So you want to start tanning for the first time or you are looking to find a better tanning lotion. Here are a few questions to ask yourself.

- Why are you tanning? Are you tanning to get a better color or are you tanning so you don’t get burned when you go on vacation?

If you are tanning to go on vacation you’ll probably need to go about 10 times in a 3 week period to get enough of a base not to burn when you go outside. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have to use suntan lotion with SPF when you go out.

If you plan to tan to get a darker color then you’ll have to explore what the different lotions do for you.

- How sensitive your skin? Do you burn easily?

If you burn easily I would suggest going for 6-7 minutes your first time. Do not go for the full 10 minutes. You will get burned and your skin will peel. You will need to gradually build up a base so you can go longer and longer at higher levels.

Typically there are 3 levels of bulbs at a tanning salon. Level 1 would be for beginning tanners and level 3 is for people with a nice base tan.

- How much are you willing to pay for tanning?

Some salons allow you to pay per tan without having a membership. Others will make you buy minutes to tan. Always keep in mind how long you will be tanning for because there are fees associated with cancelling your membership and renewing it at a later date. The place my friends go to allows you to put your membership on hold.

Look for special days of the week that they have deals. This could save you a few dollars each time you go. For example, “Tuesday $5 Tans”.

- Which lotion is right for you?

The 3 main types are bronzer lotions, tingle lotions, and regular accelerator lotions.

First time tanners should start with an accelerator because it will help moisturize and tan your skin. Your skin can take in more UV light when it is moisturized which is why you’ll tan better from an accelerator.

A tingle lotion really does the same as an accelerator but you feel a tingling sensation when you put it on. The tingling actually brings blood to the surface of your skin which in turn brings oxygen to the surface to affect the melanin in your skin. Your skin will be red for about an hour after tanning similar to a sunburn.

The bronzer lotion helps dye your skin. This is where you’ll see people with an organish skin color. That happens when they do not use the right bronzer or apply it correctly. The bronzers are used by people who tan quite often because they produce the best color results.

What are the benefits of tanning?

1. Tanning makes you feel more confident and better looking. A lot of people claim that tanning will make them look better in certain outfits or that they will look more healthy.

2. Releases Melanin which is used to protect our skin from UV rays.

3. Vitamin D is produce when we are exposed to sunlight.

4. Most people feel relaxed in the warm and quiet tanning beds.

To read more about tanning products and which ones meet these specific categories please visit my webpage on Tanning Lotions.

By: Bill Gutierrez

About the Author:

With all of the recent media about how bad indoor tanning can be for your skin, many people are turning to self tanning lotion to keep that healthy tan glow going. The shelves at local drug stores are filled with products that claim to get you looking like you live at the beach; 99.5% of these products do not do what they claim to do. Most of these products are filled with cheaply made skin dye that turns you bright orange, makes you smell like rotten eggs, and keeps you looking & smelling that way for up to 12 days. Here is some advice you MUST follow when purchasing self tanner:

Do Not Buy Self Tanning Lotion In Retail Stores: Name brand products that are mass produced for profits are always filled with cheaply made ingredients. Watch out for anything with the ingredients Orange or Yellow Number Four. This is the Orange Stinky Ingredient. Retail stores are only looking for profits. Avoid Sprays & Pills: Any self tanner that sprays is a surefire way to turn you blotchy. The spray shoots right into the deep pours of your skin, and once it is in there, it doesn’t smooth out, no matter how long or hard you try to rub it in. Go with a self tanner that you can smooth in on your own. This will prevent streaks and blotches. As far as pills are concerned, you should know better than that. In closing, my advice is to purchase a well made self tanner from a reputable company on the internet. Many internet self tanning lotions are made of super high quality ingredients, and do not turn you orange at all or make you smell. For a free bottle of my recommended self tanning lotion, go to http://selftanningtrial.info.

By: Chris M Anthony

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