If you have decided that you are going to go the indoor tanning route then you must use some type of indoor tanning lotion. Going in a tanning bed without using a tanning lotion just is'nt going to give you the full effect. It's worth it, to invest a few extra bucks in a good tanning lotion.

Indoor Tanning Lotions are broken up into generally about 5 different categories. They can, however be mixed together, for instance you can get an indoor tanning lotion with both a tingle factor and a bronzer in it, you see what I'm saying?

So I've put together a list of the different kinds of indoor tanning lotions that are available. Depending on your personal preference and skin type you can choose which tanning lotion is right for you. This should help you decipher between the different characteristics you see on your tanning salon shelf.

1. BASIC ACCELERATOR: These indoor tanning lotions are great for a beginning tanner with exceptionally pale or sensitive skin. Many of these have great anti-aging elements in them like CoQ-10. If you have especially dry skin, look for an aloe based formula with moisturizing hemp seed oil in it.

2. BRONZER: These are by far the most popular tanning lotions on the market. A few years ago, tanning companies stopped calling lotions bronzer and started competing to see "how many" bronzers they could fit into one lotion, thus hiking their prices to reflect their new breakthrough formulas. However, don't be fooled. There are still just two types of bronzers: immediate and delayed. Either way, make sure that you apply these lotions evenly and wipe your hands off as soon as you are done to avoid streaking your skin.

3. TINGLE: These feisty little lotions pack a lot of punch for a beginning tanner. Even the most frequent tanner can have trouble using tingle. These indoor tanning lotions stimulate your skin, causing it to redden and become irritated. This effect can last for hours and result in an uncomfortable burning and itching feeling. If you have small children, make sure you rinse off before touching them as these lotions can make them miserable. Despite all of these bad side effects, tingles remain the most effective tanning lotions. Combine them with a good bronzer, and you are sure to have a beautiful, dark tan in no time.

4. FACIAL TANNERS: The skin on your face is thinner and more sensitive than the rest of your body. Most indoor tanning lotions are not designed to be applied to your face. Opt for a special tanning lotion just for the face. Or, better yet, apply SPF to protect the face from tanning, and just use a great make-up bronzer to achieve a nice glow.

5. AFTER-TAN MOISTURIZERS: These tanning lotions are promoted as add-ons to your lotion purchase. They do a great job, but you can find better ones than the bottles that line your shelf at the local tanning salon. Any non mineral-oil based moisturizer will do, just make sure to apply it within five minutes of getting out of the tanning bed.
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Before I get into this blog post I want to start by saying that this is simply some information that I have found and come across many times throughout my life. I want to remind you that anything done too much can be, and usually is bad for you. Remember moderation is the key, do things in moderation and don't go overboard. I don't want people to misunderstand what I'm saying in this blog post and take it as me saying, yes tanning is completely healthy and it will never hurt you, because obviously that is NOT the case. We all know that tanning in tanning beds or outside can be very harmful and should be done with caution. We always hear about tanning beds and skin cancer but rarely do we ever hear about any of the positive effects of tanning beds. I just want to bring to light some of those facts that many of us have no idea about. There are two sides to any story and all things have good and bad qualities. When making my decision to tan or not to tan I look at all of the tanning bed facts, which is exactly why I have a post on this blog about the dangers of tanning beds as well. Always weigh the tanning bed risks as well as the benefits and make an informed decision for yourself. With that being said let's get to the good stuff, my interesting and informative blog post about the positive effects of tanning beds.

During my research about indoor tanning I have found some very interesting facts about the effects of tanning beds and the effects of the UV light, which is what the tanning bed light bulbs emit. It seems that there are many proven benefits of spending time in our beloved tanning beds. I got most of my information from a website called UVtalk.com. If you are a regular tanning bed user or if you just tan for the summer I highly recommend checking out this site.

It may come as a surprise to many people that tanning bed use is regulated by the FDA. The government regulates how long a session can be, how often you can tan, and even what the tanning salons are allowed to tell you. Tanning salons can't tell you that exposure to UV light actually has health benefits.

UV light is how the body produces vitamin D. Harvard researchers found that exposure to UV light increases production of a protein that is known to fight cancer. Even as early as 1940, researchers knew that people who spend time in the sun were less likely to die of cancer than those that spent their time indoors. Doctors claim that vitamin D requirements can easily be met by oral supplements, but a recent study published in the Oxford Journal of Rheumatology points out that low vitamin D levels are common in people taking 800IU of oral vitamin D3 (the amount recommended as the upper limit.) While it is true that ultraviolet damages the skin on a cellular level (much like exercise damages muscles on a cellular level), it also triggers the repair mechanism that tells damaged cells to commit suicide.

Also more evidence shows that regular, moderate UV exposure actually helps to PREVENT rather than cause melanoma. One theory is that by exciting the production of vitamin D (not the vitamin D itself, but the process itself) actually helps keep melanoma in check. So if the doctors know about these positive effects why are they telling you the exact opposite? They don't want you to get melanoma, right? Well according to a study done by Brigham and Women's hospital, the risk of melanoma does not change significantly by where you live. If you live in Atlanta you get more UV exposure than you get if you live in New York but you don't have a greater risk of melanoma.

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Are you new to indoor tanning, or maybe you just can't quite accomplish that deep, dark tan that you want so badly. Whatever the case might be there are a few main indoor tanning tips that you must follow if you want to achieve a healthy dark tanning glow in a tanning bed. One of the most important factors in a great looking tan is tanning lotion! Some people say that you don't need to spend all kinds of money on indoor tanning lotion. That statement is only half true. It is extremely important the type of tanning lotion you choose to use when you tan indoors in a tanning bed. In order to choose the right tanning lotion for you and your skin type you first have to know a thing or two about indoor tanning lotions. This website, www.indoortanning.myewebsite.com, has an excellent blog post about the different kinds of tanning lotions and what each one does. If you are fair skinned and burn easily the type of lotion you use is even more important, that link explains even more for people with very light skin tones.

So the first ingredient in a gorgeous tan is tanning lotion. The second most important thing could quite possibly be exfoliation. Exfoliating is important because when you tan your skin, the top layer is what get's tan, and you want to get as many layers of dry skin off before you go into a tanning bed. That way when you tan that outer layer, it won't be likely to fall off for a bit longer as opposed to a layer of skin that is flaking and almost ready to go. See what I'm saying there? So my advice is to take a shower before you go to a tanning salon, and while in the shower use a loofah or another equally good product that is known specifically for it's exfoliation properties to scrub away a lot of that outer, dry skin away.

Okay I lied, this next indoor tanning tip might just be as important as the last one I mentioned. So my next tip is to keep moisturized! When you step out of the shower, after exfoliating very well, I want you to apply a good quality moisturizing lotion as soon after you are out of the shower as possible. It's actually better to apply the lotion when your skin is still a little bit damp.

Finally the last step is to use, not a sunless tanner but more specifically something like Jergens Natural Glow. A moisturizer that has just a touch of a sunless tanner added to it. My absolute favorite is Body Drench Quick Tan Lotion. I buy mine from Amazon and I even have a direct link to this product in the sidebar of this blog. It works wonders in trouble areas that don't tan as well, such as under the neck and shoulders and under your arms and arm pits. It also tops off your perfect tan with a beautiful brown glow!

So that's all for this blog post. Those are my main, most important indoor tanning tips that must be followed religously if you want to have a good, dark tan. Good Luck with everything and please feel free to leave me a comment about your experiences or about my blog.




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