The Concept of Sunless Tanning
If you've always wanted to be a bronzed god or goddess, you're in luck. Sunless tanning is one safe alternative if you don't want to put yourself or your skin at risk by tanning under the actual sun. Not everyone is blessed with the natural sun-kissed glow of tanned skin.
The underlying concept involves products that contain chemicals that can alter the color of your skin. These products are highly popular and can be found not just online but in just about any store. Each year manufacturers come out with the latest, greatest formulas, all promising to get you a fake tan that looks natural. It's important to read the labels of such products to make sure they don't contain any harsh chemicals. Depending on your skin type, you may want to do a test patch on a small area of skin when trying a new product before applying it to the rest of your body.
The most common sunless tanning products available come in lotion, spray, gel, and even pill form. The great thing about having such variety is that you can truly find the right fit for you and your skin's needs. All such products have their pros and cons...
- Lotions tends to be the most popular and goes on just like regular body lotion
- Sprays are convenient and less messy to deal with
- Gels tend to be messy and usually don't smell so great
- Pills are the most involved form of product and should be used with caution. Also known as 'tanning accelerators', such pills allow the skin to produce more melanin (the substance that is responsible for giving our skin its natural color), resulting in a naturally tanned appearance.
Sunless tanning is, at least in theory, an ideal concept because it prevents the possibility of sun damage to the skin. Instead of spending hours under the sun, exposing your skin to harmful UV rays, or laying inside a tanning booth (which has also been shown to be bad for your skin), this way of getting tanned doesn't involve UV rays in any shape or form. But there is a downside.
