Self-tanners for a Perfect Glow
Self-tanning is a process that allows you to get a great tan just by applying a product directly on your skin. Yes, that actually means you don't have to lie under the sun all day or expose your body to any other kind of light. If what you want is a sun-kissed beauty glow that doesn't come with the hazards inherent in UV rays, self-tanning is for you.
Self-tanning products are mainly made of dihydroxyacetone (DHA). It was in the 1920's when this chemical's tanning effects were first discovered. Since then, various companies have been manufacturing DHA products to be distributed commercially. The tan produced by DHA application is actually a chemical reaction of the chemical with the epidermis or the uppermost layer of the skin. Basically sugar, DHA that comes in comes in contact with the skin reacts with amino acids, giving the skin cells a tan color. Erythrulose is another chemical used in self-tanners, and it also acts like DHA except that its effects take longer to be visible. To make the tan last longer, manufacturers usually mix erythrulose and DHA.
Application of self-tanners may be done at home or in a salon with the help of experts. Related articles pertaining to this are accessible in the site at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunless_tanning. Of course, with professionals, the results are almost always better. Professional applications often involve spraying the tanning products. Spray tanning is usually done either through airbrush tanning or automatic booth tanning. With airbrush tanning, the product is manually applied through an airbrush. In automatic booth tanning, the person enters a cubicle and gets mechanically sprayed with the self-tanning product.
If you're thinking of applying self-tanners on yourself, you should know how to do it properly to ensure that there will be no roughness or splotches on your skin. Tanning products for home use can come in the form of sprays, formulas and lotions.
Self-tanners, however, only change the upper layer of the skin and don't cause the production of skin darkeners inside. In other words, they don't lead to melanin production and offer no sun protection. Thus, make sure you put on some sunscreen when you go out.
There is no question about the damage the sun can bring upon the skin. This is a fact that has long been established worldwide by skin experts and scientists through research. With a sun labs sunless tanner, you can achieve that lovely tan without the disadvantages brought on by extended sun exposure.
A tan created by a tanning product usually lasts for around two weeks, depending not only on how the product was applied, but also on how the skin was prepped up (typically by exfoliation) before application.
The application of self tanning products does make a great technique for achieving beautiful-looking skin. It is important, however, to ensure that the products you use were created by a company of good repute.