Body Image and Tanning

[iheartbda]

Well I've pretty much decided to jump back on the sunless tanner bandwagon. I am tired of seeing every vein in my legs. The last few years I've used Loreal Sublime Bronze in either the cream or the spray. The price went up this year...to...gasp...$9 a bottle! I know for those of you that use fake bake this is cheap, but for a cash strapped college student it's a pretty pricey luxury. Does anyone know of any other good/better tanners for $10 and under?

Once again, good old Jergens, I've even used the Walmart brand with good results when I forgot my new full bottle of the other at home. High C's has recommended the Oil of Olay which Iintend to try. Give some of the cheapies a try before it gets to be sundress weather.;)

 

You mentioned fake bake....that's a whole different story if you're considering all the self-tanners as being a type of fake tan. Fake Bake is an actual product by that name that is different than the self tanners.

 

Second question...what do you do to adjust your makeup to match? I use bareminerals and I'll be bumping up a shade for summer anyway, but do you usually get a new one to match the tanner or just use a bronzer???

I don't use Bare Minerals but I do have foundation in a couple of shades that I use in the summer to match the amount of "color" I have elsewhere.

[CruisingCaity16]

Is the Jergens tinted? I'm not sure if that's the same as I've tried before...I did try a tinted gradual tanning lotion and it came off on everything, but if it's not tinted then that would work for now.

[High C's]

Another product that I just bought yesterday that you may want to look at is called "Legal Sunburn" by Fake Bake. It is a VERY small compact (think eye shadow size) and the colour is frightening in the pan - a bright fuscia colour. But you brush it very lightly on the apple of your cheeks and the end of your nose and it gives you that look that you get when you have just been in the sun. It goes on top of the bronzer, not instead of it. It really is a neat product. I will have fun playing with it.

 

Because of my circumstances I have to look at the alternatives for getting a tan. I wish I felt better about leaving my skin pale, but I don't. So its great to know I can still achieve the look that I like but do it safely.

[laurspag]

I do not tan all that well. I also prefer not to do so, for health reasons.

 

I personally don't think that being tan necessarily looks "healthy" but here is my issue: awful legs. Seriously, I have tons of spider veins all over, and the shape is less than lovely. When I have color, they seem to look so much better. They are quite an eyesore when I wear a short dress in the dining room on the casual nights, or even shorts during the day.

 

My choice last year was Mystic. In my area, the cost isn't much. As a matter of fact, I just got coupons - one visit for $15.00, or three visits for $35.00. It lasts about 5 days, but since my Bermuda cruise last year (and again this year) are for 5 days, it works perfect. :D

 

You also can't be going into a booth, being sprayed in about a minute, drying off and going home. You won't see any color until about 5 or 6 hours later.

 

My only issue is that I tend to have dry skin on my face, and despite using a scrub and moisturizing, my face seemed just a bit darker than the rest of me. It did look very natural though. I'm a pasty white, and I chose the mid range color so it wouldn't seem unnatural to me.

 

I'm tempted to go darker, to get more color on the legs and arms but I'm worried my face my look too dark. I plan on calling them and talking to them before I go next time for some pointers on avoiding this.

[bluegirlum]

Another product that I just bought yesterday that you may want to look at is called "Legal Sunburn" by Fake Bake. It is a VERY small compact (think eye shadow size) and the colour is frightening in the pan - a bright fuscia colour. But you brush it very lightly on the apple of your cheeks and the end of your nose and it gives you that look that you get when you have just been in the sun. It goes on top of the bronzer' date=' not instead of it. It really is a neat product. I will have fun playing with it.

 

Because of my circumstances I have to look at the alternatives for getting a tan. I wish I felt better about leaving my skin pale, but I don't. So its great to know I can still achieve the look that I like but do it [u']safely[/u].

 

My mom died of melanoma, so I know how terrible it can be. This was over 15 years ago, so they didn't know much about it then...I wish you the best and hope they have caught it all.

 

I am blonde with green eyes, so I burned easily as a kid, and I check my skin every day. I wish more than anything I could get tan! I know I look better with a tan, but I know because of my history, I just can't take that risk. I've had people say really rude things to me because I'm pale--it's amazing how people feel that it's ok to say certain things--but whatever.

 

I am a big fan of Neutrogena Summer Glow self-tanner. It has SPF 20 which is an added bonus. I bring it on vacation and put it under my SPF 30 so it looks like I got a little color! :) Also, in Canada, you can get better sunscreen than in the US. I order it online--it's called Ombrelle. The ingredients are safer for you, but they protect better than most of the sunscreens we use here.

[High C's]

My mom died of melanoma, so I know how terrible it can be. This was over 15 years ago, so they didn't know much about it then...I wish you the best and hope they have caught it all.

 

I am blonde with green eyes, so I burned easily as a kid, and I check my skin every day. I wish more than anything I could get tan! I know I look better with a tan, but I know because of my history, I just can't take that risk. I've had people say really rude things to me because I'm pale--it's amazing how people feel that it's ok to say certain things--but whatever.

 

I am a big fan of Neutrogena Summer Glow self-tanner. It has SPF 20 which is an added bonus. I bring it on vacation and put it under my SPF 30 so it looks like I got a little color! :) Also, in Canada, you can get better sunscreen than in the US. I order it online--it's called Ombrelle. The ingredients are safer for you, but they protect better than most of the sunscreens we use here.

 

Very sorry for the loss of your mother. They assure me that they HAVE made great strides in the recent past with treatment of melanoma. I hope they are right. I have further surgery scheduled next week to remove the surrounding area (tumor was already removed).

 

Excellent call re Ombrelle. That is exactly what my dermatologist has told me I will need to use in the future!

[CruisingCaity16]

Thanks for the tip about Ombrelle. I'll look into it. Yeah my mom was of the baby oil and burn generation. But at the time they actually thought the sun was good for you! Now we know better!!! We're always keeping an eye out for better sunscreens.

 

I've only ever had 1 "bad burn" and that didn't blister or peel. I was probably only 12 at the time, and I had gone to the pool for 2-3 hours and my mom rushed over realizing that I had accidentally used her sunless tanner instead of sunscreen....ooops! Even though it was just the once it made me sick (then and now) to think what I'd accidentally done to my skin.

[3smithboys]

I am thinking about making my first appointment to get an airbrushed tan at my local salon where I go for waxing. I'm one of the white skinned/redheads, who never-ever tans! I've used Jergens in the past, but I thought that I might spluge and try an airbrush tan for our upcoming 3 night cruise.

 

For those of you who have tried this in the past, what do you think of the air brush tans? The place I would go was rated one of the best in Philly magazine, so I am not worried that they wouldn't do a good job... I'm just a bit nervous because I've never done it before.

 

I did discuss it with the woman who would do it and because I am SO fair, she would give me the lightest color, so it wouldn't look crazy. She told me that I would love it, and that I would "become addicted" to the way it would look! (I would not become addicted to the price tag, that's for sure!!!) :eek:

[bluegirlum]

Very sorry for the loss of your mother. They assure me that they HAVE made great strides in the recent past with treatment of melanoma. I hope they are right. I have further surgery scheduled next week to remove the surrounding area (tumor was already removed).

 

Excellent call re Ombrelle. That is exactly what my dermatologist has told me I will need to use in the future!

 

Thanks. It's really amazing what they can do now for melanoma. It's very encouraging and I certainly didn't mean to scare you--sorry about that. There are so many treatment options and doctors really know what to look for now. I'm sure you are in good hands and I wish you all the best. I will be thinking good thoughts for you!

[Texaswinediva]

When I was a teenager I use to lay out in the sun as much as I could.

We all wanted to be real tanned.

Now that I am older and have some sun damage on my skin, I use the

self tanning lotions. I only use it in the summer when I wear shorts.

I have light skin and when I wear a self tanner I don't feel so self-conscious about my legs.

[High C's]

Thanks. It's really amazing what they can do now for melanoma. It's very encouraging and I certainly didn't mean to scare you--sorry about that. There are so many treatment options and doctors really know what to look for now. I'm sure you are in good hands and I wish you all the best. I will be thinking good thoughts for you!

 

No worries. I know you mean well.:)

[sunsurf]

as much as i try to get that through my thick skull I still prefer to have a little color to me. This is a topic that has come up recently with some of my asian international friends. Their opinion is the complete opposite. They see paler as more desireable.

 

 

Imo..people look better with a tan or atleast a bit of colour whether it be from the sun or self tanners.

[bluegirlum]

Just wanted to let you know that I got an e-mail today saying that Jergens is going to have coupons in the Sunday papers for their self-tanning lotions, so be on the lookout for them! I know some of you mentioned you use them. I don't know if it's just in the US...sorry!

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Well' date=' this is from the perspective of someone you all hope to NOT be. I was just diagnosed with Stage 3 melanoma. Had surgery yesterday, with more to follow in a couple of weeks.

 

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I wish you all the best of luck. Stage thee is serious business. I hope you have a full and complete recovery and no returns of the melanoma.

[High C's]

I wish you all the best of luck. Stage thee is serious business. I hope you have a full and complete recovery and no returns of the melanoma.

 

Thanks. Yes, this entire process is very frightening. I am fortunte to have wonderful doctors and an unbelievable support system from my family and friends. I am doing my best to keep my courage up, and most days I succeed. I went ahead and booked a Baltics cruise for next May, and damn it all, I'll be on it!!!:)