by: Nicky Pilkington
Unless you think wrinkled, leathery skin with brown spots is sexy you should limit your exposure to the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. In addition to adversely affecting the appearance of your skin, overexposure to the sun can result in skin cancer. Despite the widespread message that people should limit the amount of time they spend in the sun, many people still continue to do so. One of the main reasons people neglect to adhere to the warnings of the sun has to do with wanting to obtain a tan. There are alternative methods for obtaining a tan that do not cause the damaging effects of the sun. There are some advantages and disadvantages of all the methods, so it is best to evaluate the methods that are available and select the one that best fits your needs.
The most popular sunless tanning products on the market that are applied directly to the skin are lotions. Their popularity is associated with their convenience and cost. You can apply sunless tanning lotions just about anywhere. With some sunless tanning products you have to apply the product overnight and rinse it off in the morning. Many sunless tanning lotions are formulated with a high SPF (Sun Protection Factor) so that you can apply it and then proceed with your normal daily activities. One of the main downsides of lotions is that you may not obtain an even tan. Although you may apply the lotion to your entire body, there may be areas that you miss or that may not have absorbed into your skin.
The problem of tan evenness does not exist with airbrush tanning. With this method you can obtain the most coverage of any other sunless tanning product that you apply to your skin. The coverage that you obtain from airbrush tanning is immediate because the tanning solution is what gives you the tan. This is in direct contrast to other methods of sunless tanning that react with the natural chemistry of your skin. The product is available in handheld systems that you apply yourself, or you can visit a salon that provides tan spray booths. The only disadvantage of using airbrush-tanning products is that you will undoubtedly have to apply the product often since the product will eventually fade.
For some people, applying sunless tanning products can cause excessive dry skin. You can purchase a moisturizer separately or purchase a sunless tanning kit. In addition to a sunless tanning product (lotion, spray, or gel), sunless tanning kits generally contain a product for exfoliating the skin before applying the tanning product, and a moisturizer that you apply after applying the product. While these kits are great for providing a complete tanning solution, they can be expensive.
Regardless of the sunless tanning method you choose, you should still use caution when you plan to spend a significant amount of time in the sun. The sunless tanning methods listed here are only a small representative of the products available on the market. You can find additional information about other sunless tanning products, including those that are highly controversial (such as sunless tanning pills) by visiting sunless-tanning-product.net. This website also includes references to sunless tanning products that are available on the market.