Spray Tanning: Winter-White Skin

Who doesn’t love winter-white skin?! *insert eye roll*

Spray tanning and using sunless products are the best ways to add a little glow to your winter wonderland body. Try EnvyTan’s Lasting Envy: Spray Tan in a Can ($24). Fabulous color and easy application make it ideal for everyone.

Lasting Envy has a 12% DHA level. For those of you who don’t know, DHA is the active ingredient in spray tans and sunless products that reacts with the skin and is responsible for the color change we call a sunless tan. 12% is perfect for people who already have color, whether that means naturally medium-dark skin or skin kissed by the sun. People with fairer skin should be a bit more conservative when using Lasting Envy (or any 12% product)—you don’t want to go overboard!

So what happens if you do?

There are many at-home ways to remove a spray tan.

My favorite is to apply baby oil to the affected areas. Allow this to soak in for about 45 minutes. Then soak in a warm/hot bath and use a loofah to buff away the offending tan. It may take more than one trip to the tub, but it will definitely get you where you want to be.

You can also try exfoliating with scrubs, applying lemon juice to fade the tan, or rubbing baking soda into damp skin to even out discolored or streaky patches.

Tips for next time?

Always be sure you follow the directions for sunless products. When it says “Exfoliate,” make sure you exfoliate! Those instructions are on there for a reason, not just to take up space. Exfoliating your entire body sloughs off dead skin cells, allowing the tan to be applied to the freshest cells possible, which makes for a more even, longer-lasting tan. Grab a container of Ambush: Pre-Tan Exfoliating Scrub ($26) for fabulous (not to mention deliciously-scented) results.

Try to avoid using tons of product on dry areas of the body. Elbows and knees can soak up self tanner like nobody’s business—leaving you with “oompa-loompa pox!”

Don't forget... if you ever have a question or concern, it's easiest to address it before the tan is applied, rather than attempt to fix it after!

Written by Envy Tan

Tanning Consultant Tip: Preparing for Winter Weddings

by Victoria at Sun Tan City

On your wedding day, you want your dress to be a pristine white, but your skin doesn’t have to match (even if you are getting married during the coldest season of the year)! We’re offering winter brides and grooms a pre-wedding, just-back-from-the-beach glow at Sun Tan City.

But before you step into one of our sun beds, be sure you know the best (and safest) way to get a glow that will make you say “I do”.

First, know that whether you have three months or three weeks, there is a perfect pre-wedding tanning plan for you. If you plan on tanning in one of our tanning beds, make sure your skin is ready for a new tanning routine. If you’ve never tanned before, start by only staying the bed for a few minutes at a time so you don’t burn. If you have a few weeks, or even months, before your wedding, coming to Sun Tan City 2-3 times a week will have your skin glowing in time for you trip down the aisle.

Even if you do have a tanning bed plan, brides, grooms, and members of the bridal party should consider trying into our MyMyst or VersaSpa sunless tanning booths prior to the event. But, if this is your first time, you’ll want to have a pre-wedding trial run for your tan. In our sunless booth, there are many options for color, and you’ll want to find the perfect, glowing shade for you. We recommend coming into Sun Tan City two weeks before your big day to have a trial run for your sunless tan. That way, you’ll know if you have found the perfect shade to compliment your wedding-day attire. Then, come back in two to three days before you wedding and have your final sunless tanning session. Because the color takes 24 hours to develop (and because you can’t shower for a recommended 6-8 hours after your session), you don’t want to partake in your sunless session too close to your wedding day.

Planning your wedding can be stressful, but planning your tan doesn’t have to be (even for winter weddings)! Congratulations to all the brides and grooms out there, and we hope to see you at Sun Tan City! Happy Tanning!

Laser Hair Removal and Tanning

When laser hair removal first hit the market, people with dark skin were unable to receive the results others were experiencing. Now though, the treatment has been refined by adding skin cooling devices and lasers with a longer wavelength to provide safer and more effective treatments for people with darker skin. The risk of burning darker skin has been reduced because of these improvements. People who tan should be aware of the effects of laser hair removal on darker skin.


Generally people with tans have been discouraged from laser hair removal because tanning changes the pigments of the skin. Laser hair removal concentrates light energy on the skin. The skin absorbs the energy of the laser before the it can reach the hair follicles. The amount of energy absorbed by the skin is dependent upon the color of the skin. Because darker colors absorb more light, tanned skin can absorb an excess amount of light energy leading to burns or discoloration. Performing laser hair removal on tanned skin should be done very carefully and at a lower intensity. Using the lower energy setting means that the treatment may need to be repeated several times because the effectiveness of the treatment is diminished.

Make Your Spray Tan Last Longer

A spray or airbrush tan is the best way to maintain a glow without feeling guilty but how can you make it last? Spray tanning any more frequently than once every two weeks is time consuming and expensive, so knowing the best preservation methods is in your best interest. Without proper aftercare your tan could fade quickly and even become patchy.

Following these important aftercare instructions will keep your tan looking tremendous.

• Wear loose dark colored clothes to your appointment
• Bring flip flops to your tanning appointment and wear them on your way out. 
• Avoid wearing socks until after you've showered. 
• No bra or belt immediately after your tan
• Avoid the shower for 8-10 hours following your appointment. The longer you wait, the better
• If you went in to the tan snowman-white, rinse the tan off 8 hours after the appointment
• After the first day, use a moisturizing body wash to cleanse and hydrate the skin
• Do not wax any sooner than 3-5 days after your treatment
• Do NOT use wash cloths, scrubs or exfoliants after tanning
• Keep your tan well hydrated (this is especially important for Denver spray tans because of the lack of humidity)- moisturize twice daily
• Avoid mineral oils and baby oil products
• Don't use scented body lotions or washes- they'll fade the tan faster. 
• No long hot showers or baths
• Skip the gym! You have my permission. Don't exercise for 10 hours or until after you've showered. 
• Absolutely NO hot tubs or steam rooms!
• If you swim in a chlorinated pool, apply sun block before getting into the water. 
• Don't go into the sun unprotected! Your spray tan will not protect you from the sun's rays

Types of Sunless Tanning Lotions

If getting the sun-kissed look is high on your priority list, slathering on a fake tan as a lotion, foam or spray is safer than basking in the sun because it doesn't put you at risk for skin cancer. The trick is applying it so it looks natural -- no streaks or orange colored skin. A professional spray tan is the most goof-proof way to go, but these can get expensive, and the resulting tan doesn't last any longer than it does with do-it-yourself sunless tanner products. Like the spray tans, foams and DIY sprays dry faster but aren't any easier to apply than lotions and creams. One option is going for a gradual self-tanning lotion, which uses a lower concentration of dye and can help minimize streaks and missed spots.

No matter which self tanner you choose, all contain the dyeing agent Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a harmless but smelly chemical that produces a scent when it comes in contact with your skin. The smell fades as the product dries, but self tanners vary in their level of initial and lingering stinkiness, which may or may not bother you.

Here are some other things to keep in mind about self tanners:

• All sunless tanners use dihydroxyacetone (DHA) to temporarily color skin. Although this dye is considered safe, it does not offer protection from the sun's damaging rays. Experts urge consumers to top their faux tan with a sunscreen when outdoors (dermatologists currently suggest at least an SPF of 30). Also, beware of the SPF claims made by some sunless tanners. If your product doesn't list the ingredients titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone or Mexoryl SX (Tinosorb outside the U.S.), then it doesn't offer ample sun protection.

Top 5 Self Tanning Products

Winter is here and your skin hasn't seen the sun in days. To avoid becoming easily lost in a snow bank make sure you have your tanning planned out. One of the least expensive (though sometimes hazardous  tanning methods is at home self tanner. There are hundreds of self tanners to choose from so doing so may be daunting. I've compiled this list of the top 5 self tanners on the market to help sift through the enormous variety.

Self tanners will react differently with your skin. Paying more for your tanner does not necessarily mean that you have found a better product. Some tanners can be purchased for as little as $10 and as much as $50 and price doesn't always represent the quality or how it will react with your skin. Moisturizing cream and lotion formulas are great for dry or aging skin. The lotions and moisturizing creams are easier to manipulate on your skin than spray tanning or gel products. However, if you are looking for a fast drying tanner, sprays and gels will be more effective. For the best results, you should choose a product that has a tint in the product so you can see where you have applied it and avoid streaking.

Some Benefits of Spray Tanning

If you have been looking to get that natural skin tan without having to sit in the sun or in a tanning bed, spray tanning has become a popular alternative and is offered by many tanning salons around the country. Increasing number of people are opting for spray tanning as over exposure to sun light causes harm to the skin. We all have a different tolerance level to the UV rays emitted by the sun; some can handle more exposure than others. Spray tanning is not dangerous and has many benefits.

Spray tanning is a safer tanning solution than sun tanning as it provides tanning using a substance called DiHydroxyAcetone (DHA), which is a harmless substance and doesn't produce any side effects to the skin. DHA available in the spray tanning solution interacts with amino acid present in skin and provides a soft brown color to the skin.

Here are seven Benefits of spray Tanning:

1. The tanning process sprays the solution in a mist form, you can get a smoother and silkier finish than the effects provided by natural sun tanning from the sun.

2. Another major benefit provided by spray tanning is its flexibility in providing tanning to specific portion of the body as desired. If you want to tan the entire body other than the face and the legs, you can get it done using the spray tanning. This is extremely difficult to achieve in sun tanning.

3. If you're living in a region that has very little sun shine during the entire year, spray tanning acts as the ideal solution for getting that tanned skin. Similarly, if you want to tan during winter months, spray tanning is the obvious choice available.

Sunless Spray Tanning FAQ

This content was found on Soleil Tans

Before starting your spray tan session in a reliable tanning salon, you should ask relevant questions from the staff. Your main goal is to ensure that, indeed, you know exactly what you are going into, what you can get out of it and how you can enjoy its benefits to the fullest.

Is the Procedure and Product Safe?
The best tanning salon uses products with FDA-approved dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the primary active ingredient. The substance has no known toxicity to humans and has been proven effective in chemically yet temporarily changing the color of skin from its natural tone to golden brown.

The result: A golden tan with a healthy radiance that mimics sunbathing under the warm Caribbean sun but without the actual sun exposure. Such is the high level of safety of any spray tan product that the American Association of Dermatologists considers it to be the most effective sunless tanning method.

Still, it is best to protect your eyes, lips and nose during any spray tan session because it can lead to irritation in these sensitive areas. The staff of your favorite tanning salon will provide the appropriate protective gear for this purpose including under-eye cream and goggles. Just make sure not to inhale or ingest the product and you should be just fine in the hands of these tanning professionals.

How to Improve Spray Tanning Experience

Spray tanning is a great way to get a deep and dark tan without having to spend hours in a tanning bed or having to expose yourself to the sun. Without the dangers of skin exposure, finding the right type of spray tan can be challenging. Usually when anyone is considering having a spray tan, there are a few questions they want to know before having it done.

In order to understand spray tans, consider the pigments used in the tan. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is the ingredient in spray tans that is responsible for the darkening of the skin pigment. DHA works by staining the top layer of skin which is comprised of dead skin cells. Since DHA only works on the top layer of skin and doesn't penetrate into the epidermis, the length of a spray tan depends on several factors.

For anyone who has ever wanted to know how long spray tanning lasts, the amount of time varies between 7-12 days. However, in order to keep the spray tan around for the maximum amount of time, there are a few steps that can be taken.

How to prep your skin for a custom airbrush spray tan

Find this blog post at: bronze n' beautiful 

Prepping your skin for your custom airbrush spray tan application is very important. You would not paint over a red wall without priming it first right? Well same goes for tanning. The better you prep you skin before your spray tan the longer your airbrush spray tan will last

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Step 1. Exfoliate:

You want to make sure you exfoliate your skin really well, this way the solution will be adhering to the nice fresh and new skin, rather then skin that is dead and ready to flake off. You can use anything you want to prep. If you have a Clarisonic, brush with the body attachment. If you do not have a Clarisonic you do not have to buy one, any scrub will do. I often forget to charge my Clarisonic so I just use a wash cloth and that works great to.

Step 2. Shave:

Have you ever heard of the phrase "shaving off you tan"? Well it is somewhat true. Your legs are not going to be completely white after the first time you shave, but you will notice a difference, so make an effort to shave really well before your tanning session.

Step 3. Dry off:

Rub you body dry with a towel, this will give your skin just a little bit of extra exfoliation; remember you do not want to rub you skin dry after your tanning session.

Step 4. No lotion, makeup  or deodorant:

I know its hard but refrain form putting on deodorant, makeup and lotions. The lotion and makeup will act as a barrier between you skin and the solution so will not get the maximum absorption out of your tan. And if you wear deodorant it will turn green.

Step 5. Choose you tanning garment:

The last and final step will be to choose what you would like to tan in. Keep in mind whatever you wear will give you lines, some people like the lines but some don’t. It is completely up to you, you can wear you bikini or go nude the choice is yours.
We will take care of the rest making you look and feel beautiful!
To set up an appointment call us today 909-803-2134. We provide custom airbrush spray tans in Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Claremont, La Verne, and the Surrounding Inland Empire. ​

Sun Tanning Lotion or Airbrush Tanning- Which is better?

Sun Tanning Lotion or Airbrush Tanning- Which is better?

Sun Tanning Airbrush or Lotion

Written by Simone

I've been asked many times about my opinion on Self Tanning Lotions vs. Airbrush Tans.  Years ago when airbrush tanning did not exist, I would have told you that self tanning cream/lotions is the way to go because it was the safer way to get a tan. But now I really strongly believe that Airbrush Tanning is the better way to get a tan.

Before Airbrush Tanning existed I used to always use Sunless tanning lotions.  It was great and at that time my favorite sun tanning lotion was the Bare Mineral Faux Tan brand as it looked really natural and did not have a strong self tanner smell.  I used it frequently and sometimes daily, but I did notice that my skin was getting really dry and I had to use a lot of lotion twice a day (without self tanner) to get the moisture back into my skin.

Then when I learned about Airbrush Tanning I was amazed that it lasted longer then a week on me.  It lasts longer on me because I have extreme white skin.  I can really say that I glow in the dark :-)

Sunless lotions or self tanning lotions and also the solution we use for airbrush tanning contains all DHA and the one negative thing about DHA is that it dry's out your skin and this is why I would recommend airbrush tanning over using self tanning lotions. 

Why?

When you use self tanning lotions on a daily basis you are exposing your skin to the DHA daily which dry's out your skin.  But when you are airbrush tanning, since the airbrush tans lasts for 7-10 days, you only need to come once a week to get a fresh new airbrush tan and your skin is only exposed to the DHA for 1 day.  The rest of the days you are using lotions to revive your skins with moisture. 

I hope that explains why I would always recommend Airbrush Tanning over Self Tanning creams/lotion.  Of couse if you don't have anyone to refer to for Airbrush Tanning, I would definately recommend the self tanning creams over tanning beds.