How do Self (Sunless) Tanners Work — What is the Best Mukilteo Sunless Tanning Product?
Sunless tanning products have come a long way since the days of Q-t — right? Thank the stars above for that — no more orange palms and looking like an Oopah-Loompah! There are actually products that produce an effect so similar to a sun kissed tan, it’s virtually impossible to tell whether you’ve spent a day at the beach or a few minutes after your shower applying the tan!
History of Sunless Tanning
Throughout recorded history, while the sun was consistently worshipped on one level or another, the fact is that until 1920, untanned skin was a status symbol. When Coco Chanel cruised Cannes in 1920, she ‘accidentally’ bronzed — and so the birth of tanned skin for even the upper echelon became desirable. Until the 1970’s, when skin cancer was definitively linked to over exposure to UV rays from the sun, beach combing and sun bathing had become a lifestyle.
With the advent of medical warnings, sunless tanning products were introduced as an alternative to the extreme UV exposure required to maintain a ‘healthy’ tan. While the first tanning products were akin to orange food dye applied daily, research into the activation of melanin (the cells responsible for our skin’s color) has led to the development of superior products for the sun-concious consumer.
Types of Sunless Tanning Products
There are at least 3 basic categories of sunless tanning products:
- Dyes — also called bronzers, these products come in powders, mousse, gels, lotions, sprays and moisturizers. Easily removed with soap and water, skin dyes are the least permanent of all sunless tanning product.
- Melatonin & DHA Antagonists — generally in lotion or gel form, when these products are applied to the skin, DHA is activated in conjunction with melatonin production to actually chemically alter the color of your skin. Application of spray tans by a professional is one more example of this type of sunless tan.
- Internal (pill) color enhancers — canthaxanthin, a food coloring agent was introduced in pill form to promote sunless tanning. When the chemical is ingested, it is stored throughout the body including the fat layers just below the skin; the deposits result in a ‘tanned’ appearance.
Tantasia, a product by Jane Iredale, uses a combination of Tyrosine and Monk’s Pepper (vitex angus castus). The ingredients in Tantasia stimulate melanin synthesis and formation, with or without sun exposure. Additionally, Copper Gluconate, an enzymatic bioactivator supplies more Tyrosine, producing a more even color. With the final ingredient, Dihydroxyacetone, combined with natural vegetable amino acids stimulates a natural looking deep color; by combining with enzymes in your skin’s epidermis and combining with DHA for an even color and correcting any shade differences.
For your perfect Mukilteo Sunless Tan, visit LeVisage Wellness Center & Spa, or purchase the product online. Never worry about the hazards of a bronzed summer appearance again!
