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BANG FOR THE BITE
Over 1 million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the US this year, often resulting from poor skin care. Keep your skin safe and golden year-round: combine sunscreen with sunless tanner.
COCKTAIL FACT
12% of grooms use a tanning bed before walking down the aisle.
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home › tip library › Eco-Beauty - Natural Sunless Tanning Lotions
Still think you gotta lie down to get a good tan?
The Bite
Get out of the bed! While the sun-kissed look will always be sexy, overexposure to UV rays causes wrinkles, and worse, skin cancer. New and improved options in sunless tanners work wonders without sacrificing your skin’s health.The Benefits
- Afraid you’ll turn orange? Worry not. “Tan in a can” products have vastly improved since the stuff was introduced back in 1960. Nobody has to know you’re not fresh from a couple weeks in Fiji.
- Avoid skin cancer. UV rays (the active “ingredient” in sunlight and tanning beds) can lead to skin cancer. The active ingredient in most self-tanning products is just a naturally occurring sugar, DHA.
- Less sun equals fewer wrinkles. Crocodile skin’s not just the result of aging - sun exposure’s also to blame.
- A tanning lamp contains 4 times the mercury in a regular fluorescent tube, and the average bed uses 45 lamps. Save energy and mercury waste by boycotting beds.
Personally Speaking
We love the sun-kissed look just as much as the next person, but the dangers of skin cancer combined with premature wrinkles have kept us away from tanning beds since we had big hair and multi-colored socks (well, Heather’s hair is still pretty big and Jen still wears funky socks…).Wanna Try?
Try to find “plant-derived DHA” in the ingredients list, with a concentration of 2%-5%. Avoid streaks by exfoliating beforehand.- Lavera Self-Tanning Lotion - a self-tanner that actually feels nice when you apply it, and smells great ($26).
- Aveda Sun Source - Jen’s long-time favorite ($17).
Jun 15,2006
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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
Yes, I Fake it on Occasion
Mostly, I think that faux versions never quite measure up. Nothing beats real sugar, Tofurkey is not as good as the real thing, and don’t even get me started on butter substitutes. (Clearly, I am not a vegan, people).
But I gotta say: sunless tanners have made me a believer in the power of the fake.
Give it a shot. In spite of the strange way your skin smells for a day after using it, the new generation of all natural fake tans are indistinguishable from the real thing – sans burns, wrinkles and cancer scares…
-Heather… off to seek some sunshine here in rainy Bozeman…
Biter Comments...
I am a very fair skinned person. I have red hair and freckles. I have tried many products over a 10 year time span. All of it turns my skin orange. I am trying one now and it appears to turn orange too. I am gonna give up. I don't believe that there is a product that knows what "tan" is.
I have tried many different brands and types of self tanners, and they ALL irritate the skin on my legs. I do exactly what the directions say and I exfoliate, but I always end up scratching for days. Does anyone know why this happens, or can you suggest a brand that might not have this effect?
i wonder if there is some connection between personal chemistry and why ALL self tanners turn me orange or streak. no matter how much i want to believe that i will get a safe, golden "tan", i always end up with a weird, uneven, coppery orange mess. i exfoliate. i allow ample drying time. i massage it in and take care around knees/elbow/hairline, etc. i still end up looking like a distant relative to an oompa loompa. and i don't recall any fake tanning experience that didn't result in at least one major dark spot or weird line.
i give up. sigh. :) i've had better luck with the new gradual moisturizer type of "build a tan" products. they start off super subtle and it's my belief that the color is a bit more natural.
Unfortunately I have to take issue with the premise of this tip, that tan will always be sexy. I think that is what our society needs to get away from, and as one commentor noted, there have been times & places in history when pale skin was considered sexy.
On the other hand, I am glad you recommended some "green" self tanners. But you should have gone farther, and mention in the body of the tip that most self tanners are among the beauty products with chemicals that are not tested for long term health effects. these effects may include cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
I USE MY GAS GRILL ALONG WITH CHARCOAL, IT HEATS THE CHARCOIL UP REAL FAST AND YOU DONT HAVE TO USE MUCH TO GET THE TASTE YOU WANT . IT WORKS REAL WELL . JUST PUT ABOUT 10 CUBES ON TOP THE GAS BURNER BEFORE YOU LIGHT IT UP .
YOU'LL SEE YOU WILL HAVE THE SAME GREAT CHARCOIL TASTE FOR LESS COST AND DAMAGE TO OZONE LAYER .
THANKS
DAVID BROWN
Natural Sunless Tanning Lotion
(I haven't tried it yet, but it seems worth a shot)
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup pure water
3 black tea bags
1/4 cup lanolin
1/4 cup sesame oil
1. Boil the water and use it to brew the tea bags until the mixture is strong.
2. Put 1/4 cup of this strong tea in a blender along with the lanolin and sesame oil and blend at low speed. Add remaining tea gradually, with motor running.
3. Try this mixture on a hidden spot first to test. Use sparingly.
Sunless Tanning Lotion made at home sounds wonderful and I cannot wait to try it. Several friends will really love it too.
A friend says tea is a natural dye and should work well in a tanning solution.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Tamara | June 15, 2006 at 12:37 PM