Spray on Tan

[Double "D"]

Ok, so, I am not big into real tanning- the whole skin cancer thing. But, does the spray on tan (airbrushing done in the salons) look good? They say water exposure shortens the duration of the tan- for those who dive and spray tan- how much shorter esp with the wet suit factor (ie promoting exfoliation of the skin)? Thanks!

 

[colieolie]

Well, I haven't dove and had a spray tan, but I've had a spray tan before. Between being in water constantly and having the moisture and heat from the wet suit, you can bet it will come off. More then likely, it will look really spotty. It was that way for me, and that was just from showering and sweating. I wouldn't waste your money!

 

[theITdiver]

I'm a bit ashamed to admit this but I use a self-tanning lotion that works great for me. I am a skinny male who has red hair and very fair (read PALE) skin. And to top it off, I live in Ohio! I weight lift and swim (indoor) 3-4 days/wk and got tired of people squinting from the lights reflecting off my paleness when I took off my shirt.

I use Neutrogena Bronzer and it tends to last 4 days or so if I don't reapply. Make sure to exfoliate really well before application and that will help ensure an even color. Usually I apply it before bed, then again the next night to darken it up a bit, then reapply after 3-4 days for maintenance. for me this product doesn't turn me orange or look un-natural, it just gives me the bit of color my skin naturally lacks. Also, make sure to wash your hands REALLY well, many times during application, or use gloves, otherwise you'll end up with orange palms.

Something to keep in mind, there are different types of spray tanners. there is instant-tanner which is the same as spray paint and washes off fast. its just spray on color. There are spray on self-tanners which develop a tan (same as lotions). these use a carbohydrate complex (sugars) to react with chemicals in your skin to create the color in your skin which lasts much longer but takes hours to develop.

if you have any Q's post or PM me and I'll answer as best as I can. I avoided tanning beds for the same reason you did. I have asked tons of questions to my female friends and researched this tons so just ask!

-The pale white, weight lifting, scuba diving guy.....

 

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

My sister just did this about 2 weeks ago. On someone else's recommendation she used a lotion tanner that turned her hands really dark and it looked ridiculous so she went to get a spray tan to even the rest of her skin out. The spray tan (especially on her chest and face) looked really good, it actually looked like she had been in the sun. A week or less went by and it started to wear off and you could see it looked splotchy so unfortunately they don't last long. Probably would be a waste with diving and who wants to worry about what their skin looks like.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

I use to the spray tan pretty regularly. I have no idea how diving would limit because living in DC I don't dive in the winter...and once every two weeks in the summer. It's a trial and error process and you'll prob have some streaks or non-tan sections when you first start out till you learn a better way to stand. They tell you basic ways to stand but you have to play with the angles of your arms and stuff a bit.

I think once you get it down it looks really really good.

The cons are:
You look kind of orangy the day after, but then by day two its a nice brown
It has a smell...not a bad smell just a distinct smell
It kind of comes off and stains your sheets (this is why I stopped doing it).

FWIW, the spray tan I did was Mystic tanning, its the most popular but I think there are a few others.

 

[sarita75]

I did a spray tan (Mystic Tan) for my brothers wedding and it was a holy disaster. Seriously. Like DivingPrincessE said, it takes some time figuring out your angles because I had streaks and spots like it was no one's business, and it is looked ridiculous. What I ended up doing was taking a lot of showers, baths, pool sessions, etc. before the wedding to try and get it to wash away. And, it works, especially when I used a washcloth to, essentially, exfoliate the top layer (dyed layer) of skin off. Needless to say, I won't do it again.

If you are new to it, you might just wish to pay a bit more and actually have someone airbrush the tanner onto you. However, this will have the same limitations - it will come off faster because of the water, wetsuits, gear rubbing, etc. And, unfortunately, you will look a bit "leopardy" because it won't wear off in any uniform manner.

Otherwise, I've heard wonderful things about the self-tanning lotions and SELF magazine recently rated Nivea's (with skin toning - bonus!) as being one of the best, if I am remembering correctly. The great thing about these lotions is that YOU control the amount of color you get, its more gradual and - best yet - you can take it with you on your holiday and "touch up." I am going to start using it for an upcoming trip I have planned.

Best of luck.

 

[Double "D"]

thanks guys for all your help! After all the experience you guys have had with this stuff, it seems like the spray tan may not be the best option for me. I think I may try the lotion/bronzer that leko916 suggested, or just stay a beautiful pale white blonde:0

 

[sanderdl]

I tried the spray-on Mystic Tan at the salon so that I wouldn't cause snow blindness on a Caribbean trip last fall. It looked fine. I didn't have any of the "leopard" effect that some people are talking about, and it was even. I exfoliated first, which they salon claimed was key. Be sure to exfoliate knees, elbows and ankles....By the third or fourth day I think it was wearing off.

 

[theITdiver]

**EDIT** The product I used was L'oreal Sublime Bronze light-medium in the bronze colored bottle.

 

[flstarfish44]

**EDIT** The product I used was L'oreal Sublime Bronze light-medium in the bronze colored bottle.

Ooooo, I second Leko's recommendation. I use the light/medium as well. It's good stuff and doesn't smell wretched like some others on the market. It was BOGO at CVS the other day too.