Spray-On Tan
The latest craze in tanning salons in the spray-on tan, which is a tinted coloring that is literally sprayed onto the body and has no UVA or UVB rays. Spray-on tans are also available for consumer use at home. Several reputable companies now offer sunless spray-on tans and creams.
How Does the Spray-On Tan Work?
If visiting a tanning salon, the client will be placed in an enclosed booth, standing up. A shower cap is placed over the head so hair does not get sprayed. For about five to ten seconds, a bronzing spray is emitted from the nozzles placed throughout the booth and is splashed onto the client. It is advisable to have arms raised above the head when the spray-on tanning solution hits the body so that hidden areas get sprayed too. The client is also told to turn in place so that all sides of the body are covered evenly with the spray-on tanning solution.
When the spray turns off, the color should then be rubbed in for even placement. Towels and hand wipes are usually provided to wipe fingernails, toenails, and palms, as these are areas that will bronze if not wiped off quickly.
If using a spray-on tan product at home, it is advisable to have someone spray it on to make sure unreachable areas are covered. If this is not possible, there is a hand held device that can reach the back and other hard-to-cover areas. Simply place spray-on tanning cream inside the plastic handle and then use the sponge to squeeze out the product wherever it's needed.
Spray-On Tans: Sexy or Messy?
The answer is: both. If using a tanning salon, the color of the spray-on tan can easily transfer to clothing after getting dressed, although it will wash out. The spray-on tan substance might also have a strong scent, though not particularly unpleasant. Because there is less control in a tanning booth, since the spray-on tanning solution is poured out in one big "whoosh," it can be messier than doing it at home, where the spraying or lotion is easily controlled by the user.
Salon or Home?
There are advantages to both. Some feel more secure having a machine do the job or even a personal tanner working at a salon, since there may be less chance of streakiness. The spray-on tanning substance in salons comes out tan immediately, whereas the home products typically don't show color until hours later, leaving some question as to whether or not the body was sufficiently and evenly covered.
The advantage to doing it at home is cost and color. There are many spray-on tanning products on the market and trial and error can result in the perfect brand and color for each person's skin tone. Both will last anywhere between three and seven days, although some salons claim to offer results up to ten days.
Either way, dermatologists generally agree that spray-on tanning is a safe alternative to a natural suntan. As spray-on tanning products are constantly improving, colors are becoming more indecipherable from the real thing.
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