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I'm a huge fan of indoor tanning, but only after I made the leap to try it myself some time back.
It was during a particularly busy period of work that I realised that I was getting really white/pale and I had almost lost my tan. Problem is, I didn't have the time or mood to go spend a day at the beach. Projects and work were just too much, especially since my clients were constantly pressing me for deliverables. How could I go get a tan with all that stuff on my mind?
So I decided to do a little research on the alternatives open to me. I found out that there were basically two avenues of approach: fake tan sprays (those bronzing sprays found at beauty salons), or indoor tanning salons which use indoor tanning beds or booths.
I read through what other people said about both, and which bronzing sprays were fast and non-intrusive (no chance of UV rays or anything there) - the effect only lasted a couple of days MAX, and then it just goes away, leaving your skin in blotches. You'll then need to scrub it all away when you shower (with a really good brush or exfoliating bath), or go for a reapplication spray
That REALLY didn't appeal to me, so I decided to just try indoor tanning. Why? Because it's just like what you'll get from a day at the beach - only you save TONNES of time and sweat and effort. The cost is very reasonable considering what it saves me too - plus there's no worry about rain or bad weather!
So I looked around again, and I found a good indoor tanning studio near where I live, and popped by one day after work. The staff were really friendly, and guided me through the whole process when I introduced myself as a first-timer to indoor tanning.
They had several long term packages (5 or more sessions paid up-front), but I chose to go ahead with a single session first, just in case I didn't like it in the end. I also got myself a mid-range Step-2 indoor tanning lotion, which will act as a moisturiser and bronzer. Indoor tanning lotions are different from the outdoor tanning lotions. In fact, outdoor tanning lotions are banned from indoor tanning studios.
I chose a standing booth over a bed because although it cost more, the tan would be better as you get a true all-round tan. While beds provide all-round tans, there are areas where the rays can reach as well as a booth's rays can. The tanning studio also gave free disposable protective eye-wear, which were two see-through UV-resistant films, cut out to fit the shape of your eyes. They were called WinkEase, and looked pretty cool:
Initially, I was concerned about things like sweating and not being able to shower and all, but it turned out to be pretty well covered. The studio provided a changing room cum shower, and even gave free shampoo and soap, towels and hair gel. That's what I call great customer service!
I stripped down into my briefs, applied my lotion and locked up my belongings in the free lockers (they think of everything!). In the booth, you are literally surrounded by tubes of blue light, and there's a console inside which houses several fans as well as a timer.
The 15 minutes that I was in there passed really quickly, and it wasn't uncomfortable at all. I just planned my next day's activities in my head, and before I knew it, the time was up and the UV light turned off by themselves. The only thing I didn't like was how the disposable eye-wear tended to drop off. I may consider getting my own personal pair of eye-wear in the future.
The tan wasn't apparent immediately after I got out, but a few hours' later, I realised my skin felt sensitive and slightly reddish - which is a normal occurrence. To build up my base tan, I'm going to get for a couple more sessions in the coming week. Overall, it's not too bad, considering that it was so comfortable, convenient, and saved me so much time. In addition, the added confidence that my tan gives me makes me feel so much better about myself!
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