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 be applied in a number of ways, and can come in the form of sprays and lotions, amongst others. The change in skin color is not a result of sun or UV exposure, but rather a result of a reaction between amino acids on the surface of the skin, and Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) which is the active ingredient in the formula.
They can be used at home and should be applied to clean, dry skin. It is recommended to avoid bathing or swimming until the product has had time to fully absorb into the skin, which can take anything between 1-6 hours. First time users should always do a skin test before use. This involves applying to a small patch of skin, then waiting 24 hours in case of any allergic reactions, before applying to the rest of the body.
Another sunless form is an airbrush tan, which is applied using special equipment operated by trained specialists.
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.
In was not until the twenties, when a famous designer returned from a cruise vacation with a tan that it became fashionable. The tan no longer represented a life of outside labor, but a life of leisure and luxury. Also at this time, the looser fashions inspired by the Jazz age meant that women were no longer wearing clothes that completely covered their bodies, which gave even more reason to tan.
Recent self tan products give a much more natural finish compared to those that first become available. The cream or brown dyes used in the fifties often gave a patchy and orange look but new technologies and ingredients changed this.
Even after health officials in the sixties announced that thy had discovered a link between continuous sun or UV exposure and skin cancer, people still wanted to be tanned due to the positive connotations it implied. Therefore, sunless tanning methods were supported as a great alternative way to be tanned without risk.
Health experts do recommend the use of self tan as an alternative to a regular tan as there are not any known risks to the skin form using sunless tanning methods. Users should always consider that most self tans provide very low protection against UV, and remember this if leaving skin exposed.
Despite the popularity of the tan through the past decades, it may be finally starting to fade as recent fashion icons are once again gracing the catwalks and screens with paler skin on show.
Self tan can be applied in a number of ways, and can come in the form of sprays and lotions, amongst others. The change in skin color is not a result of sun or UV exposure, but rather a result of a reaction between amino acids on the surface of the skin, and Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) which is the active ingredient in the formula.
They can be used at home and should be applied to clean, dry skin. It is recommended to avoid bathing or swimming until the product has had time to fully absorb into the skin, which can take anything between 1-6 hours. First time users should always do a skin test before use. This involves applying to a small patch of skin, then waiting 24 hours in case of any allergic reactions, before applying to the rest of the body.
Another sunless form is an airbrush tan, which is applied using special equipment operated by trained specialists.
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.
In was not until the twenties, when a famous designer returned from a cruise vacation with a tan that it became fashionable. The tan no longer represented a life of outside labor, but a life of leisure and luxury. Also at this time, the looser fashions inspired by the Jazz age meant that women were no longer wearing clothes that completely covered their bodies, which gave even more reason to tan.
Recent self tan products give a much more natural finish compared to those that first become available. The cream or brown dyes used in the fifties often gave a patchy and orange look but new technologies and ingredients changed this.
Even after health officials in the sixties announced that thy had discovered a link between continuous sun or UV exposure and skin cancer, people still wanted to be tanned due to the positive connotations it implied. Therefore, sunless tanning methods were supported as a great alternative way to be tanned without risk.
Health experts do recommend the use of self tan as an alternative to a regular tan as there are not any known risks to the skin form using sunless tanning methods. Users should always consider that most self tans provide very low protection against UV, and remember this if leaving skin exposed.
Despite the popularity of the tan through the past decades, it may be finally starting to fade as recent fashion icons are once again gracing the catwalks and screens with paler skin on show.
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