quote:

the tanning bed/sun bathing are NOT your friends!! You should avoid them both like the plague

Crystal your statement is so true, but sadly ignored. I'm naturally very pale complected having such fair porcelain skin and burn rather than color no matter what kind of skin baking technique I tried. Several yrs back my closest friend was a sun bunny and had the most beautiful tan skin. We spent a lot of time together and being next to her made me look albino which I hated with a passion. I had family telling me I should get some sun so I would healthy. I had such a insecurity about it and tried everything to get some kind of color. I tried the tanning beds going for several weeks and didn't look much different then I did at the first session. Now my friend would go the same amount and end up with this sexy bronze tone. I was just sick about it and couldn't wait for the winter season. My husband never wanted me to tan and said he liked my fair color and thought it attractive, but I just figured him being nice. Time went on and my friend moved over an hour away so I saw very little of her over the years. I never realized how damaging tanning could be until I ran into her several months ago. Not only did she look as if she'd aged 10 years, but she was undergoing treatment for skin cancer. She didn't explain much about her illness, but did show me where she'd had a skin graph done to cover the area removed from the cancer. It took that for me to finally be alright with my pale tone. All my life I've had to steer from the sun because I burn with blisters after just an hour of direct sun. It was not easy growing up having to coat on the goop, limiting any swimming and not getting to hang out with friends on the boardwalk at the beach. Now when I've met up with old friends I see how much they've aged compared to me and I'm glad I had to fear the sun (so is my hubby). It took until now at 30 to see beauty in my porcelain colored skin. My white and glowing looks so much better than tanned and wrinkled. They actually look cooked and all because some men think tan is sexy, fair is not.

Crystal what kind of spay tan do you recommend? I've been brave trying a few brands and I always look as if I've got a orange hue to my skin. What is a good tan in a bottle? I'd sure like to wear shorts this year. Oh, and what about those instant tans at the solon. Anyone try that?

I am sorry that you had a bad experience or can not tan, but I am not fair skin and I don't go for long periods when I do . the maxium I go is 10 minutes.... and the heat helps my fibro . I am not worried about aging because I have seen some people that never tans look ill/old .I believe the product that I am using right now is call sun dream this product keeps your skin protect from aging...

I know what your saying PDJ..I can't count how many long time friends of mine I run into that I haven't seen in a long time and just can't believe how much they have aged. And every one of them either either spent hours and hours laying in the sun, or were addicted to tanning beds. So far, I don't know of any of them that got skin cancer, but that doesn't mean they won't or that there are some I just haven't heard about.

I am fair skinned also. Not as much as you are by the sounds of it, but I could never get a decent tan laying in the sun, so when tanning beds came on the scene I was ecstatic!! And they DID work for me. I had to work my up slower than most, but I got DARK...super dark and I LOVED it!! I didn't go all year long like some of my friends did. I started in March and usually stopped going in September. But I went 4-5 days a week during that time frame. I did that for more than 5 years.

But, slowly but surely I started paying attention to my friends and family members who went as much or more than I did and I noticed a BIG change in their appearance. And especially those who I didn't see very often. So I had to step back and ask myself...hmmm, do I look like that to them?

So, about 5 years ago I made the decision to stop going all together. Let me tell you, that first summer without tanning about killed me!! I didn't even want to go outdoors and be seen, but I stuck with it and got used to it.

That's when I started looking into the artificial tanners (tan in a bottle), and I don't regret it.

There are drawbacks to it though. You have to be very careful putting it on or you will have streaks. You also have to make sure you get a product that works with your skin tone/type or it will not look natural.

Used to be, most simply looked fake and made you look orange. Not so in 2005!! There are a lot of good products that work, but each one works differently on different skin types, so you just have to experiment to find the one that works best for you.

I really like Nutrogena products. They aren't cheap, but most self-tanners worth your time aren't cheap. I also like one made by Coppertone called Endless Summer. It has a dual chambered pump and it lasts quite a while, even if you get wet. And it doesn't streak near as much as some of them do.

When you say "spray tan" I'm not sure if your talking about the walk in machines you go into where you get sprayed or if your talking about a spray in a bottle?

Nutrogena makes a spray in a bottle that I like. The best advice I can give to you or to anyone looking for a self tanning lotion or spray is to try out several different ones. Unfortunately, they are quite expensive..but compared to a tanning bed they aren't. Not to mention, you aren't ruining/aging your skin and you don't have to worry about skin cancer.

One of the worst mistakes I've seen people make though when it comes to self tanners is they try to go too dark too soon. Especially if you are very light skinned, don't buy the product that says "dark" at first. You start out with one that is mild and go from there.

Be careful around your elbows, hands, feet, and knees as they have a tendency to absorb more color than the rest of your body. So go lightly in those areas and always wash the palms of your hands after you put it on.

It takes PRACTICE to get it on right, but if and when you do no one can tell it came from a bottle.

Thank you Crystal I really appreciate the advice. I will start off slow and maybe put it on a place that clothing cover just in case. I'm sure you've seen my picture? It shows just how fair skinned I am.

The solon tanning I wondered about is something new. You go into a private booth like and sprayers get your entire body. I've heard they can last more than a week. I've only heard about and didn't want to try until I got some input from others. Here they play ads on the radio to have this instant tan before prom and then summer. Other than that I don't know much else about it.

Your welcome. However, no I've never done the spray on tan in the booth. I've heard both good and bad about them. I think it depends on where you get it done and who does it.

I have heard some bad about the booths for spray tans. I found an awesome place here, they only have the spray booths. The ones around here that have tanning beds and a spray booth I have heard really suck. Maybe they didn't spend alot of money on their machines because they also have tanning beds or maybe the one that is just the spray on tan got one of the best machines because they are only a booth place without beds. Not sure but I really liked the one I have used.
On HSN they have a spray tanner that looks like it might work good. Everytime I see it on I am tempted to buy it but so far I haven't.
Crystal I like the Coppertone Endless summer too. And you are right don't go for the dark right away. I actually will get the medium and use it 2 days apart until I get the desired tan. But I think the trick is to keep your skin hydrated with lotion to keep it from drying out and then giving a flaky look. I found that can happen when I get dark if I don't keep moisturized. I also put on a nice kind of oily lotion before I put on the tanning lotion and that helps keep me from streaking.

susie not to be to personal but, how old are you ? the reason I ask is what I am gathering or think is you must be very pretty to be doing this kind of work. so you must be doing something right on your end ... what products are you using now....

I use mayo on my hair to condition it and keep it shiny, passed on to us from my mom and from our grandmother. It works too!

PD i have seen pics of susie a long time ago when she posted them and yes, she is very pretty.

quote:

Originally posted by Katt ONeil:
I use mayo on my hair to condition it and keep it shiny, passed on to us from my mom and from our grandmother. It works too!

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by Katt ONeil:
I use mayo on my hair to condition it and keep it shiny, passed on to us from my mom and from our grandmother. It works too!

HA HA!

quote:

Originally posted by Katt ONeil:
I use mayo on my hair to condition it and keep it shiny, passed on to us from my mom and from our grandmother. It works too!

Hey,
I'm glad I read this sis because I was fixing to post the same thing... ...Oh, I'm sorry I couldn't answer you call earlier the "boss" was right there...I'll call you tomorrow I promise Katt.

quote:

Originally posted by Night Queen:

quote:

Originally posted by Katt ONeil:
I use mayo on my hair to condition it and keep it shiny, passed on to us from my mom and from our grandmother. It works too!

Hey,
I'm glad I read this sis because I was fixing to post the same thing... ...Oh, I'm sorry I couldn't answer you call earlier the "boss" was right there...I'll call you tomorrow I promise Katt.

quote:

Hey,
I'm glad I read this sis because I was fixing to post the same thing... ...Oh, I'm sorry I couldn't answer you call earlier the "boss" was right there...I'll call you tomorrow I promise Katt.

OMG. The more you post the more you smell like a bon bon TOOTS!

quote:

Originally posted by Doxiechick:

quote:

Hey,
I'm glad I read this sis because I was fixing to post the same thing... ...Oh, I'm sorry I couldn't answer you call earlier the "boss" was right there...I'll call you tomorrow I promise Katt.

OMG. The more you post the more you smell like a bon bon TOOTS!

Hey,
Yea, Yea, the more you smell like Kerack toots blah, blah, blah...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Purfect Dream:
:rolleyes


Hey,
Is that all you got toots? I guess you don't have the mentality to post nothing better...

If I wanted to hear from you C**t
Bag I would rattle your Bonbons CAGE

quote:

Originally posted by Night Queen:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Purfect Dream:
:rolleyes


Hey,
Is that all you got toots? I guess you don't have the mentality to post nothing better...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Purfect Dream:
If I wanted to hear from you C**t
Bag I would rattle your Bonbons CAGE[QUOTE]

Hey,
You did rattle my cage you idiot...GO AWAY BONSKEEP! Yes, I think you are Bonskeep it would explain a lot of things... ...

Susie, I was in NYC a couple of weeks ago (we had a girl weekend) and part of our weekend was spent at Elizabeth Arden Salon. I found a fabulous straightening gel by Aquage - I think I paid $17 for it - but after using it - I would have paid double - it's fantastic. Bed-Head by Tigi also makes a good de-frizzer called After Party. I love that.
One of the reasons I haven't been posting alot, is that a friend of mine opened up a spa and I am the assistant manager - it's taking alot more of my time than I thought - but I love it. And yes, there is a tanning bed there. And yes, I use it. Alot. And I will probably look 103 when I'm 50. I moisturize the heck out of my skin. So far so good. When I get skin cancer, I expect flowers from all of you.