Hello, I'm still trying to decide how I want to get a tan. Either going to tanning salons/beds or using sunless tanning lotion type products.

Okay so with regular tanning, we all know it can possibly cause skin cancer (although I believe if you take enough antioxidants internally and externally you should be fine). Actually what I worry most about is the quicker skin damage like leathery skin, wrinkles, sunspots, etc... over time. But obviosly the positivs of regular tanning are an even, natural looking tan. No worrying about whether its going to coming off on your clothes, blotchy, or look to orange, like with sunless tanning products.

Also besides what I just listed above, sunless tanning products dont last very long, which gets pretty expensive, and what we all worry about, the nasty chemicals! The parabens, and many other harmful chemicals we try to avoid in our regular body/face lotions. You know whats the point in avoiding them in other products if im just going to have to rub it in anyways using the sunless tanning products????


So basically its either bake and damage my skin or rub nasty chemicals into my skin, so whats the lesser of the 2 evils???? Are there even any tanning lotion products that are more "natural" or with very few chemicals? I don't think such a thing exists.

Help ladies what do you think????????????????

Thanks from:
throughly confused

As far as I understand, there is absolutely no way to get a natural tan without damaging your skin. And as expensive as you may think self tanners are, try comparing that to several rounds of chemotherapy and a life insurance policy.

Oh, and I don't think natural tans really ever do look good. They're never even either, and I've never seen a Caucasian with a tan that wasn't redish and freckled, and all skin tones and types get blotchy and leathery from it. So no, I don't think it's good even in the short term.

As for chemical tanners, they have the potential to look better than natural, just because the color is on healthier skin, but yes, it is a creepy chemical nonetheless. It's worlds better for you than natural tanning, though. I meen clearly, people aren't flocking to this site to use CPs for deep skin damage from years of *fake* tanning, are they?

If you really want color and you want to avoid chemicals, bronzing lotions are one way to go. Yes, they don't last past a shower or a swim, but you'd be doing your skin a favor to at least avoid the chemical tanner until you go swimming.

I'm going to start experimenting with henna soon, as the color actually bonds to the protein in the skin, so it should last for a while. Perhaps as long as a fake tanner, and perhaps even longer. Check out the (rediculously expensive) product that inpired me:

Maybe it'll work. If I come up with a recipe that works, I may be able to solve all of our tanning woes. Until then, bronze, baby, bronze! Or embrace your natural color. Pale is in these days.

Best wishes!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SkinBiologyWebmaster,

I think we should all be happy with the color we were born with. Most people look better with their natural tone. It's like dying your hair blond when your natural is dark brown. Just doesn't work. I wish everyone could get over the "healthy tan" thinking, so we wouldn't feel like we need to be tan.