Published: April 20, 2008 01:54 am            

NO SUN NESSECARY: Our take on sunless tanning products

I’m the kind of person that goes to the salon and lets the stylist do anything they want to my hair. When it comes down to it, if I don’t like it, it will grow out in a couple months. I guess I had the same outlook on this project. Some may call me brave, while others may call me crazy, but I volunteered to test four different kinds of sunless tanner, one on each limb. Honestly, I feared I would walk away from this looking like an oompa-loompa, but if that were the case, it would fade away in a week or so.



Banana Boat Summer Color Self-Tanning Mist

• Price: $6.79

This was definitely the scariest product to me. Anything that requires ventilation can’t be good for your skin. For some reason, I chose to use it first, I guess to get it out of the way.

Panic immediately started to set in after the first spray. My reporter’s notebook was quickly filled with frightening comments: Will this be streaky? Do I rub it in? It’s tingling! How much do I spray? I followed the directions on the bottle, which unfortunately were not the most informative. It didn’t even tell me how far away to hold the can from my leg. I’ve actually seen better directions on a can of spray paint.

The smell was another thing, it didn’t necessarily smell bad, as it was infused with a lime scent, but I felt as though a bottle of tequila should have come with it, if only to complete the Margaritaville feel.

A few minutes after I finished, my skin started to tighten and tingle. Two hours later it started to itch. The next morning, when the color had fully set in, I had large streaky, slightly orange marks all over my leg. I won’t be trying this one again.



Aveeno Active Naturals Continuous Radiance Moisturizing Lotion

• Price: $12.99



This cleverly designed bottle allowed me to chose the color I wanted to become with a range from light to dark. I went for medium and set the dial to number three.

The lotion was a little difficult to get out of the bottle, as the pump only gave you a drop at a time. It was a little greasy at first but dried quickly and didn’t make my skin oily. If anything, it did just what the bottle said it would do — moisturize.

It smelled absolutely wonderful and I’m sure the natural aspect helped out there.

Overall, there really was no fuss to this one, it was just like applying lotion. It didn’t cause any weird reactions and since it dried so quickly, it felt like I hadn’t done anything.

The downfall to this product is that the next morning, it didn’t really look like I’d done anything either. This is one of those products that you’d have to use time and time again to get the desired result.





Neutrogena Sun Fresh Sunless Foam

• Price: $8.94



A foam, does Neutrogena make any other form of skin cleanser? I already use their face wash and it foams as well, this couldn’t be so bad.

One pump gave me more than enough foam to cover my entire arm, but talk about sticky. I felt like I needed to re-shower after using this one. It took all the moisture out of my arm — so much for exfoliation — and left little crystals after I’d thought I’d rubbed it in well enough.

To make things worse, it smelled horrible, like moldy lemons.

It matted the hair down on my arm and tightened my skin. But the craziest part, to top it all off, was that I broke out in hives. Yes, hives on the underside of my arm. The hives were gone by the time I woke up the next morning and the color was decent, but I wouldn’t suffer the pain to achieve the color again.



L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Lotion (Jenna’s favorite — 2 tan thumbs up!!)

• Price: $6.79



I expected this pure white lotion not to work, especially because it reminded me of sunscreen.

It went on a bit oily, but dried quickly and retained the moisture in my arm. So far, so good.

Along the lines of sunscreen, it smelled just like it, you’d either love or hate that fact. If you’re going out somewhere nice, you don’t want to smell like you just walked off the beach. But if you’re like me and you know you won’t be enjoying any vacation time at the beach this year, you may just love the fact that it brings the beach to you.

The lotion didn’t bother me at all and I again felt like I hadn’t done anything, but the next morning I was glad to see I did have color on my arm. Finally, I’d found one that had succeeded. It may not have the fanciest bottle but I wouldn’t trade it for streak marks or hives any day.





Sunless tanning: A safe

alternative to sunbathing

How do sunless tanning products work?

Sunless tanning products are commonly sold as creams, gels, lotions and sprays you apply to your skin. The active ingredient in most sunless tanning products is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). When applied to your skin, DHA reacts with dead cells in the outermost layer of skin to temporarily darken the skin’s appearance. The coloring doesn’t wash off, but it gradually fades as the dead skin cells slough off. In most cases, the color is completely gone after five to seven days.

What can you expect from sunless tanning products?

Sunless tanning products typically go on clear, and you might see results after about an hour. Full color appears within eight to 24 hours. Some products contain a tint, which darkens your skin right away.

Besides home products, spray-on tanning is available at salons, spas and tanning businesses. These professional applications can provide an even, full-body tan.

Is sunless tanning safe?

Sunless tanning products are generally regarded as safe alternatives to sunbathing. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers DHA safe when applied to your skin.

What are the possible risks?

Spray-on tanning or mist-on tanning from a salon or spa is typically applied to all parts of your body — including your face — to ensure an even color. This creates a potential for the product to get into and around your eyes, near your nostrils or onto your lips.

The risks, if any, of inhaling or ingesting DHA are unknown, so close your eyes and hold your breath while the tanner is applied. You may also want to request or bring along protective devices, such as goggles or nose plugs.

— The Mayo Clinic



Sunless tanning tips For an even tan

Sunless tanning products no longer cause an orange-brown, streaky appearance. Today the products offer an even, natural-looking tan if they’re applied correctly and carefully. For best results, follow these tips:

• Choose a light- or medium-toned product, which tends to look more natural.

• Before using the product, wash and exfoliate your skin with a wash cloth or sponge to remove excess dead skin cells. Women should shave their legs for an even application.

• Apply the sunless tanning product evenly and lightly. Use less product on dry skin or thickened skin, such as over your ankles, knees and elbows. These areas tend to absorb more product.

• After you apply the product to your face and body, wash your hands with soap and water to avoid coloring your palms. Be sure to remove any product from under your fingernails. Then use a cotton ball to apply the sunless tanner to the top of each hand.

• To prevent staining your clothes, wait to dress until the sunless tanner dries completely, about 15 to 20 minutes.

— The Mayo Clinic



Self-tanners recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation

• Banana Boat Faces + Bronzer Sunscreen SPF15

• Clarins Paris Sunscreen Soothing Cream Progressive Tanning SPF 20

• Hawaiian Tropic SPF 25 Bronzer

• Jergens Natural Glow Face Daily Moisturizer SPF 20

• L’Oréal Paris Dermo-Expertise Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Lotion SPF 15

• Olay Complete Touch of Sun Daily UV Facial Moisturizer SPF 15

• Shiseido Brilliant Bronze Self-Tanning Cream SPF 17

• True Blue Spa Glow & Steady SPF 15 Daily Moisturizer & Gradual Self Tanner

• True Blue Spa

Island Bronze Bombshell



Skin Cancer Facts

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 1 million skin cancers are diagnosed annually.

• More than 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure.

• A person’s risk for skin cancer doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns.

• One blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life.

• Survival rate for patients with early detection is about 99 percent. The survival rate falls to between 15 and 65 percent or higher, depending on how far the disease has spread.

— Skin Cancer

Foundation



Avoid damaging rays

• Seek the shade, especially between 10 A.M. and 4 P.M.

• Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.

• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day.

• Apply sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours.

• Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.

• Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of six months.

• Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.

• See your physician every year for a professional skin exam

— Skin Cancer

Foundation



Tanning beds

• Exposure to tanning beds before age 35 increases melanoma risk by 75 percent.

• On an average day in the U.S., more than 1 million people tan in tanning salons; 70 percent are women aged 16-49.

• Occasional use of tanning beds almost triples the chances of developing melanoma.

• New high-pressure sunlamps emit doses of UVR that can be as much as 15 times that of the sun.

• Up to 90 percent of the visible skin changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by the sun. These changes can be seen as early as in one’s 20’s.

— Skin Cancer

Foundation



Celebrities shun sun for skin cancer awareness

At least two celebrities are shunning the sun for skin cancer awareness.

Marcia Cross of “Desperate Housewives” is promoting the joint campaign between the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and beauty brand Olay for a free skin-cancer screening program, while Kristen Bell of the upcoming “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” has pledged to get her glow from a bottle.

Bell signed on to the Glow in the Dark campaign on the Jergens.com Web site. For every similar pledge made by the public, Jergens — known for its Natural Glow self-darkening skin products — donates $1 to The Skin Care Foundation.

“It’s an oxymoron to say you’ve got a healthy tan,” says Bell, 27. “You want to glow.”

Even with the looks of a beach-loving starlet, Bell says she has pale Polish skin under her tinted moisturizer.

Cross also wears sunscreen every day — rain or shine — and wears hats almost all the time to protect the pale skin that’s become her trademark. “I don’t want sun spots or even freckles anymore,” says the 46-year-old actress, who has had two family members stricken with melanoma.

This is the second year Cross is the spokeswoman for the program sponsored by Olay and ASDS to offer free skin-care screenings during May, June or July at the offices of participating dermatologists’ offices.

To make an appointment, log on to www.skincancertakesfriends.org .

“If I’m at the beach, then I’m the fully clothed person on the beach. I wear a long cover-up and a big hat,” Cross says with a laugh. “I really just keep covered. It’s not always fun, but I do know this is for the greater good. It’s some health and some vanity that help keep me pale.”

        

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