty golden brown.  If not, you can go to a Beauty Supply store and get the St. Tropez.

There are plenty of things our these days that get you tanned without the rays... 
Trace'


----------



## Honey B. Fly (Apr 7, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

*i also have a minor back brreakout prob. im FINALLY clear of them with 0 tanning because im using neutrogenas acne wash for the body. tanning cleared mine too but if u think about it, u cant tan ur whole life to get rid of them, u need to find something healthier to clear them up.

a sunless tan will be no prob as long as u exfoilate ur back and wash/use treatments with products made for body acne. *


----------



## User93 (Apr 7, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

-


----------



## M.A.C.tastic (Apr 8, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

I am on IAMTAN too!!!  Yah.  lol. Just thought i'd say hi.

On another note, I had a mild case of acne when I started, I think stress related, and now, (knock on wood) my spots are gone.  I go maybe about 5xs a week now, still building my base, but I will eventually go around 3xs.  I think moderation is key.  Keep your skin moist, as it tans better so you may be able to do less sessions.


----------



## Trace (Apr 8, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

When you are tanning you want to tan every day (as long as you are not burning!!!  Start low and work your way up).  Once you reach the color you like, then taper off.  With the average bed, you can tan once a week to maintain your tan.  Some tan twice a week.
Using a tanning moisturizer such as HEMPZ MOISTURIZER ($22) after you get out of the shower.  Use an indoor lotion when you tan, and then use the Hempz again after you tan.  Keeping your skin moisturized is the key to keeping and prolonging your tan so that you don't have to tan as much.  And drink a lot of water... it keeps the skin hydrated.
Trace'

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *M.A.C.tastic* 

 
_I am on IAMTAN too!!! Yah. lol. Just thought i'd say hi.

On another note, I had a mild case of acne when I started, I think stress related, and now, (knock on wood) my spots are gone. I go maybe about 5xs a week now, still building my base, but I will eventually go around 3xs. I think moderation is key. Keep your skin moist, as it tans better so you may be able to do less sessions._


----------



## Honey B. Fly (Apr 8, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

*nobody should be tanning everyday even if they arent burning. it can take up to 48 hours for color to show so u dont know if u are going to be pink or not yet. ur skin needs time to fully develop its color either way. ur just going to dry ur skin out rushing it. ull get darker on ur tanning days by waiting and keeping ur skin super moist on ur days off. think of how good healthy,supple,moisturized skin that gets a break will tan.

*


----------



## Trace (Apr 8, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

That's not how the tanning process works.  It actually takes the average person 10 days for their tan to "pop out".  Tanning in moderations (low minutes) and sticking to a strict exposure schedule to prevent burning and over exposure to UV light is how you will achieve color quicker.  You can tan every day by tanning low and in moderations in the BEGINNING...  Burns are immediate or can take up to 2-3 hours all the way up to 72 hours to "pop out", it's called Delayed Erythema.  It has been my experience that people tan wrong and over expose themselves or don't build their color correctly in the beginning.  They end up tanning for too long and doing it all wrong.  My entire staff is certified and yes we turn away a lot of people who don't want to stick to an exposure schedule and start low, etc.
If people are going to tan, we hope that we can educate them on how to do it.
Bottom line, this can be debated until the cows come home and everyone has their opinions on it.
TAN SMART - TAN IN MODERATIONS AND DON'T BURN.  If you have a low skin type, you should stay out of the sun... indoor and outdoor UV light IS EXACTLY THE SAME.  UV light is UV light.


 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Honey B. Fly* 

 
_*nobody should be tanning everyday even if they arent burning. it can take up to 48 hours for color to show so u dont know if u are going to be pink or not yet. ur skin needs time to fully develop its color either way. ur just going to dry ur skin out rushing it. ull get darker on ur tanning days by waiting and keeping ur skin super moist on ur days off. think of how good healthy,supple,moisturized skin that gets a break will tan.*
_


----------



## anjelik_dreamin (Apr 8, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

I think anyone who thinks a 'a little tanning' is ok should read this 

Anti-solarium campaigner Clare Oliver dies | The Daily Telegraph

Last year this beautiful 26 year old girl died of Melanoma, which is worryingly common in Australia. She attributed her cancer in large part to the small number of solarium visits she made as a teenager, coupled with sunbathing on the beach. Though I see that our bodies need the sun to keep us alive, lying in the sun to bronze your skin for aesthetic purposes seems rather obsene in the wake of these stories...not to mention that fake tanning is the best it's ever been. If you're that worrying about streaks, why not get a professional spray tan done? It saves you the radiation and cancer risk, not to mention future wrinkles.


----------



## Melly44 (Apr 8, 2008)

*Re: Tanning*

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Honey B. Fly* 

 
_*nobody should be tanning everyday even if they arent burning. it can take up to 48 hours for color to show so u dont know if u are going to be pink or not yet. ur skin needs time to fully develop its color either way. ur just going to dry ur skin out rushing it. ull get darker on ur tanning days by waiting and keeping ur skin super moist on ur days off. think of how good healthy,supple,moisturized skin that gets a break will tan.*
_

 
I agree healthy mostrized skin will tan better.. your only suppose to go every 48 hrs i go to 2 different salons and on there websites and all over the salon has postings on healthy tanning and etc and everything you said is right... and smart tan certified people would say the same thing as you!


----------

