Whether
it be a sun-kissed shine or a rich glow, the suntanned
look isn’t a fad that is likely to disappear anytime,
among both women and men. Whether it be the middle of
January, or a hot, August day, a great tan continues to be
a highly coveted look of youthfulness, even for men. The
only problem is? You guessed it… the sun. The traditional
means of obtaining that highly coveted bronze is the one
thing besides cigarette smoke that can do intense damage
to our skin. So what are your other options? There are a
few. Some may be more familiar to women since men have
recently begun catching-up to the trend of chasing the sun-kissed
look, but all methods are being increasingly marketed
towards and utilized by men, as well as women, as both
genders seek the youthful glow, without the harmful
affects.
Salon Tanning
Salon
tanning comes in two forms, one of which is quickly
loosing its popularity because of its harmful affects on
the skin that mock those of overexposure to the sun. The
once popular tanning booths expose eager tan-goers to the
same ultraviolet rays as sunlight, causing premature aging
and the potential for development of melanoma – cancer of
the skin. It took a while, but thanks to intense urging
from dermatologists and doctors, men and women began
heeding the warnings, prompting salons to adopt new
services to offer in the way of sunless tanning. This gave
birth to spray tanning.
Spray
tanning can be applied by a spa professional or in a
booth. Sunless tanning in the salon gets mixed reviews.
Like the previous form of tanning, men must go a few times
before seeing results usually and must continue regular
sessions to maintain their glow. Also, some men are
intimidated by the thought of having spa staff apply spray
tanning since it usually requires that you are completely
unclothed, so some opt for the booth version of spray
tanning. The down side of spray tanning is that it can
tend to look orange.
Sunless Tanning At Home
Nowadays there are several products men can purchase to
obtain a sunless tan at home. Sprays, foams, and creams
all make the list. Specifically for men, foams may be the
best since these can easily be applied to areas with hair
growth. Keep in mind that sprays can best be applied with
a sponge so as to avoid streaking or spotting. If you want
want a glow for the face, dermatologists do not recommend
using the same self-tanner on the face as you would the
body, as this may contribute to irritation when shaving,
but rather a sunscreen that has a slight tint to it.
Exfoliating before applying self-tanner will also reduce
redness and irritation.
For men
who have receeding hair lines or have a completely bare
head, self-tanner can be applied to the head, but experts
recommend exfoliation and application in smaller amounts
at a time as to avoid irritation to hair follicles that
are exposed to shaving. Men that may be concerned about
the smell of self-tanners have a few to choose from that
offer odor-free lines. Additionally, men also need to be
aware that self-tanner does not protect skin from the sun
and must therefore take the necessary precautions.
