In the pursuit of perfection people have always made sacrifices, especially when it comes to fashion. If you’ve ever tried stuffing your feet into those gorgeous heels that were a touch too small you’ll know that sometimes looking fashionable comes at a cost. These days a tan is always in fashion. While we all know that sun tanning and tanning beds present a huge health risk, but what about self tanning products?

Let’s look at sun tanning and tanning beds first to see what the risks are here. Studies have shown that spending hours sunbathing can cause certain types of skin cancers. Sun can also cause wrinkles. Tanning beds are designed to mimic and intensify the sun’s rays and therefore has similar effect on skin as sun bathing – you are directly exposing your skin to UVA and UVB rays.

Dermatologist these days actually recommend using self tanning products over old fashioned sun bathing or tanning beds. A self tan lasts only a week or two but DIY spray tans and tanning lotions save time and are much cheaper than a trip to the salon.

Self tanning products all contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the active ingredient, a harmless colourless sugar which has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) in Australia. DHA gives you a golden self tan by working on the outermost layer of the skin. As it is only active on the outermost layer of your skin, side effects are minimal. Only a small handful of people will experience an allergic reaction. If you feel an allergic reaction developing ensure you wash off the product immediately.

Self tanning products these days contain essential oils, natural butters, hemp seed oil, natural botanical extracts, Liposominal Tyrosine Complex and Riboflavin and are bioengineered to maximise the quality of tan. All ingredients work to give you healthier skin. They also contain tingle, which contains enhanced levels of botanical oils and natural vitamins that would stimulate microcirculation of your skin by drawing blood towards the skin surface.

A self tan actually counteracts the drying effects of heat and light associated with sun bathing and tanning beds and therefore very safe for your skin. Self tanning products moisturise your skin, which no other techniques of tanning actually do, giving you the sun kissed, golden glow look.

So if you are searching for a magnificent glowing sun kissed looking skin, self tanning products are definitely your best and safest option.

Moisturising a few days after you spray tan is essential to help make your tan last. However some moisturisers have a tan extender formula mixed within the moisturiser. Using a moisturiser that contains tan extenders will help boost your colour, give you a longer tan and thereby give you the best spray tan results. This will also keep your tan even and help rid of unwanted orange patches.

Some moisturisers with colour extending formulas can leave you looking a bit orange. It’s important not to use too much or else you may develop an orange glow. After you applying your tan extending moisturiser, make sure to wash your hands in warm water right away. Sometimes the moisturiser in your tan extender can leave your palms orange or darker than the rest of your tan.

Using a moisturiser that has a tan extender formula can save you money from frequent tanning sessions. It will help prolong your tan and keep you from spending more money at the tanning salon.  After all the best spray tan is one that delivers the best tanning results, whilst also being cost effective.

Avoid spas, long baths, and swimming to give you a longer tan. The chlorine in swimming pools can ruin your tan quickly. Anything that is used to exfoliate your skin can also shorten the life of your tan. Exfoliating removes dead skin but will remove your spray tan within a few days.

Moisturisers with rich cream will also help extend the life of your tan. The best spray tan tip we can give you is to find a moisturiser that is rich and has a formula to prolong your tan. Many salons offer moisturisers with enhanced tanning formula so that your tan will last longer. Ask your salon specialists which moisturiser is right for you and apply it two days after your spray tan.

Are you a spray tanning virgin? No worries, we’ve all been there before! We’ve got all the tips to make your first experience as smooth as possible.

Prep tips:

You’re there. Ah… so now what?

Post spray tan tips:

To remove or not remove? That is one of the biggest questions when it comes to spray tanning. Fortunately, these spray tanning tips will help you make that ultimate decision.

Tan commandment number one: Mow thy stubble before applying a spray tan. It’s a tanning sin if you fail to do so before and it’s a cardinal no, no to shave or wax directly after.

A spray tan lasts roughly three to seven days before fading. But what exactly does fading mean? Fading refers to the shedding of your skin’s outermost layer (your dead skin cells). It’s on this outermost layer that the chemical DHA, a harmless, colourless sugar found in sunless tanning products, reacts with your skin’s amino acids to create a darkened, tanned skin tone. Shaving after a tan doesn’t fade your tan… it removes it!

One of our most important spray tanning tips is to shave before you tan to avoid this dilemma. We recommend you shave the day before, or at least a few hours prior to, applying your spray tan to achieve the best result.

Prefer waxing? Well in this case one of our key spray tanning tips are to wax 24 to 48 hours before applying a spray tan. Waxing pulls hair from the root, causing pores to open to allow the hair to be fully removed. It takes approximately a day or two for your skin’s pores to fully close. The 24- 48 hour wait period is vital if you wish to avoid the spotted, uneven tan look.

As always, thoroughly moisturise your skin before and after using a spray tan. Moisturising helps prevent dry skin, prolonging your tan by delaying your skin from shedding. Don’t forget to exfoliate prior to getting a spray tan; this will also help extend the life of your tan.

So the answer to the hair removal question is yes, remove, but remove before spray tanning. Tan commandment number two: Adhere religiously to these spray tanning tips to keep that radiant, bronzed glow on your sun kissed beach bod for as long as possible.

The skin on your face is very different to the skin on your body. While this may be obvious to many, what is often overlooked is the fact that you should be using different beauty products on these very different skin types. The same goes when it comes to spray tanning and self-tanning.

People often cause damage to their skin by using same tanning products for their face and body. When it comes to face tanning you should buy a specialised face tanning cream if you are doing it yourself, or asking for a face spray tan at the salon. These products are designed for the more sensitive skin found on your face and will help minimise allergic reactions.

Before you start tanning your face you need to prepare your skin. As facial skin is very delicate and sensitive, use a mild facial scrub to gently clear off any dead skin cells. Wash your face thoroughly as the extra oil around T-zone might spoil the tanning process.

Face tanning products work on the skin differently and develop colour at a different pace than body tanning products. As your facial skin is more exposed to the sun, your face tanning cream or face tanning spray may need higher SPF contents. You need to choose the colour of your face tanning product carefully as the complexion of your facial skin is often different from that of the body.

Wrinkles tend to be more visible on the face than any other parts of the body hence choosing a face tanning cream or getting a face spray tan with anti-ageing ingredients is a wise thing to do. You do not necessarily need anti-ageing ingredients in your body tanning products. When choosing your face tanning products look for products that are non-comedogenic. This is beneficial in reducing flares of facial acne if you have any. Your face tanning cream or face spray tan should also contain different amount of Liposomial Tyrosine Complexes and copper than body tanning products to be gentler on facial skin.

For a healthy glow, you need to apply facial moisturiser to keep your skin hydrated after tanning your face. You will need to wait until your face tanning product has set in before applying your moisturiser; wait at least eight hours after your face tan to apply it.

Face tanning needs to be treated with great care and differently to body tanning. If you are visiting the salon always check that products used in the spray tan are ok to be used on your face and ask about your special face spray tan options. If you are more of a do-it-yourself kind of gal make sure you purchase different products for your face and body and apply them as directed. Taking all of these considerations into account should give you a natural, balanced bronzed look from head to toe.

A century ago, tanning was the remedy for disease. Today, it’s a leisure activity partaken by many and influenced heavily by society’s idolisation of golden, bronze bodies. Tanning options range from the professional salons to the do it yourself, self tanning products. It’s important to consider cost, maintenance, ease and health risks when choosing between a professional spray tan or self tan.

Professional spray tanning varies on average from $15- $45. In (a cheaper) contrast, self tanning products cost anywhere from $5- $60 on average and you are more often than not able to use these products over and over again. Although the pricing seems appealing, self tan sprays and lotions typically fade after three to five days. However, moisturising your skin thoroughly before and after applying self tanning products will help prolong your tan past the three to five day mark. Professional  spray tans on the other hand tend to last longer.

Professional spray tanning can take as fast as eight minutes to complete (with an additional 15 minute dry period). It’s short enough to squeeze into your lunch break and allows for a hassle free, and often relaxing tanning experience. A self tan, on the other hand, can be quite messy as self tanning products can stain skin and clothing. This can be avoided by wearing proper protective gear (plastic gloves and last year’s clothes) and washing your hands directly after you’ve finished. It can also be a challenge to apply self tanning products evenly over your body.

How confident you are in applying self tanning lotions will make a big difference in your tanning results. Practice does make perfect! If you don’t mind the fuss and have the patience to develop your own tanning techniques, self tanning may be for you. However, if you don’t want to run the risk of a streaky, tan-gone-wrong moment, then it might be best to leave it in the hands of the salon pros.

Both spray tans and self tanning products have their major pros in terms of health; tanning lotions and sprays contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a harmless, colourless sugar approved by the TGA and recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.

The decision rests in your hands: to visit the salon for a professional tan or drop into your local store to purchase self tanning products. Rest assured, however, that both options will leave you satisfied with a golden, bronze natural glow. No need to settle for snow white skin this winter.

There is a fine art to achieving the perfect tan. There are things you definitely should do and thing you really need to be careful not to do. These basic tanning tips outline the key things you should avoid doing when applying your own self-tanning product or getting a spray tan.

1.    Avoid Too Much Post Tanning Activity This is one of those tanning tips that you would not normally think about. After applying a self-tan you should minimise activities that will make you work up a sweat. Well at least for an hour after. Avoid all activities that induce your body to activate its natural cool down mechanism. (Ladies, get your hubby to clean up the kitchen after dinner…after all you don’t want to break a sweat.) Additionally, hopping into the shower after applying a spray tan or lotion is not a viable option. Wait an hour minimum and up to eight hours (if you can make it) before showering.

2.    Try not to tan in the day While it may not always be a viable option, you should always aim to apply your tanning products in the evening. This gives your tanning product adequate time to dry and helps you avoid the sun’s harmful rays as sunless tanning products do not contain a SPF. Getting a sun burn to go with your fake tan will not work so this is one of the most important fake tanning tips. Only once the product had dried can you apply sunscreen, which you should, the following morning.

3.    Watch What you Wear The third of our all-important tanning tips is to be careful of what you wear while tanning and post-tanning.  As clothing lines determine tan lines tight fitting clothes, preferably a skimpy bikini, work perfectly for achieving a natural and even tan look. Do not wear lightly coloured clothing as tanning products can stain your garments.

4.    Don’t Put Clothes on Post Tan While tight fitting clothes are good for while you’re tanning, going nude (or throwing on a loose dressing robe) works better for once you’ve finished. Don’t risk the chance of irritating your skin with tight clothing material. And hey, you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. Enjoy showing off your new, (drying) tan skin!

5.    5 minute Timers Five is your number. Don’t let the clock tick a second past five minutes without thoroughly scrubbing your hands. This is probably the most important of all the fake tanning tips out there. Unless you want orange hands… this could be an interesting contrast to the rest of your tanned body.

6.    Spread Rather than Rub Sunless tanning instructions often direct users to rub in the self-tanning lotion until absorbed. Red light! Rubbing in the product takes too long and will stain your hand an orange colour. Rather, spread the lotion in a circular motion, taking care to not miss any spots. 7.    Avoid Shaving or Waxing The final of our fake tanning tips is to be sure not to shave or wax after tanning. You can shave directly prior or wait a few hours, depending on your skin’s sensitivity. Wax 24- 48 hours before tanning. Always moisturise pre and post tanning to prevent your skin and tan from flaking off.

1 is officially the new 8: Liquid Sun Velocity, Australia’s first organic rapid, 1 hour tan has finally hit the market. Gone are the days of an 8 hour wait for your tan to settle in. This revolutionary new tanning product will give you that perfect, even, bronzed look in just 1 hour! Using a blend of approved, organic products to create what the company calls “Quad Bronzing Technology”, Liquid Sun Velocity’s 1 hour spray tan guarantees a tan to wash and wear in just an hour. A light tan is achieved in an hour, a medium tan in 2 hours and a dark tan in 3-4 hours.

However, it’s not only the product’s remarkable speed at which it leaves you with a natural, even toned tan that makes Liquid Sun Velocity so unique. In addition to DHA, a mesh of natural ingredients (erythrulose, black walnut and instant bronzers) and organic Aloe Vera extract (which moisturises your skin), Liquid Sun Velocity contains Cehami and Kakadu Plum Extract, Australian botanical products that strengthen the anti-oxidant, anti- aging and collagen building properties to renew and hydrate your skin. So that’s a 1 hour tan and anti-aging all in one product. There is nothing quite like it; it’s quite an unbelievable product.

Liquid Sun Velocity’s 1 hour spray tan develops a natural looking tan, darkening your skin into a red- brown tone rather than an orange- brown shade, common to many spray tans. The product’s unique blend of ingredients doesn’t cling to your skin, leaving you with an even toned result rather than a streaky, patchy or spotty effect.

The 1 hour tan lasts for a minimum of seven days and fades 80% better than other tanning products available on the market.

The fast drying 1 hour spray tan frees you from the customary 8 hour wait period before taking a shower. So say goodbye to sitting around awkwardly for hours upon hours waiting for your tan to set. Say goodbye to sleeping in your tan only to wake up to orange stained sheets. With the 1 hour tan you’re now free to enjoy your day, tanned body and all.