Sunless tanning refers to the use of chemicals on the skin to create a result similar in appearance to a conventional suntan, but without any sunlight. It is a completely cosmetic practice, with self tanning and airbrush tanning becoming the fastest growing sector in the cosmetics market.
Self tans can come in a variety of application types. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is used in the product which reacts with amino acids on the skin surface to give the change in color. So there is no skin pigmentation or exposure to UV light.
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.
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.
When self tan first became available in the fifties, it came in the form of a brown or creamy dye that was applied to skin to give the appearance of a tan. The first self tan products gave an orange and patchy result which did not look natural but now technologies have developed and new ingredient combinations have improved the finished effect.
Many people feel better with bronzed skin, as they feel it gives the impression of good health and general well-being. But in the sixties, health experts established that excess exposure to sunlight and UV light (which is used in tanning beds) could put your skin at risk and cause skin cancer. This did not stop people form wanting the tanned appearance, but did encourage the concept of sunless tanning.
Sunless methods are not known to cause any serious damage to the skin, which is why they are supported by health authorities and is also part of the reason the product has become so successful. One concern, however, is that most self tan products will contain very little UV protection, so users should always remember that when exposing their skin to harmful light.
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 tans can come in a variety of application types. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is used in the product which reacts with amino acids on the skin surface to give the change in color. So there is no skin pigmentation or exposure to UV light.
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.
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.
When self tan first became available in the fifties, it came in the form of a brown or creamy dye that was applied to skin to give the appearance of a tan. The first self tan products gave an orange and patchy result which did not look natural but now technologies have developed and new ingredient combinations have improved the finished effect.
Many people feel better with bronzed skin, as they feel it gives the impression of good health and general well-being. But in the sixties, health experts established that excess exposure to sunlight and UV light (which is used in tanning beds) could put your skin at risk and cause skin cancer. This did not stop people form wanting the tanned appearance, but did encourage the concept of sunless tanning.
Sunless methods are not known to cause any serious damage to the skin, which is why they are supported by health authorities and is also part of the reason the product has become so successful. One concern, however, is that most self tan products will contain very little UV protection, so users should always remember that when exposing their skin to harmful light.
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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