LOOK ACHIEVE A FLAWLESS FAUX GLOW

WRITER: RUTH ANN BYRD

The United States Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency of Research on Cancer

SOURCE: http://www.aad.org/media-resources/stats-and-facts/prevention-and-care/indoor-tanning#.UZKWtrWkpXw panel has declared ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and artifi cial sources as a known carcinogens (cancer-causing substances).

Longing for a golden glow without spending hours in the sun? If you answered yes, then today’s new sunless tanners are for you. Hooray! They have come a long way, baby! Gone are the days when sunless tanners meant your skin would be the same color as a carrot.

Topical sunless tanners are abundantly available for home use in most retail stores and online with prices ranging from below $5 to over $50. They come in many forms, including lotions, powders, sprays, and wipes. Depending on the strength of tanning ingredients used, some products slowly build color, requiring daily application, while others last a few days after only one application. Professionally applied spray tans use much stronger preparations and usually result in a more evenly applied and longer-lasting application. These can be applied with equipment similar to airbrushes, or by having clients stand in a booth where they are misted from all sides at once. Expect to pay between $25 and $50 per session.

All sunless tanning agents contain one or more three key ingredients to promote coloring of the skin — bronzers, dihydroxyacetone (DHA), and erythrulose. These work their magic on the outermost layer of the skin, which is made up of dead skin cells. Here is the breakdown of how they work:

BRONZERS have dyes that temporarily stain the skin and can be washed off with soap and water. These take effect immediately upon application. The downside is they can rub off on your clothing.

DIHYDROXYACETONE (DHA) is a sugar-based chemical derived from sugar cane. DHA interacts with the amino acids in dead skin cells, causing them to darken gradually over several hours. This darkening peaks in about 24 hours and lasts around five to seven days, slowly fading as your dead skin cells slough off.

ERYTHRULOSE, also sugar-based, is a compound that works the same as DHA but takes up to three days to achieve full color development. Because of the longer “brewing time” required with erythrulose, it is not used alone but is sometimes combined with DHA to obtain what manufacturers claim is a longer-lasting and more natural appearing tan.

NOTE: While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined the ingredients used in sunless tanners to be safe for external use, they are not approved for contact with the eyes and mucous membranes where they could potentially penetrate into the deeper tissues of the body.

For best results, follow these steps to achieve a beautiful, even-toned tan:

Shave or waxunwanted hair the day before application. This gives the skin a day to heal and will help avoid potential skin irritation.

Thoroughlyexfoliate your skin immediately before treatment, paying special attention to hands, elbows, knees, ankles, and heels. Excess dead skin cells may “soak up” extra color.

Apply the product evenly to clean, dry skin. No moisturizers allowed at this point!

Protect your hands and fingernails by wearing gloves. You can always apply a little tanner to the backs of your hands with a Q-tip afterward. Thoroughly remove any product from fingertips and palms. Gently wipe off your elbows, knees, ankles, and heels with a dry cloth to prevent excess darkening of these areas.

When using spray-on tanning products, always wear a mask and goggles to avoid contact with your eyes, nose, and mouth. Do not inhale the spray. Protect your hair with a shower cap or towel. For home use, these sprays are best used in the shower where you can easily rinse away any overspray. Apply the product to your face using a gloved hand instead of using direct spray.

Immediately afterward, you must avoid showering, swimming, and excess sweating for several hours, so plan accordingly.

For best results with color retention, you must prevent exfoliation. Losing those dead skin cells means losing your color. Avoid body scrubs, chlorinated pools, and products containing exfoliating agents such as alphahydroxy acids.

Enjoy your sunless tan but remember sunless tanning products do not provide protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Each day you should apply a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Reapply sunscreen every two hours when outdoors and immediately after swimming or excess sweating.