Tanning Tips for Beginners
Keep in mind that there are two fundamental kinds of tanning systems that you can use – either a tanning bed or a tanning booth. Your ability to choose between a tanning booth or tanning bed will be limited to the choices available at the tanning salon near you. Ask the salon professional at your chosen tanning salon which of their indoor tanning units will be best for your skin type to attain your given tanning goal.
While you’re there, get their advice on the best tanning lotion for your goals and skin type. For every combination of skin type and tanning goal, there is a different tanning lotion available from tanning accelerators to moisturizers to bronzers. Once you’ve decided to buy tanning lotion and buy an indoor tanning package that works for you, the attendant will assign you a room with the proper tanning bed. After you’re in your room, make sure to close the door completely and lock it.
When taking off your clothes, you can choose to take it all off or just wear underpants or a thong - whatever works for you. If you’re afraid of roasting your goodies or being walked in on, you can choose to wear a swimsuit. But, if you’re hoping to get that all-over tan without any tan lines, you may want to tan completely nude for even coverage.
How to Use a Tanning Bed
- Rub in the tanning lotion over your whole body – everywhere except the face. If unsure what lotion to use ask a tanning professional at the counter
- Open the tanning booth door or lift tanning bed lid, depending upon which one of the two you’re using.
- If you use a tanning bed, you might feel more comfortable with a towel or pillow under your head. You might also want to fire up the iPod and a fan. Things will get pretty toasty when the sun bed heats up. If your hair is long, you should fasten your hair up by using a hair clip or a scrunchy. Putting your up will ensure that it doesn’t get in the way of the UV rays to make sure you don’t end up with odd tan lines on your face.
- This is, perhaps, the most important step: Wear your protective eye wear, your very own pair, or temporary ones available at salons. Wear them at all times that the tanning bulbs are glowing. The UVA/UVB light from these tanning bulbs is so strong that they can cause cataracts without proper eye protection. Closing your eyes is not enough. Your eyelids are so thin that UV Light rays pretty much pass right through them and can damage your cornea.
- Now, fire up the tanning bed. You might have a single “start” button to press or a timer to set, depending upon how you’re tanning salon works. If you’ve just started tanning and have a pale skin completion, your first few visits should be from 6 to 10 minutes long. After a while, you can increase the time to as high as 30 minutes per tanning session.
- Booth or bed, after the timer runs out, the lights on the tanning unit will go out, letting you know that you’ve been baked to golden perfection. Open it up, take off your tanning goggles, and wipe off the sweat and tanning lotion with a towel. Get dressed again and pick up all of your belongings! Remember to take your iPod with you on your way out.
- Don’t take a shower for the rest of the day. A lot of soaps can be counterproductive for tanning if they’re used too soon after tanning.
