Tips for Tanning Outside

While you may be used to tanning in a tanning bed or in a salon, often times people want to work on their tan outside, in the comfort of their own home. Though this method can be easy, there are some tips to keep in mind because getting a healthy, golden tan is more than just lying around on the lounge poolside. Below are some helpful tips that will help your outside tanning session go smoothly!

You need to know your skin type and just how long it takes you to tan before you become burned. If you know your skin type then it’s easy to plan the amount of time you need to take to bronze up.

When you’re tanning in your backyard you will want to apply sun tan lotion. It sounds counter productive, but sun tan lotion will prevent you from getting a sunburn. You may not tan as fast with the application of sun tan lotion but you will tan without fear of burning and skin damage. Remember, burned skin can lead to skin damage and will also prematurely age you. Regardless of your skin type, you should apply a tanning lotion that offers at least a 15 sun protection factor – higher if you have fair skin that burns easily.

Find out the best time of day to do your tanning. What part of the day it is will depend on the area of the country in which you live. In some areas in the east, the sun is at its peak around noon, some areas to the west don’t hit peak sun until late afternoon. Knowing when the sun is at its peak will let you reap the full benefits of its rays.

Once you’re done in the sun you will want to shower off the sun tan lotion and liberally apply moisturizer. If your skin is dried out, it will produce less melanin and this will make it harder for your skin to produce a tan. If you keep your skin moisturized from the outside with lotion as well as from the inside by drinking plenty of water, your skin will be glowing with your tan.

So next time you head out from under the tanning lamps and toward the sun, remember these tips to make sure your skin is golden and not red by the end of the session!

Tips for Cleaning Your Tanning Bed

It's easy to overlook cleaning the tanning bed, particularly when you are the only one using it! Yet the bed needs to be cleaned regularly in order to have the best environment in which to get the best tan. Cleaning can be done when changing out the tanning lamps and should also be done more frequently, at least once a week. Fortunately, even though there is a lot to do, tanning beds are easy to clean.

Tanning lamps themselves need to be dusted regularly. If you allow too much dust to build up, there is the chance that the UV ray intensity could be decreased by about 10 percent.

Wipe off the reflector, another component that helps to aim the UV rays toward your skin. While not, technically, a part of the lighting mechanism, the ballast tray tends to collect dust and should be cleaned out on a regular basis. Keep in mind, however, that the tray does not need to be cleaned as often as the other parts.

There will be cooling fans in the ballast or on the canopy, or in both areas. These fans are an essential component of the bed, so be sure to clean the blades thoroughly.

Always sanitize the bed between each use. Contrary to popular belief, UV rays do not disinfect the surface in any way, thus be sure to clean the bed yourself

The main thing to keep in mind is that tanning bed maintenance, and cleaning, should be done on a regular basis, and should be done properly. If done so, you will have a clean bed and the best conditions to enjoy a good tanning session.