Applying a special formula of chemicals to the skin to get the effect of a traditional suntan, without any exposure to sun or UV light, is known as sunless tanning. Self tanning and airbrush tanning is a rapidly expanding area in cosmetic sales.
Self tan can come in the form of gels, creams and sprays to name a few. It can be applied various ways too, but the process does not use any sun or UV light to give the tanned look, nor does it involve skin pigmentation. It is a reaction between amino acids on the skin surface and the ingredient Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) that colors the skin.
Most self tans are designed for home use, with the best results when used on clean, dry skin. If you have not used self tan products before than you should always carry out a skin test first to ensure you do not have an allergic reaction to any of the ingredients. Please allow 24 hours after testing a small patch of skin, before putting on the rest of the body and allow it to completely dry into the skin before getting the skin wet.
An airbrush tan is also a sunless tan product but is usually applied by professional technicians using specialized airbrushing equipment, made especially for applying fake tan formula.
In history, paler skin was preferred by a lot of people, as it represented a higher social standing. People in the upper classes would not allow themselves to be exposed to sun, so a tan was something only seen on the lower classes who would spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun due to work. This was the case in Victorian and Elizabethans societies, as well as Rome and Greece where people were known to whiten their faces with chalk. However, in the past century, the tan began to be linked with attractiveness and well being.
The tan did not become fashionable until the twenties when a high profile designer, who had been on cruise holiday returned with a tan. Also the more revealing clothes of the Jazz Era exposed the body even more, giving people more of an excuse to be tanned.
The first self tan came as a brown or cream dye in the fifties. The older self tan products were not as advanced and natural looking as many are today. The originals used to give a very orange color and patchy finish but new ingredient combinations have helped this.
Many people feel better with bronzed skin, as they feel it gives the impression of good health and general well-being. But in the sixties, health experts established that excess exposure to sunlight and UV light (which is used in tanning beds) could put your skin at risk and cause skin cancer. This did not stop people form wanting the tanned appearance, but did encourage the concept of sunless tanning.
Sunless methods are not known to cause any serious damage to the skin, which is why they are supported by health authorities and is also part of the reason the product has become so successful. One concern, however, is that most self tan products will contain very little UV protection, so users should always remember that when exposing their skin to harmful light.
More recently, we are once again starting to see paler faces in our fashion and screen icons, so after decades of popularity, the tan may finally be starting to fade.
Self tan can come in the form of gels, creams and sprays to name a few. It can be applied various ways too, but the process does not use any sun or UV light to give the tanned look, nor does it involve skin pigmentation. It is a reaction between amino acids on the skin surface and the ingredient Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) that colors the skin.
Most self tans are designed for home use, with the best results when used on clean, dry skin. If you have not used self tan products before than you should always carry out a skin test first to ensure you do not have an allergic reaction to any of the ingredients. Please allow 24 hours after testing a small patch of skin, before putting on the rest of the body and allow it to completely dry into the skin before getting the skin wet.
An airbrush tan is also a sunless tan product but is usually applied by professional technicians using specialized airbrushing equipment, made especially for applying fake tan formula.
In history, paler skin was preferred by a lot of people, as it represented a higher social standing. People in the upper classes would not allow themselves to be exposed to sun, so a tan was something only seen on the lower classes who would spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun due to work. This was the case in Victorian and Elizabethans societies, as well as Rome and Greece where people were known to whiten their faces with chalk. However, in the past century, the tan began to be linked with attractiveness and well being.
The tan did not become fashionable until the twenties when a high profile designer, who had been on cruise holiday returned with a tan. Also the more revealing clothes of the Jazz Era exposed the body even more, giving people more of an excuse to be tanned.
The first self tan came as a brown or cream dye in the fifties. The older self tan products were not as advanced and natural looking as many are today. The originals used to give a very orange color and patchy finish but new ingredient combinations have helped this.
Many people feel better with bronzed skin, as they feel it gives the impression of good health and general well-being. But in the sixties, health experts established that excess exposure to sunlight and UV light (which is used in tanning beds) could put your skin at risk and cause skin cancer. This did not stop people form wanting the tanned appearance, but did encourage the concept of sunless tanning.
Sunless methods are not known to cause any serious damage to the skin, which is why they are supported by health authorities and is also part of the reason the product has become so successful. One concern, however, is that most self tan products will contain very little UV protection, so users should always remember that when exposing their skin to harmful light.
More recently, we are once again starting to see paler faces in our fashion and screen icons, so after decades of popularity, the tan may finally be starting to fade.
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