DHA tan or UV rays?

Sunshine_And_Sand

Do you prefer an actual UV rays tan (tanning bed or laying outside) or a DHA tan (sunless tanners) and why? Or would you rather be pale and why?
Me: I have been through phases where I wanted a tan, mostly high school. I am able to tan, but I'm naturally light complected, so it always took forever compared to my friends since I had to tan slowly to avoid burning, and it faded a lot faster for me, too much work and money for the pay off really so I just stay pale most of the time. It's also bad for your skin. I love being outside though, so I just end up going through a lot of sunscreen.
Over the last few years, when I've randomly got the urge to be tan, I've been using sunless tanner.
So far, I've tried and liked Sun Goddess and Jergen's Natural Glow gradual tan. I also have some Banana Boat I want to try next.
What are your favorite sunless tanners and why? Also, you can share any tips you have for people who are thinking of pouring on the DHA.

Glazed_and_Confused

I'm super pale and don't tan. I've had 2nd degree sunburnss twice so I steer clear from tanning since it increases skin cancer risks immensely. I never found a natural looking sunless tanner so I just embrace my paleness.

ythannah

Another pale one here. I have Celtic skin so I don't tan well, mostly just pink and blotchy. Or freckles. I've used sunscreen on my face 365 for the last 25 or 30 years.

I hate the smell of sunless tanners. I've used a few of the ones that don't have that characteristic odour. My favourite is an Avon gradual tan gel.

TheRoadDog

Not that you can tell by my picture, but I was a freckled red head. I hit the Tanning beds every year about this time, so that I won't burn during the summer. On vacations or riding my motorcycle. Coincidentally, I hit the Tanning Salon, for the first time this year, last night.

caco_ethes

Add me to the perpetually pale list. I have to have my skin checked every six months by a derm and I’ve also had melasma issues so getting a tan isn’t remotely tempting.

St Tropez One Day Only is pretty good stuff. It doesn’t actually tan you so it doesn’t smell bad and it’s truly water proof.

nooshi713

Tanning beds are so bad. I dont want skin cancer or wrinkles. I wear spf 30 on cloudy days and spf 100 on sunny or beach days. Inevitably color still reaches me even if I reapply every hour. I don't mind a slight tan that I get in summer. It looks nice. It is not intentional though. I embrace my paleness.

sammidelvecchio

I love sun kissed skin I am of Mediterranean descent, with olive skin, so I tan pretty easily. I like tanning beds, but do not use them excessively. I also make sure to use the best lotion and protection when I do use them. Because I also have a lot of tattoos, I have to buy special lotion for those. I'm 31 and no wrinkles in sight for me yet, even with all the sun exposure i've had all these years (i'm a total sun bunny from May to September). I do like sunless tanner in the colder months if I have a wedding or something to go to. I really like Bondi Sands and Jergens Natural Glow. The application of the sunless tanner is what makes me not use them very much. It's time consuming and my boyfriend has to help me lol

sardelsa

I tan fairly easily, but if I am outside I will wear sunscreen especially on my face and chest. I don't really sunbathe anymore now that I am older and wiser. I prefer sunless tans to keep up colour since I feel so much better with a tan. I like St.Tropez for light colour and Loving Tan (2hr express mousse) for a nice deep rich overall tan, it takes some trial and error and getting used to but the results are amazing.

RunsWithBees

I’m half Hispanic so I turn bronze super easily even when wearing sunscreen. I don’t tan on purpose though, it’s just the sun that hits me when I’m running and swimming outdoors

Just_Mel_

I know it's bad, but a little time in tanning beds actually help my eczema. I don't do it near as often as I used to. I guess in my old age I don't really care about having pale legs in the summertime like I used to. I've noticed with prom season coming up, teens aren't fake baking anymore because they can't under the age of 18. I think this is a good trend.

Vikka_V

I remember as a teen slathering on baby oil and climbing onto the roof to try to tan.

I've never tanned well, and like my pasty skin now. I get a few freckles if I try, but I don't think I have much melanin or something, I am not capable of tanning.

I wear sunscreen on my face and neck every day. In the summer on my arms, hands and feet
...never on my legs tho, 'cause that's just too much trouble?

Sunshine_And_Sand

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! I'll have to look at some of those sunless tanners. I have blonde hair and a pink tint to my skin, even though I hardly ever slip up and get sunburned anymore. That coloring may be a factor, but on me all the sunless tanners I've tried so far give me a color that looks pretty much the same as I got from the tanning bed in high school and college. Also, even when I had real tans in the past, I still had to wear sunscreen to keep from burning.

Sunshine_And_Sand

Vikka_V wrote: »

I remember as a teen slathering on baby oil and climbing onto the roof to try to tan.

I've never tanned well, and like my pasty skin now. I get a few freckles if I try, but I don't think I have much melanin or something, I am not capable of tanning.

I wear sunscreen on my face and neck every day. In the summer on my arms, hands and feet
...never on my legs tho, 'cause that's just too much trouble?

To the bolded, I find I really like the spray on sunscreen. It saves lots of time for sure, and the mosquitoes leave me alone when I have it on. To me, the coppertone kind sprays on the best and most evenly and dries pretty fast. I usually use the spf 50 because that's what the tear free kids stuff in the green bottle comes in. Spraying myself with something different than I'm using on the kids is usually just too time consuming when we're all trying to get ready to get in the pool

Vikka_V

Sunshine_And_Sand wrote: »

Vikka_V wrote: »

I remember as a teen slathering on baby oil and climbing onto the roof to try to tan.

I've never tanned well, and like my pasty skin now. I get a few freckles if I try, but I don't think I have much melanin or something, I am not capable of tanning.

I wear sunscreen on my face and neck every day. In the summer on my arms, hands and feet
...never on my legs tho, 'cause that's just too much trouble?

To the bolded, I find I really like the spray on sunscreen. It saves lots of time for sure, and the mosquitoes leave me alone when I have it on. To me, the coppertone kind sprays on the best and most evenly and dries pretty fast. I usually use the spf 50 because that's what the tear free kids stuff in the green bottle comes in. Spraying myself with something different than I'm using on the kids is usually just too time consuming when we're all trying to get ready to get in the pool

I use baby sunscreen, figure it's the gentlest
...but maybe I'm wrong, I guess babies can't tell you

nooshi713

I always burn with spray sunscreen. They just arent as good as lotions although they sure are convenient.

cwolfman13

I don't layout and purposely tan and I don't wear any kind of fake tan. I'm outside a lot from spring through mid to late fall cycling, hiking, and hanging out in the pool. I wear sunscreen but inevitably get tan. I can be pretty dark by August. I rarely burn and have never had a bad sunburn. I have olive skin.

Sunshine_And_Sand

nooshi713 wrote: »

I always burn with spray sunscreen. They just arent as good as lotions although they sure are convenient.

I always burned with banana boat spray sunscreen but never the coppertone, which is weird because as far as the lotions I always found the banana boat works best. I do notice I sometimes tan (well tan for me) through the spray but never the lotions so it probably isn't covering as well.
Also, I found some of the spray sunscreens still needed to be rubbed in, which defeats the purpose of using a spray in the first place...

Sunshine_And_Sand

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I don't layout and purposely tan and I don't wear any kind of fake tan. I'm outside a lot from spring through mid to late fall cycling, hiking, and hanging out in the pool. I wear sunscreen but inevitably get tan. I can be pretty dark by August. I rarely burn and have never had a bad sunburn. I have olive skin.

Must be nice. My DH is the same way. He gets a great tan through sunscreen and rarely burns. Even when he does burn because too stubborn or forgets sunscreen sometimes, I don't ever remember him peeling, and then he's always even tanner the next day.
He does have more freckles and wrinkles than me (same age as me) so I guess that's an advantage I have...

grimendale

I'm Scotch-Irish by descent, so not the darkest ever, but I don't tend to burn either, which is nice. I don't lay out to get sun deliberately, but I tend to get a decent bit during my runs (I don't wear sunscreen during them as my Vitamin D levels are a little low and I'm trying to boost them at the moment). If i were going to be out in the sun for an extended time (beach or pool, for example), I would use sunscreen, but not otherwise.

GimmeAMalt

Tanning beds are def a no-no for me. Had to have a dermatologist cut a couple spots off of me this year from tanning like an idiot in my teens and twenties. I still get pretty dark in the summer when I wear SPF 90.

cwolfman13

Sunshine_And_Sand wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I don't layout and purposely tan and I don't wear any kind of fake tan. I'm outside a lot from spring through mid to late fall cycling, hiking, and hanging out in the pool. I wear sunscreen but inevitably get tan. I can be pretty dark by August. I rarely burn and have never had a bad sunburn. I have olive skin.

Must be nice. My DH is the same way. He gets a great tan through sunscreen and rarely burns. Even when he does burn because too stubborn or forgets sunscreen sometimes, I don't ever remember him peeling, and then he's always even tanner the next day.
He does have more freckles and wrinkles than me (same age as me) so I guess that's an advantage I have...

I think I've had a bad enough burn to peel maybe once or twice in my life. Usually it just gets a little rosy and then turns brown.

ythannah

Vikka_V wrote: »

Sunshine_And_Sand wrote: »

Vikka_V wrote: »

I remember as a teen slathering on baby oil and climbing onto the roof to try to tan.

I've never tanned well, and like my pasty skin now. I get a few freckles if I try, but I don't think I have much melanin or something, I am not capable of tanning.

I wear sunscreen on my face and neck every day. In the summer on my arms, hands and feet
...never on my legs tho, 'cause that's just too much trouble?

To the bolded, I find I really like the spray on sunscreen. It saves lots of time for sure, and the mosquitoes leave me alone when I have it on. To me, the coppertone kind sprays on the best and most evenly and dries pretty fast. I usually use the spf 50 because that's what the tear free kids stuff in the green bottle comes in. Spraying myself with something different than I'm using on the kids is usually just too time consuming when we're all trying to get ready to get in the pool

I use baby sunscreen, figure it's the gentlest
...but maybe I'm wrong, I guess babies can't tell you

I do the same because my skin can be sensitive, and because I figure the quality control for infant products is probably better.

What is dislike about sunscreen is that it seems to prevent skin cooling by sweat. Particularly annoying when you're outdoors in the heat... I wouldn't need sunscreen if I was sitting in a nice airconditioned building now would I?

rdevol

I used to love going to the tanning bed when I was younger, get a great tan for little effort. And then a few years later, I got diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer. Luckily it was early stage and they got it all, but it could've easily killed me, as it spreads quickly and aggressively.

If you spend a lot of time in the sun or must go to the tanning beds, PLEASE be sure to get your skin checked by a dermatologist at least once a year. I never thought it could be me, until it was me.