Spray Tan vs Self Tan
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Angelika Young
Are you unhappy with your pale skin? Do you look wistfully at the cover models of magazines, showing off their tans? Trust me, not everyone gets their tans from the sun. Where you get your tan does not matter. You can have it while sunbathing on the sugar-white sands of the Caribbean beaches. Or you can get it in a tan salon in Las Vegas. Tanned skin is always a sight to behold.

You probably want to keep looking sexy in your briefs and bikinis while you sunbathe. Or you just might be looking to get in on the rage of sunless tans. Either way, there’s something for you. Right here, you will find guidance to help you decide how best to get a desirable bronzed complexion.
WHAT IS SUN TANNING
Sun tanning is a natural process of skin darkening by directly exposing the skin to sunlight. People get tans by lying in the sun, called sunbathing. You expose the skin to the Ultra-Violet rays of the sun. These rays penetrate the epidermis and incite the melanin pigments in the body.
In a bid to remediate the effects of UV exposure and protect the skin, the body triggers the tanning process. So, the skin activates the production of more melanin... a naturally occurring polymer in the human body. Melanin is the dark pigmentation of the skin.

With more melanin pigments released into the skin cells, the skin darkens... leaving the body with a tanned complexion. The resultant tan can either be evident immediately or after a few days. A tan does not last forever and can wear off within a few weeks or months. This is depending on the intensity of the melanin released.
HOW DID SUN TANNING BEGIN
In the olden days, Only slaves and people who engaged in outdoor manual labor had tanned skin. Few people wanted anything to do with tans. Some even went the extra mile to preserve the paleness of their skins.
Further down the timeline, a paradigm shift began to happen. In the 1920s, Coco Chanel was an iconic French designer. She turned up from a trip to the French Riviera with a bronzed complexion. Suddenly, folks especially in Europe started considering tans more favorably.
The tan was unintentional, a result of unwittingly staying a little longer out in the sun. Thus, Coco Chanel pioneered a trend that sent people trooping into the sunlight. By 1960, getting a tan meant leisure, health, wealth, and physical attraction.
People began to view those with tanned skin as special. It meant they have the luxury of time and the ability to afford trips to warmer climates. Not to mention that gaining a honeyed complexion made one look steamy and sexy.

Many people wanted to be a part of this trend, but all could afford to go to places with enough sunlight. This gave rise to the tanning beds in 1980. These are devices that emit ultraviolet radiation to achieve tans indoors.
This way, people that needed to get a tan in the comfort of their homes could just as well do so without getting in the sun. There are other inventions that made sunless tanning possible. They include tanning lamps, tanning booths, and tanning lotions.
SUNLESS TANS: A BETTER ALTERNATIVE?
Sunless tanning quickly became an obsession and businesses sprung out of it. Sunless tanning procedures save folks the stress of traveling to sunny climes. And, it required lesser time and effort to achieve. This made it a more patronized option than lazing in the sun.
Nowadays, there are tanning studios and booths. People stand in and get flashed with high-wattage tanning bulbs. This procedure produces a bronzed result within minutes. More so, people consider this practice safer. This is because they can control the UV ray exposure from these bulbs. Unlike the uncontrolled UV radiation from the sun.
More strides in the cosmetic world have led to the development of sprays for tanning. Spray tanning is a form of self-tanning. You spray a fine mist on your body to create a tan effect. One ingredient that makes this mist so effective is Dihydroxyacetone (DHA). It reacts with your skin in a manner that leaves you bronzed up.
SUN TANNING VS SPRAY TANNING
You might be a pro-nature and opt to bask in the sunlight for your tan. In the same vein, you might not have the luxury of time for sunbathing. Try some quick fixes to go with your busy schedule. Regardless of your preference, you deserve to know what both boxes hold in store for you.
Sun tanning is good for your body, especially for people with Vitamin D deficiency. Sunlight stimulates the production of Vitamin D. Yet, excessive exposure to sunlight's UV radiation can lead to sunburn. With spray tanning, you can get a tan without risking sunburn.

Spray tanning takes lesser time and is seemingly harmless. But, it certainly comes with a price. A session can cost almost $50. Sunlight is free and does not need any fee. In other words, you can be broke and still get a tan.
Natural tanning lasts longer than spray tans. A sun tan can take up to two weeks or even months before wearing off while spray tans fade within four to eight days.

To a larger extent, spray tanning looks safe and has minimal negative effects on your health. In contrast, it has been proven that sun tanning is a contributor to cases of melanoma. A lethal form of skin cancer, premature aging of the skin, and impairment of the immune system. Most of this is due to excessive exposure of the body to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
In more recent times, spray tanning has become a popular alternative. People who desire some color to their skin without risking their health use it. The effect is temporary. But, it can act as a harmless quick fix for folks who are looking to get bronzed in minutes.
Spray tans have quickly become a favorite cosmetic product. It is easy to use and effective in giving you a glorious bronzed look. One of the more advanced variants of sunless tans is spray tanning. This process saves you from exposure to UV radiation. But, still adorning you in enviable color.

What’s more? Spray tans are a great brand of cosmetics, suitable for virtually every skin type and skin tone. They are way safer to use. They help prevent skin cancer, premature skin aging, and skin damage. These issues result from overexposure to ultraviolet rays. With spray tans, you can get excellent tanning results. Now you do not have to be conscious of your blemishes, freckles, and sunspots.
SO, WHY SPRAY TAN?
- Is an easy process to get a glorious sun-kissed look
- Does not need exposure to UV
- Prevents skin cancer, skin aging, and skin damage
- Suitable for all skin tones and types
- Are quick and effective
- Can mask blemishes, freckles, and sunspots
THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR
- Can be messy, leaving behind streaks and stains
- Can have potential risks such as inflammation and redness
- Finding a good reliable salon requires lots of time-consuming research
You never really go wrong with nature. Yet sometimes, innovation makes achieving your goals a lot easier. Getting stunning results and achieving your body goals are a priority. But you need to the cost. Even so, it is important to bear in mind that some of these practices have health consequences. Hence, they should be done in moderation.