The practice of sunless tanning does not involve sun or UV light to crate color of the skin. Instead, a special formula of chemicals is applied to the skin to achieve a tanned skin color. This has made self tanning and airbrush tanning, the most rapidly expanding area of cosmetics.
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.
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.
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.
Most people tend to associate a tan with beauty and a health, but throughout history, many favored white skin. The Romans and Greeks were both known to use white chalk to lighten their skin and Elizabethans even painted faint blue lines on their faces to appear paler. In Victorian society, tanned people were mainly seen in the lower classes and were people who were regularly exposed to sun whilst working outdoors. In comparison, the upper classes would not allow themselves to be exposed to the sun, with many women seen carrying parasols to shade them.
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.
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.
Although sunless tanning does not damage skin, most self tans have very low protection from UV. Therefore, the health associations have warned users that they should always keep this in mind when leaving the skin exposed.
It appears that the tan may soon begin to fade, as once again, pale skinned bodies are starting to emerge across catwalks and on screen.
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