Wednesday 18 April 2012

Fake Tan vs Sunbeds



In today’s culture it appears to be almost unacceptable to go out in public showing any form of flesh unless it is tanned. Although to most the easy option would be to hop on a sunbed for a quick 5 minutes it’s extremely damaging not only for your skin but also for your health. From a personal point of view I can fully understand why both women and men choose to opt for a tan rather than their normal skin colour. I myself am a pasty, freckly red head; not the most appealing of looks to some people. Although I love my hair and my freckles I have to be honest and admit that when I have a tan I feel much more confident and yes, pretty too. Not only can a tan improve one’s self-confidence but it can also make your skin look a lot healthier as if you’ve just come back from a nice two week holiday in the Caribbean! I fully agree that fake tan is messy, can smell, often leaves streaks and doesn’t always look natural; however I would always choose to use a fake tan rather than a sun bed as I don’t like the idea of burning my bum, or looking like a roasted lobster for the rest of the day after having used one.

People constantly talk about the health risks behind sunbeds and more often than not the public tend to roll their eyes, shrug their shoulders; choosing to ignore the advice given to them. The more you choose to use a sunbed the more you are at risk of giving yourself skin cancer; recently I have also discovered that using sun beds can do some serious damage to your eyes. Constant use of sunbeds can cause cataracts or in some more severe cases blindness. If you insist of using sunbeds ALWAYS use the safety protection goggles provided. Another risk for sunbed users is premature skin aging and skin damage, who wants to look like a seventy year old at the age of thirty just from having used the sunbeds?! Despite having read this most people will continue to use sunbeds regardless of the stories they hear and the warnings they are given. Being self-conscious about my own skin I fully understand why people choose to use sunbeds in order to give their skin a natural glow; however for pale, sensitive skinned frecklies like myself, sunbeds are more of a danger to us than anyone else as our skin is much more sensitive to heat.  



Although to most sunbeds seem to be a much more convenient, easier way of gaining a tan you could be quite wrong. However those of you who use fake tan will know that you can use this whenever it takes your fancy and unlike sunbeds the tan appears straight away and does not make you look like a lobster in the process. Having tried many different types of fake tan I have over the years discovered which ones work best i.e. aren’t streaky. A fake tan that I often use that looks natural and gives good, even coverage is Rimmel London Instant Tan. Their new brand of this product is now also water resistant; this particular product can be used for both body and face, giving more of a sun shimmer than an obvious fake skin colour. If however you are looking for a fake tan that will make you look even browner (I tend to use these in winter when my skin hasn’t seen sunlight for months) is the Solait fake tan bronzing gel which is also an instant tan, however is noticeably darker than the Rimmel London one. Most fake tans that I have used over time I have found to blend well and look natural as long as I myself have been careful when applying the lotion to my skin. In order to make sure you have full even coverage I would suggest having a shower, exfoliating and shaving before putting any tan on. Allow yourself to dry before applying the tan with a tanning mitt; these can be bought at most drug stores such as Superdrug and Boots (both of which now have points cards for when you purchase with them – bonus!) If you have a full length mirror I would suggest using it when applying the tan, possibly in daylight, if applying at night just ask someone to double check that your tan is even. More often than not when having used a tanning mitt properly you will find that the tan has blended it properly and looks natural anyway; just for extra precautions so ensure you are not streaky it is always best to ask someone to check. This all sounds blatantly obvious but when I first started using fake tan it took me a fair while before I learned how much I needed to use (a little goes a long way). So having stated the obvious, have fun tanning (the fake kind, I hope!) 





                                                 

Name: Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan
Price: £6.99
Shop: Superdrug










Name: Solait Bronzing Foam
Price: £6.99 
Shop: Superdrug

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