Think A Spray Tan is Expensive? Think Again.

Cost Comparison:  Tanning Bed vs. Custom Spray Tan

Tanning Bed Salon

Cost of Tanning - Basic Unlimited Tan Package $30/month (at the cheapest).  Locally, the tanning salon shows $60/month for Level 1 Unlimited tanning!!!

Cost of Gas - Assuming you go at least 20 times during the month at 5 miles (round trip) = 100 miles/month from home and say you get about 25 mi to the gallon and gas is at $3.40: about $14/month

Cost of  Tanning Lotion -  $45/month (and that isn't even the good stuff).....and it probably won't last an entire month!

Cost of Moisturizing Lotion - $10/month to help your dried out skin from the tanning bed

Cost of your Time - Takes about 16 hours of your time out of your week going to and from the salon, waiting for your turn, putting on lotion, spending an average of 15 minutes in the tanning bed, dressing and driving back home. $0/month, but look at all the time you've wasted!

Total Cost: $99.00 (based on above low end rates)

Real Cost: $125 + potentially more due to the long term affects of tanning beds.

Now compare this to WestCoast Mobile Tanning service.

A custom spray tan as low as FREE when you host a tan party. But lets say you decide on a single mobile session.

You Pay $40 (decide to do it twice a month = $80)

$0 cost in gas

Bonus:  You never even have to leave home, it takes only 15 minutes of your day, you get a perfect tan look immediately that can last 7 to 10 days if properly maintained!!

NO BURNS, NO LONG TERM SKIN DAMAGE. . . . . PRICELESS!

Just regular moisturizing lotion to help maintain the sunless tan $5/month.

Total Cost (with 2 perfect sunless tans) $85.00.

Or you decide to throw a fabulous TAN PARTY, invite 5 friends and get your tan FREE. A great fun experience that everyone will love and remember.

What Are Your Thoughts on the Man Tan?

Lately men are taking a liking to some trends and activities formerly reserved for the ladies. And the latest beauty ritual that dudes are loving just so happens to be the spray tan.

In fact, even the manliest of men are embarking on a mission to get a good, bronzy glow. Mark Wahlberg is even taking a liking to the tan trend, as seen when he was photographed getting tanned outside his hotel balcony in Miami recently (in his skivvies, no less).

We wouldn’t necessarily picture Wahlberg as the type who gets spray tans, but hey—he looks good with a bronzy glow, no?

Which begs the question—what are your thoughts on men that spray tan?

Mark Wahlberg Strips Down for Spray Tan

Mark Wahlberg stands on his hotel room balcony as he gets a spray tan in Miami, Florida on May 29, 2012.

Bronzed babe!  Mark Wahlberg knows the importance of practicing safe sun, which is why he opted for a spray tan over the tanning bed ahead of filming his latest flick, Pain and Gain, in Miami on Tuesday.

The actor, 40, stood out on his condo's balcony as a spray tan technician made a house call to touch him up. Wearing just black briefs (an homage to his days as 1990s Calvin Klein underwear model Marky Mark), the woman blasted him with an airbrush gun, paying extra attention to making sure his chiseled features were enhanced.

Wahlberg needs to be extra bronzed for his role in Pain and Gain, a '90s era flick about two bodybuilders mixed up in an extortion and kidnapping plot, especially since his costar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has a natural Samoan glow.

Early photos of 'tan mom' reveal dramatic difference

Apparently all those dermatologists were right: in addition to bumping up your risk of skin cancer, tanning does make you look really old.

Early glamour shots of Patricia Krentcil reportedly showing the so-called "tan mom" with nary a wrinkle have created a buzz this week, including drawing the attention of TODAY's Hoda and Kathie Lee Gifford. A representative from Splash Media, which has rights to the images, says they were taken when Krentcil was in her twenties. Juxtaposed against the 44-year-old's current pictures, it's easy to see why dermatologists have been trash-talking tanning salons all these years.

Granted, we all age over the course of two decades, but it's hard to even recognize the features of the younger New Jersey woman within Krentcil's current lined and leathery face.
The mother of five was charged with second-degree child endangerment for allegedly trying to introduce her 5-year-old red-haired daughter to the wonders of tanning salons. While Krentcil vehemently denies the charges (she says the young girl got sunburned while playing in a kiddie pool), she readily admits she loves to tan, something she does up to 20 times a month, according to reports.

"I'm sorry I'm tan, I like to be tan, it just feels good," she said in an exclusive interview with TODAY.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, more than a million people in the U.S. use tanning beds every day, nearly 70 percent of them young girls and women aged 16 to 29 years old. In addition to being labeled a known carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization, indoor tanning beds increase the risk of melanoma by 75 percent.

Studies have also shown that the UV radiation in tanning beds damages the DNA in skin cells with excessive exposure causing premature skin aging, immune suppression and eye damage, including cataracts and ocular melanoma.  Indoor tanning can also be addictive, the organization warns.  Krentcil, whose extensive tanning practices have inspired both a Tanorexic action figure and an SNL parody, says there's nothing wrong with tanning.

"I didn't do anything wrong," she told TODAY. "Is there something wrong about getting your nails done or somebody who smokes too much or somebody who overeats? If this is such a problem, why wasn't it said years ago?"

Pregnancy & Changing Moles

This is a pic of the scar on my back from my biopsy. it is a little longer than a quarter, but better than having skin cancer.

In case you didn’t know, may is skin cancer awareness month. so i thought i would take this time to share my experience with you. i don’t know if it was just me or if all moms notice this, but i swear my freckles and moles changed dramatically during pregnancy. i imagine it has something to do with all of the hormones.

After i had my son, i noticed a freckle that i couldn’t see for the previous four months because of my baby bump. it was always a dark freckle but it had grown to about the size of a pencil eraser and the center was a different color. i probably would have let it go for a while but my husband convinced me i should go in to get it checked. sure enough the doctor made me get a biopsy of it and of one on my back that i hadn’t even noticed. the results on both came back extremely abnormal so i had to go back to get a different more invasive kind of surgery to remove more of the tissue…just to be safe. even though the results didn’t come back as cancerous, i still have to go back to the dermatologist every six months now to get a full body check.

Unfortunately as a native californian, i was a sun worshiper and used to frequent the tanning salon non-stop as a teenager. in my day (now i REALLY sound old) we used to be able to tan for 30 minutes and then go into the leg and face tanner to get even darker. i can also remember a time when i laid out ALL DAY LONG with baby oil & iodine on and ended up with such a bad sunburn that i couldn’t bend my legs because it felt like my skin would rip. i had the shakes and had to lay in the back of my dads van (showing my age again…no seatbelt in the back of the van….gasp)! i cringe when i think about it now. and i have the wrinkles and skin damage to show for it. 

from the stylish housewife

How To Do A Skin Self-Exam

Follow the steps below to find suspicious moles or skin lesions that a dermatologist should examine.


1. Examine your entire body front and back in the mirror. Then look at your right and left sides with your arms raised.

2. Bend elbows and look carefully at forearms, upper underarms and palms.

3. Look at the backs of your legs and feet, the spaces between your toes, and on the soles of your feet.

4. Examine the back of your neck and scalp with a hand mirror. Part hair for a closer look.

5. Finally, check your back and buttocks with a hand mirror.


Source: American Association of Dermatology

Melanoma: Recognizing The Signs

In examining moles and lesions on the skin, use the ‘ABCDEs’ and ‘Ugly Duckling’ Sign to identify possible melanomas.

Live In Our Skinz!

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

Today marks the beginning of a month filled with free skin cancer screenings, fundraising events and melanoma warriors all fighting for the same cause–to raise awareness about the dangers of skin cancer and how to prevent it. This month is also a very exciting one for UV Skinz because in honor of Skin Cancer Awareness month we will be gifting, for the fifth year in a row, a free baby swim shirt for every order purchased during the month of May for our “I Saved A Baby’s Skin With UV Skinz” campaign!



We are also proud to announce the continuation of our “My First Skinz” program by donating the baby sun protection clothing to selected maternity wards and pediatricians’

UV Skinz will be including a free special edition 12/24m Baby Skinz with every order placed during the month of May.

The baby UV swim shirts will be donated to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in California, Peace Health Southwest Medical Center in Washington, Enloe Children’s Health Center in California, and Sonora Regional Medical Center, in Sonora, California, where UV Skinz is headquartered. It’s important to us that babies benefiting from this program along with their parents will be able to say, “What’s a Sunburn?” Just one childhood sunburn can more than double your chances of developing skin cancer in adulthood. Also, between 1980-2004 the annual incidence of melanoma among young people, especially women, has increased by 50%. It is very crucial that good healthy sun protection habits are started at an early age! When Rhonda lost her husband to melanoma in 2001, leaving her with three small boys, it was their future health and happiness that led Rhonda to found UV Skinz. Ever since, UV Skinz has never lost sight of the goal to get kids covered. Teaching our children good sun-safety habits is important so that they continue these practices into adulthood. UV Skinz makes it easy with comfortable, high-quality, and stylish swim shirts.

“We’re excited to once again be featuring our ‘My First Skinz’ program, which has had great success in
previous years on educating families about the harmful effects of sun exposure in infants. The free baby
swim shirt giveaway gets families in the early habit of making sure their children have adequate sun
protection – not just through sunscreen, which can be irritating to skin – but through our UV swim shirts
and UPF 50+ clothing,” says company founder, Rhonda Sparks. “We’ve built a full community on our
website to educate people about the damaging effects of the sun. Our informative Baby Sun Protection
webpage describes how parents can protect their children’s fragile skin.”

Remember for every order placed during May you will find our special edition “What’s A Sunburn” Baby Skinz inside your package! Please pay-it-forward by donating this shirt to a child so they will never know what a sunburn is. There will be a flyer within each order asking for you to pass along the Baby Skinz to a needy organization; your local women’s shelter, red cross, maternity ward, mommies group, a friend or family member. The possibilities are endless! We would love to hear where the Baby Skinz end up. Feel free to leave a comment on our Facebook Page.

We hope that through everyone’s efforts we can reach our goal of giving away 7,500 swim shirts for babies this May!

If you would like to know more about the campaign feel free to email info@uvskinz.com, call 1-877-887-5468 or read the official press release here.

Join our Facebook community and follow UV Skinz on Twitter!

May is National Skin Cancer & Melanoma Awareness Month

This year in the United States, 5,550 men and 3,100 women are expected to die from melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. That is one death per hour. Melanoma is the most common form of cancer in young adults 25 to 29 years of age, and its incidence continues to rise.
 
As with nearly all forms of cancer, early detection maximizes the chances of survival.  Melanoma in its late stages is often terminal, but the survival rate approaches 100 percent for people whose melanoma is detected early and treated before it spreads to other organs.

Spring is a great time to learn how to perform your first skin self-exam, attend a free skin cancer screening clinic as well as learn more about this potentially life-threatening form of skin cancer.

What is a melanoma?

A melanoma is a malignant tumor originating from melanocytes, pigment-producing cells most commonly found in our skin. Melanomas can develop from an existing mole, but more often they occur by themselves. They can be almost any color including black, brown, blue and even white.

Who’s at risk?

Everyone is at some risk of developing melanoma, but several factors significantly heighten one’s risk.

They are:

Family history—Having a first-degree relative with melanoma increases your chances of developing the disease by 50 percent.

Personal history—Having one melanoma increases your chances of having a second. Also, any history of the more common types of skin cancer—basal and squamous cell carcinoma—increases your chances of being diagnosed with melanoma.

Moles—The more moles you have, the greater your risk for melanoma.

UV exposure—Chronic sun damage, a history of childhood sunburns, and tanning bed use increase your melanoma risk.

Skin type—People with lighter skin who burn easily are at greater risk. Nevertheless, melanoma can occur in all skin color types, including dark skin.

SunWise with SHADE Poster Contest 2012

VOTE FOR MONTANA

A local Great Falls 7th grader has already won the State level SunWise Poster Contest and is now competing for the National Award!  You can help support her by visiting the Shade Foundation website and voting for her Poster!  Please show your support for her and a great cause.  

The Shade Foundation has various programs to support their mission to educate and prevent Skin Cancer.  

Their SHADE Cover Program provides direct protection from dangerous ultra violet (UV) radiation to schools and community organizations. UV rays are the strongest from 10 am to 4 pm, right when we are sending our children out to play. Just one blistering sunburn can double a child's risk for skin cancer. It is crucial we give our kids (and adults) a safe place to play. Studies conducted here and abroad indicate shade covers are highly used and effective as UV protection. SHADE Foundation has provided 20 million hours of shade by providing assistance to put up over 150 shade covers.

Follow the directions below to VOTE FOR MONTANA!

Vote now for the national winner of the 2012 SunWise with SHADE Poster Contest". Over 12,000 posters were sent in this year and these have been judged as the state winners. Please reward these children for their hard work by voting today! Please vote once for your favorite poster by following the instructions on the Kids Voting USA website and using these codes... We will announce the winner on May 2nd. Good luck to everyone and thank you all for spreading the message of sun safety!

unlock code: shade
school code: voting12

Support your favorite poster! 

Use these tools to get the vote out.

Thank you to everyone for sending in such terrific posters for the
2012 SunWise with SHADE Poster Contest! The state winners will be notified on April 19th. Voting for the national winner will begin on April 23rd and run through May 1st. 

And of course remember the only

SAFE WAY TO TAN

is with a 

WESTCOAST PROFESSIONAL SPRAY TAN

Get Your Body Bikini Ready

As the weather continues to warm, getting into a bikini is becoming less of an option and more of a mandatory requirement.  Here are a few ways you can get your body ready to get into that teeny weeny bikini:

Hair removal. Whether you go into a salon to wax or do so at home, it is probably better than shaving. I say this because shaving has the tendency to leave irritation marks like razor burns, bumps, etc. To be on the safe side, be sure to take time to execute your hair removal the day before you hop into a swimsuit. And don’t forget to exfoliate.

Tan. You have a few options to get your glow on. You can start by using a gradual, at-home self tanner. But if you want to really look good in that suit, try spray tanning.

No Salt. One of the biggest no-nos of a bikini-ready bod is bloating. Do not eat salt the day or at least the night before you have to get into a suit.

Run. I know you’re going to hate this, but run the night before. It helps to tighten you up, giving you an all-around, firmer look.

H2O. Drink as much water as you can the night before. Also, don’t forget to drink water while you are out and about in the sun so as to not turn into a shriveled prune.

WEAR Sunscreen !

Bachelorette Party - Time to D-Stress and Relax

Most women I’ve talked to are ecstatic right after they get engaged and cannot wait until they can start wedding plans. After getting a month or two into the process, it can become a nightmare. Finding a venue, haggling with vendors, butting heads with parents, and having to counter stupid questions like “Can my 12-year-old daughter bring a date to keep her company at the wedding?” (Seriously- you’re asking for a date for your 12-year-old? If it’s that big of a deal leave the kid at home or don’t come).

I know that by the time my bachelorette party neared I was beyond frazzled. Fortunately, my maid of honor knew exactly what sort of party I needed. Instead of a big crazy drunken blow-out, she arranged for a spa weekend. She booked a suite at a fancy hotel downtown and ordered mani-pedis, professional spray tans, and facials for me and the rest of the bridal party. It was just what I needed and I felt so much more relaxed than I had felt in months.

Beauty Regrets I Wish I Knew In My 20's

While I’m all for saying I like to live without regrets, I’m well aware that it’s impossible not to have them if you are going to live a full life. Let’s face it. A life without regrets is one that leaves nothing interesting behind to be learned by anybody else. And while most people might dont like to admit that they have regrets – I’m here to share my regrets, particulary my beauty regrets.

I wish I stayed out of the sun. No, seriously. When you are young and see your skin as fresh and nearly flawless, it’s hard to imagine that it can ever accumulate wrinkles, sun damage or age spots. There were many days that I stayed out in the sun for hours and hours without applying sunblock and then proudly showed off my sunburn like an achievement. What was I thinking? There was also the need to excessively visit tanning beds in the dead of winter. Oy! Thankfully there are less harmful alternatives such as cruelty free sunblock or spray tanning that can be used today. I should have worn sunblock everyday in my face moisturizer, limited my time in the sun (or at least worn a big floppy hat), and (for goodness sake!) stayed out of the tanning beds.

I wish I had used eye cream. Turning thirty this year has left me treating eye cream as if it were as vital as toothpaste. I’ve finally found the ultimate eye cream and treat it as my favorite child in my beauty regimen. Eye cream refreshes, replenishes and, most importantly, supports the delicate skin around your eye. I truly believe that the skin around your eyes needs extra attention and its own product because of how delicate the skin is around the eye area. Eye cream also helps if you are prone to baggy eyes or dark circles. Once the skin around your eye starts to lose moisture, it’s hard to replace what has been lost. It’s a good idea to feed your skin what it needs before it actually needs it.

I wish I had treated myself to regular facials. We visit the dentist for our teeth, the doctor for our bodies, but we still treat massages and facials as if they are a luxury. Although just because they feel like a luxury doesn’t mean they necessarily are. Facials deep clean our skin, take care of whiteheads and blackheads and deeply moisturize the layers of skin in our face. My mother just started getting facials two years ago and I’ve never seen her skin look better. She nows swears by them and considers them “regular face maintence.” Based on her gorgeous skin, I couldn’t agree more. I should have started getting routine facials in my twenties.

I wish I had been diligent about taking off my makeup before going to bed. Did you know that sleeping with your makeup on ages your looks by seven years? Allowing all that make up to sit on your skin interruptes your skin’s natural replenshing process. Help your skin out by always washing your face before bed and choosing quality face products that assist your skin’s natural renewel rather than working against it. Whether you climb into bed at 9pm or 4am, always, always take off your make up. Also routinely change your pillow cases. This help keeps breakouts at bay.

I wish I had known the premature aging effects of alcohol and smoking. I like to relax and have a social drink now and then as much as the next person but I wish I had just been more aware of the long term affects of alcohol when it comes to the body, especially the skin. Did you know that over time your body may give off an odor if you drink all the time? And that premature aging from alcohol shows on your face? Not to mention the long term effects such as bone damage, cancer, early menopause and high blood pressure. Smoking can cause deep wrinkles around the mouth from puckering cigarettes and can severly dry out the skin.

As with all regrets, the best thing to do with them is to learn. Start today. If you haven’t treated your skin the best, you still have time to turn your habits around. Has anyone seen the movie, Death Becomes Her? Treat your body like it’s the only one you’ve got!

Written by: Lauren Warner, Staff Writer

Lights out for youth tanning

B.C. bans minors from using commercial bronzing beds, unless prescribed by a doctor

Spray tans, tanning lotions and bronzers will soon be the go-to options for teens seeking that California glow after the B.C. government announced plans Tuesday to bar children under the age of 18 from using tanning beds.

Health Minister Mike de Jong said minors will be restricted from using commercial tanning beds unless they're provided a prescription by a medical doctor .  "The medical reasons are uncommon in childhood, but not rare," said Dr. David McLean, head of the BC Cancer Agency's prevention programs.

McLean said seasonal affective disorder, a depression response to the dark winter months, would not qualify for such a prescription as ultraviolet light is not required for treatment. "Brightness is the key. Increase the wattage. Home light units have a fluorescent light in them that produces a high intensity of white light."

Kathryn Seely, director of public issues for the Canadian Cancer Society applauded the move.  "Just about every physician in this province would say 'well done,' " she said. "Our most recent research shows that up to a quarter of youths still use indoor tanning beds."  She added use of tanning beds have been shown to increase the risk of melanoma - the third-most-commonly diagnosed cancer in youths between the ages of 15 and 29 - by 75 per cent.

Although Brazil and the state of New South Wales in Australia have banned tanning beds for esthetic use altogether, Seely said there are no plans at this time to lobby for a complete ban.

The changes affecting minors are expected to come into force this fall, after the Public Health Act is updated.
De Jong said fines will be levied if business break the new rules, though fine amounts are yet to be determined.

An array of medical and health groups, including the Canadian Paediatric Society, the Canadian Dermatological Association, the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Cancer Society and the World Health Organization, has called for a ban on use of the beds by minors.

The BC Cancer Agency estimates that in this year, 966 British Columbians will be diagnosed with melanoma - the most deadly type of skin cancer - and 150 will die from it.

eduggan@vancouversun.com

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

PROM 2012: WC SPRAY TANS ARE HOTT

You spend countless hours looking for the "perfect" prom dress, you make sure your hair & nails are done "just right", now all you have to do is wrap it all up with THE BEST TAN IN GREAT FALLS!
 
A WestCoast professional Spray Tan!  

Let's face it, ALL girls want to look Perfect on prom night and what better way to look bronzed & beautiful in your dress than with a great tan!  ( I remember laying out on the roof of my house  in the Texas Sun, and baking in a tanning bed the week before prom.....You girls  are so lucky these days.....an amazing flawless tan in ONLY 10 minutes! )  Proms are once in a lifetime and we want to make sure you look great for that important day!

And one of the best things about WestCoast Mobile Spray Tanning is .... we bring the tan to you! We know you're running all over looking for that dress so why waste more time when we will cater to your needs and time!

Why Spray Tan and NOT UV Tan?

Because skin cancer among young people is on the rise! Melanoma, an aggressive, potentially fatal type of skin cancer has increased in young adults. It is now the most common type of cancer diagnosed in young adults, so NOW is the time to be smart and safe about your skin! Don't wait until it's too late or think it can't happen to you! Besides, your skin is young & vibrant, don't you want to keep it like that? Pre-mature aging of the skin is something to worry about now as well, not when your 30 or 40! UV sunlight is fine in moderation, like 15 minutes a day to create vitamin D but overexposure is damaging to your skin and overall health.

That is why spray tanning is the next best thing, it's 100% safe!  Our premier solution is loaded with essential vitamins and moisturizing agents to keep your skin hydrated, smooth, and looking/feeling fresh. We will not leave you streaky or orange! So be smart and be safe! Call today to schedule an appointment or round up your BFFs and have a "pre-prom" spray tan party ... you tan FREE and your BFFs will get a discount on their tan! Either way, you want your prom to be the best night ever and you want to look your best too!

Single tan - $30

Party price - $25 a tan (5 guests min)  or  $20 a tan (10 guest min) 

​Couple (You & Your Date/Best Friend) - $50

*Host is not included in the # attending, and tans FREE with 5 paying guests*

Tan beds banned by 2015

WOW!  News article out of Australia.  With everything going on in the world today in regards to tanning and health care, I see this eventually happening here in the states!!  So glad I changed my habits over 5 years ago.  Not only for myself, but for the sake of my kids and family!  Wake up everybody, we are in 2012 now....tanning beds are OUT and Spray Tanning is IN!  It's a new year, why not make a NEW YOU!

Welcome to the New Era in Tanning - WestCoast Tanning Co. 
www.wctan.com


Article Below:



The State Government will ban UV sun beds by 2015.

Environment Minister Robyn Parker said there was mounting evidence that the use of sunbeds was associated with an increased risk of melanoma at any age.

“Solaria use is associated with a range of skin cancers, including melanoma, which is the most life threatening form of skin cancer and the most common form of skin cancer among 15 to 39-year-olds,” Ms Parker said.

“The International Agency for research on Cancer has increased the classification for solaria to ‘carcinogenic to humans’ and this places solaria in the same category of risk of harm to humans as asbestos.

“Sadly, Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world and this ban is long overdue.”

Ms Parker said the new laws totally banning commercial solaria tanning units in NSW will be effective from 31 December 2014.

“All the data shows that the Australian health system spends more money on the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer than on any other cancer.

Ms Parker said that recent advice provided by health authorities indicated that the level of skin cancer risk associated with solaria use is higher than previously understood.

“The risk is particularly heightened when solaria users are younger than 35 years and using tanning units to obtain a cosmetic tan is just not worth the risk,” Ms Parker said.

The Minister said the Government would look at ways to support the industry by helping with the safe disposal of tanning units and by assisting the industry reposition and diversify their businesses.

Spray tanning: A Solution to the Winter Blues that will not turn you orange anymore.....we promise!!

It is around that time of year when one looks in the mirror and looks like an extra on Twilight or just plain translucent. While he or she dreams of summer and laying out, spray tanning could be the answer. Spray tanning can give that sun-kissed, natural glow in the middle of the winter blues without the worry of skin cancer.

Spray tanning has come a long way from when it originally started.  “(Spray tanning) is quick, fast, effective.  The orangey-ness has been taken out of it. People have the connotation that spray tanning is going to turn them orange, but that really is not the case anymore and people are starting to understand that,” said Kristin Klinker, owner of The Beach, a Champaign spa & tanning salon.

You can buy spray-tanning solutions in a bottle at a drugstore or you can get it done professionally.  “I’d rather have it done professionally because I like the color better, and it is more convenient and less work,” said Megan Keller, junior in Education. “I also think it stays longer.  They work for everyone from people with pale skin to those with olive skin tones.

“While (the store-bought spray) was being sprayed it was horrible. It smelled like a chemical. It was like poison. Once it was on it didn’t smell like that,” said Maggie Sharp, junior in LAS.

The ingredients used in spray tans are not chemicals, however. The formula is in fact very natural.  “There are no toxins or chemicals. DHA, which is Dihydroxyacetone, is the main ingredient in sunless products in general … That ingredient is derived from sugar.

Spray tans can last anywhere from five to seven days, but there are very simple ways to make the tan last the maximum amount of time.  According to Klinker, it is important to shower, shave, and exfoliate before getting sprayed. You should also not wear any type of lotion, deodorant or perfume because the spray develops and sticks best on clean skin. After you get sprayed and it sets, make sure to continue applying lotion.

There are some stories of people using spray tan to contour their bodies. In a lot of these cases, people want to spray on abs.  “We only want to work with what is there; we don’t want to create something that is not,” Klinker said. “I’ve heard horror stories of other spray technicians doing this to people and they spray on these abs and then they look like the ninja turtles. We only enhance and highlight what’s there.”

For users like Sharp, a spray tan is a great way to start feeling like summer may be in reach again.  “It wasn’t super intense and it wasn’t streaky,” she said. “I would definitely do it again.”

Article by:  Haley Jones  The Daily Illini

A Defense of the Winter Spray Tan

While gearing up for a party this Saturday, I worked a spray tan into my beauty prep schedule. It may not be the thing on most people's holiday to-do list, but it's definitely on mine. Plenty of people I know spray tan regularly in summer, but most of them stop cold turkey sometime in the run up to Halloween. Don't get me wrong—there's nothing wrong with being pale and proud, and to be honest, I don't get sprayed as often or go as dark as I do in July and August, but I'm a big believer on the positive effects of a cold-weather tan.

When I have one, I wake up feeling prettier (and, yes, skinnier) and I don't feel the need to wear as much makeup—just some mascara and gloss and I feel ready to go. I also like that I can wear whatever outfit I want—no need to shy away from bare arms or a scoop neck. So it's not the most natural look in the middle of winter, but it's one that helps me get through these short, cold days.

What's your take on spray tans in the winter? And if you're a die-hard fan, do you agree they lift your spirits?

by Heather Muir, Beauty News Editor of Allure Magazine