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| “It was with some trepidation that I agreed to have a spray tan. I went in with an open mind, and came out blown away. Afterwards, it was all I could do to not whip my shirt up at the supermarket and show anyone who cared to look, my fabulous, golden, glowing skin.” |
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Shine Beauty Spray Tan Review
When I was first asked to review the spray tan and body scrub for Shine Beauty, I'll be honest; my heart sank. You see I have been a lifetime sun worshipper. As a teen, I slathered myself with baby oil and baked myself like a Sunday roast.
I always felt that a tan looked healthy, and made a person appear slimmer.
And in the subsequent years, as tanning salons became more popular, I watched friends wander out of them sporting an unbecoming shade of orange. The words "bald Orangutan" spring to mind.
In my mind, spray tans came with a whole range of nasty side effects, such as sticky residue, an unpleasant smell, and uneven, fake patches around the feet and hands.
So it was with some trepidation that I agreed to have a spray tan. But I went in with an open mind, and came out blown away. Afterwards, it was all I could do to not whip my shirt up at the supermarket and show anyone who cared to look, my fabulous, golden, glowing skin.
To start with, my therapist prepared my skin with a Thalgo Descomask Body Scrub. I stripped down to a disposable g-string, and the therapist applied the scrub to my body in sections, using massage style strokes to remove any dead skin. It was extremely relaxing, and afterwards, my skin felt unbelievably smooth and soft.
Next, I was shown into the spray booth. The therapist explained to me that at Shine Beauty, they prefer to manually apply the tanning spray, because it ensures a far more even coverage. It took around 5 minutes for my entire body to be covered in the spray. When the application of the tanning spray was complete, I was given a little dryer to make sure I was not sticky before I got dressed again.
I have to say, on inspecting my tan in the mirror; I realized that as a teen I was right. I did look healthier. And I also looked distinctly slimmer (what an absolute bonus!). There was no smell (as I had expected), and no stickiness at all. The entire treatment took 30 minutes. Using a spray tan to achieve a beautiful color is way less trouble than a military style regime of baking in the sun (and permanently damaging and ageing your skin into the bargain).
My therapist explained to me that I needed to leave the solution on for anywhere between 2 and 4 hours, depending on how deep I wanted the color. She had chosen the middle of the range of three shades available, and assured me it would be a nice, golden color.
She also encouraged me to use some tan extending products, to really get the most out of my tan. The first was a gentle body wash, which does not contain soap, and the second, a moisturizer containing natural, active ingredients, which react with your skin cells to enhance the tan over time.
As long as you prepare your skin well before hand, and take care of it well after the treatment, you can expect to get between 7-10 days out of a good spray tan.
These are a few tips to help you prepare for your spray tan:
1. If you shave, do so the day of your spray tan (obviously before you have it).
2. If you wax, try and book your waxing a day or so beforehand.
3. Try not to wear make up, moisturizers and deodorant beforehand.
4. Opt for the Body Scrub before your spray tan. Good preparation is the difference between an awesome result, and an ordinary one.
5. Moisturize your skin twice daily afterwards.
6. Do not exfoliate your skin after a spray tan.
7. Be aware that swimming in chlorinated water can affect the color of your tan.
So there you have it. If you love a golden glow, seriously consider a spray tan. Make no mistake; tanning in the sun does lead to skin cancer (Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world - a dubious honor indeed).
And if you are lucky enough to escape skin cancer, make no mistake; it will irreparably age your skin. No ifs, buts, or maybes.
I will not be going out to bake in the sun any more. And why would you when you can have a safe, natural looking golden glow in 30 minutes?
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