Bondi Sands, St. Tropez, Kora and Isle of Paradise. Tropical destinations or self-tanning products? This is one of the many questions I set out to answer while on my sunkissed quest. I have never had the courage to gamble with DIY spray tans, nor lay myself vulnerably upon the controversial tanning beds. However, my favorite moments in summer are leaving an action-packed pool day with more vitamin D than before. But which sunray substitute, the bottle or the bed, gives you the perfect glow in the dead of South Dakota winter? And how much is too much?
When it comes to deepening one’s skin tone without our solar star, I dialed in on two options. Firstly, tanning beds involve heated lamps placed around and over a cushioned platform. These lights are designed to emit UV rays, mostly UVA rays, which sink far into the skin’s barriers and trigger the production of melanin. All skin shades have different initial amounts of melanin, a pigment, but UVA rays further its effect.
The other alternative to sunshine is chemical bronzing. Known as fake tanning, self tanning or spray tanning, they all refer to a lotion or spray product that can be applied to the body. Usually, the longer you allow the chemical tanner to dry on your skin, the darker it becomes. The primary chemical in charge of this reaction is DHA, a sugar that creates a brown color when in contact with dead skin cells.
In order to decide on a brightening boost, the extent of my budget must be considered. During the warmer months of the year, the sun doesn’t charge you to utilize its power, but intentional tanning services do. As in most tanning salons, Sioux Falls’ popular Year Round Brown offers various sunbed levels based on the customer’s desired outcome. These include levels two, three, four and five, each increasing with intensity of UVA radiation. A level three bed tan is valued at $20, but there are package discounts available. In comparison, a single bottle of self-tanner ranges from $10 to $40. However, most allow for numerous applications, so I would get a bang for my buck.
What are the cons of each? Well, as you may have been told, radiation from ultraviolet light can significantly damage one’s skin and body. This goes hand in hand with bed tanning, as its concentrated light leads to premature aging, like wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, and can propel the development of skin cancer. This is equally true for outdoor tanning, hence why sunscreen was invented. Not to mention, bed tanning can cause the weakening of immune systems and eye damage.
Self-tanning, by contrast, is not widely known to have negative health effects. Although, aesthetics remains the reason behind seeking a beachy glow, and quite a few people would agree that spray tanning can become a streaky mess in a matter of minutes. The key to a seamless self-tan is to get there gradually.
Now, if I were to desire a radiant replacement for outdoor tanning, I would use a bottled option. I believe a glowy complexion should not have to coincide with lifelong skin damage. Yet, an orange spray tan should be avoided at all costs.
