No offense to William Shakespeare, but my question of the day is, “To tan or not to tan”.

Summer’s here and with that is a wardrobe change.  Gone are the long sleeves, coats and sweaters and long pants and boots.  Replace those with shorts and t-shirts and bathing suits.  You show a lot more skin in the summer.

Absolutely Natural has always promoted safe tanning with our all natural mineral sunscreens and after sun aloes.  But, we also offer a self-tanner that took years to develop and will give your skin that sought after sun kissed glow.

I’m often asked about the pros and cons of tanning in the sun versus tanning with a self tanner.

With more than 40 years living on the beaches and enjoying the benefits of being in the sun, I am an advocate of PROPER exposure to the sun.  That means with caution.  We don’t want people frying their skin but don’t discount the mood enhancement and very valuable Vitamin D exposure.  The best source of Vitamin D comes from the sun.

Self Tanners

Nearly all self-tanners use Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the “tanning agent.”  DHA reacts chemically with the amino acids in the protein keratin, the major component of the skin surface. The resulting pigments are called melanoidins. These are similar in coloration to melanin, the natural substance in the deeper skin layers which brown or "tan", from exposure to UV rays.

Until recently, most DHA was synthetically manufactured and some researchers considered it ill advised to use because of the potential creation of free radicals during the early stages of the process.  Also, notoriously, DHA had a drying effect on the skin … exactly what you don’t want when trying to build and maintain a tan.

The last several years, researchers have worked with various natural DHA products from beet cane or sugar cane with varying degrees of success.  The biggest concern has been inconsistency from batch to batch.

AN uses Vegetan, which is an extract from rape seed, and provides the most efficient and effective DHA on  the market today.   The result is natural color and hydrated skin with none of the negatives of chemical or sugar DHA’s.

To properly use, ideally, you will exfoliate first with one of Absolutely Natural’s exfoliators and then apply evenly to clean, dry skin.  Color will develop in 2 to 4 hours and continue to build for 24 or more hours.  For a deeper color, apply more frequently.  Tan will last from 3 to 10 days and most of our customers refresh their tans with applications every few days.  Be sure to wash hands after application.

With Absolutely Natural’s proprietary formula utilizing a safe, natural state-of-the-art DHA and a great aloe and argan oil base in a luxurious lotion, tanning without the sun will be easy and enjoyable.

So “To tan or not to tan”? The answer is a hearty, YES.   No matter which you choose, Absolutely Natural’s tanning system for use in the sun or AN’s self tanner, you will end up with youthful looking,vibrant skin.

Best regards,

Charley