Tanning Tips and Tricks

November 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

California Tan® products offer more than just dark tanning results and great skin care. Many products can be used for added beauty benefits. The following are helpful beauty tricks, many which have been collected over the years from e-mails, letters and calls into our Customer Service Department, that teach you how to use California Tan® products outside of the tanning bed.

Tattoos
Help tattoos combat color fading from UV exposure by applying L.I.P.™ SPF 25 Lip Balm over your tattoo. The easy to handle size of the lip balm allows greater control to outline and apply the SPF protection only on the tattoo while leaving the surrounding skin untouched for dark tanning results.

Dry Lips
L.I.P.™ SPF 25 Lip Balm is a great lip balm to use to soothe and soften lips that are sore and chapped. It contains SPF protection to care for delicate lips as it helps condition and moisturize. Apply every time lips feel dry and they’ll be kissable in no time!

Burns
The gentle, soothing benefits of Insurance® Gel can help ease the discomfort of topical burns. It contains Calendula and Evening Primrose Oil to decrease inflammation and help repair damaged skin. Keep a bottle in the refrigerator to provide added coolness upon application.

Shave-Gel
The lightweight formula, neutral fragrance and soothing characteristics of Insurance® make it an excellent shave gel for both men and women. Wet skin, apply Insurance, and then shave for smooth results.

Fixing Tan Lines
Suddenly Sun® Bronzing Powder is great for filling in uneven tan lines, covering hard to tan places like feet, and is great for covering up bathing suit strap marks or to touch up an existing tan. Using a large make-up brush, the golden-bronze powder can be dusted over the skin to the level of darkness desired for a sun-kissed glow.

Facial Moisturizer
California Tan offers two facial tanning treatments that are formulated with progressive skincare and anti-aging ingredients, making them ideal for use as daily moisturizers.

Try: X Appeal™ Face is California Tan’s most advanced facial product packed with firming, age-fighting and moisturizing ingredients. X Appeal has a light bronzer to help even out overall skin tone, while maintaining a golden facial glow.

Special Tip: X Appeal Exclusively developed to deliver results you can see and trust as proven in clinical trials with up to a: 33% reduction in appearance of fine lines & wrinkles; 40% improvement in skin firmness & suppleness; 55% improvement in uniform skin color; 92% improvement in moisturization

Try: Illuminate® can be used to help balance and tone delicate facial skin. It can be used daily under make-up and nightly before bed to keep skin feeling moisturized and radiant.

Special Tip: The illuminating pigments found in Illuminate actually reflect light and fill in fine lines and wrinkles, allowing the skin to appear more youthful-looking and firmer while leaving skin with a radiant glow.

Sore Muscles
Products that contain Hot Action™ work great as muscle relaxing balms. The heating effect of the products helps relax and soothe the soreness caused by muscle tension. We recommend the mild intensity of Ginger Spice® Hot Action Level 3, moderate intensity of Almond Spice™ Hot Action Level 5 or the extreme heat of Pyro® Hot Action Level 15 for spot treating your must stubborn sore muscles. * Caution – Products containing the reddening and heating effect of Hot Action should not be used by people who have sensitive skin. A spot test is recommended prior to use.

Massage Balm
Try Butter® for a relaxing, deliciously scented massage balm. The rich, creamy feel of the formulation delivers just the right amount of slippage for massaging tired muscles.

In Between Tanning Sessions
A simple way to keep your tanned appearance at its prime in between tanning sessions or to help maintain color when a busy schedule keeps you from the tanning salon is to use a California Tan product that contains a bronzer to boost golden-brown color. Simply smooth the lotion over your skin, using a circular motion, after you shower or several hours before going out to reveal a more tanned appearance and accentuate the natural results you have already developed. Remember to wash or wipe your hands after application and conduct a spot test if you are using the product for the first time.

Filed Under: Education, Tanning Tips

Tanning Myths vs Reality

November 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

MYTH: “I’ve heard that indoor tanning is more harmful then tanning outdoors because the UV light exposure is more intense.”

REALITY: People tanning indoors are exposed to a scientifically calibrated amount of UV light. When used according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s exposure guidelines (posted on each machine), tanning beds are designed to maximize tanning and minimize burning. Conversely, tanning outdoors is an unregulated environment. There are many factors that have to be considered when you tan outdoors: geography, time of day, weather conditions, the seasons, and the ozone layer. Remember the best way to safeguard yourself from sun and damage is to wear appropriate levels of SPF sunscreens outdoors – even if you already have a tan. You should also know that, even with sunscreen protection, UV exposure can still lead to skin cancer and premature aging, even if you don’t burn.

MYTH: “My friend said she heard that tanning bakes your internal organs. Sometimes I notice a strange smell after I tan. Could this be my organs baking?”

REALITY: The UV light from a sunbed is similar to the UV light from the sun, and cannot penetrate deeper then the skin to harm internal organs. The odor you may notice is what’s commonly known as the “after tan” odor, a common occurrence when tanning indoors or outdoors, which is caused by the harmless bacteria. California Tan lotions contain the Biosaccharidde Complex, which helps prevent after tan odor.

MYTH: “I hear that in order to get a suntan, you have to burn first.”

REALITY: A sunburn does NOT fade into a tan. Sunburn indicates UV-overexposure and actually damages the skin, leaving it inflamed (as indicated by the skin’s red coloring and sensitivity), dry, chapped and visibly unappealing. In fact, sunburn can lead to premature aging and potentially skin cancer.  Always practice moderation when tanning by using the proper sunscreen protection when tanning outdoors and the exposure time that is recommended for your personal skin type when tanning indoors.

MYTH: “I heard that people can get sexually transmitted disease like AIDS from sunbeds.”

REALITY: The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stated that this is physically impossible. The AIDS virus (as well as other serious viral diseases) does not live outside the body. This fear may come from the fact than many people lay nude in sunbeds during their tanning session (in order to eliminate tan lines). However, even if there is profuse sweating, the AIDS virus, or other venereal diseases, cannot be passed to the next user. Additionally, tanning salons are required by law to disinfect the acrylic shield on the sunbed after each session.

MYTH: “People with medium to dark skin never burn.”

REALITY: Although people with medium to dark skin tend to tan more easily then others, they can still get sunburns. They can also suffer from overexposure to UV light. It is still important for these skin types to use sunscreens and avoid being in the sun longer than they need to be.

Filed Under: Education, Tanning Myths