Exfoliation is key to getting the best results from each tanning session. A build-up of dead skin cells on the body will result in a dull, ashen hue to the skin and will also block those precious UV rays from contacting young, healthy skin cells that are ready to be tanned! Exfoliated skin will look fresh and will absorb both tanning lotion and UV better. Here are a few tips to ensure your sessions have the maximum benefit for your tan:
1. Use the correct tools: a sponge is never a good idea: they tend to stay damp and trap dead skin, creating a breeding ground for bacteria. A clean, nubby washcloth works great, as well as exfoliating gloves. Either way, make sure to rinse them thoroughly afterward and let them air dry.
2. A scrub solution is a good way to go. We recommend Neutrogena’s Energizing Sugar Body Scrub, $9.99, a great product at a fabulous price point.
3. Exfoliate weekly, and no more than twice per week. The most common mistake people tend to make is to exfoliate too often because they experience favorable results and think that more will be even better. However, over-exfoliation can cause skin irritation, redness and sensitivity. Have a regular weekly routine and be consistent, but don’t over do it.
4. Keep in mind the time of year - in the winter with drier, colder weather, our skin tends to be drier and need less exfoliation. During the summer months warm weather increases perspiration and oil production, leading to speedier accumulation of dead cells, so you may need a bit more exfoliation.
5. Don’t scrub too hard! The most common mistake people make is using to much pressure, which will only result in red, irritated skin. Use light but firm pressure for the best results.
Sunlight is the best and only natural source of vitamin D: sun exposure to the skin is the human race’s natural, intended, most effective and most neglected source of vitamin D.
Unlike dietary or supplementary vitamin D, when you get your ‘D’ from sunshine your body takes what it needs, and de-metabolizes any extra. That’s critical – as vitamin D experts and many health groups now advocate 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily – five to ten times the old recommendations. Because too much ‘D’ from dietary supplements may cause the body to over-process calcium, nobody really knows for sure how much supplementary vitamin D is safe. On the other hand, sunlight-induced vitamin D doesn’t have that problem – it’s the way your body is intended to make it! Here’s the breakdown:
Of course, the easiest and most time-efficient way to get that 15 minutes of UV exposure - in a California Sun tanning bed! See you in the salon…
Source: Holick, MF. Vitamin D Deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine, July 2007
In its haste to pass healthcare reform legislation last winter and at the urging of a wealthy special interest group, the American Academy of Dermatology, Congress included a 10% tax on indoor tanning services in the final healthcare reform bill. A 10 percent tax on tanning was placed in the federal health care bill instead of the originally proposed 5 percent “bo-tax,” which would have taxed cosmetic surgeries. This tax was not drafted by congressional staff and did not go through the normal legislative vetting process or any committee consideration. As a result, it was poorly drafted, will be extremely difficult to collect and will harm thousands of small businesses and affect millions of consumers, mostly working and middleclass women. Now that President Barack Obama has signed the health care bill into law, the tan tax will affect all tanning salons nationwide.
This tax is NOT an increase from your tanning service provider - it is a federally mandated tax that applies to EVERY salon in the country that provides UV tanning. If you’d like to reach your representatives in Washington to complain about this unfair tax, click here.
Thank you for your business and continued support of California Sun.
