August 6, 2007
Fabulous Finds: "Soleful" PurposeGoing for the Bronze
by Christine Spehar
What is it about a tan that seems to make everything look better? It’s not that I have anything against a creamy complexion; it’s just that, with my skin tone, a golden glow is definitely better than a ghostly one. But, baking in the sun or in a tanning bed has gone out of style faster than Brangelina can decide to adopt another kid, and for good reason. Sunning yourself, both indoors and out, can lead to cancer and premature aging. (All of a sudden you’re wishing that umbrella in your piña colada was a lot bigger.)
This got me thinking about the only option left—sunless tanning products. Can using a chemical to get tan really be any safer than lying in the sun? Lucky for those who covet a bronze complexion, I found out that the substance used to darken skin in self-tanning lotions and sprays, dihydroxyacetone (DHA), is a monosaccharide sugar compound, approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a safe cosmetic ingredient.
Once I learned I was in the clear with DHA, I went on a hunt for self-tanning products that actually work…it is bikini season, after all. But not just any 
bronzing cream would do…I wanted one that didn’t streak, smelled nice and shunned yucky ingredients, like preservatives, artificial colors and synthetic fragrances. If I was going to avoid cancer by staying in the shade, I certainly wasn’t going to risk getting it by spreading toxic chemicals all over my skin.
Apparently, I’m not the only one with these concerns because I was pleased to find a parade of sunless tanners made with pure ingredients. Alba Botanica's Golden Tan Sunless Tanning Lotion (www.albabotanica.com), for instance, uses no paraben preservatives, artificial colors, animal derived ingredients or animal testing. Even better, the product uses another natural ingredient, erythrulose, which is derived from beets, to tint the top most layer of skin a natural golden color.
Kiss My Face’s Instant Sunless Tanner (www.kissmyface.com) uses walnut shell extract as a coloring agent and heavenly mango nut oil for moisturizing...we’re talking a seriously sensual scent and a nice golden-brown tone to boot!
Nature’s Gate’s Upper Tanagement (www.natures-gate.com), which is paraben free and contains certified organic ingredients, also uses squalene, an ingredient derived from olive oil that prepares the skin so that the color goes on very smoothly and the added caramel will make your skin look and smell good enough to eat—though I wouldn’t recommend it.
Instead, remember to apply your sunscreen after your sunless tanner has fully dried, and get that bronzed body to the beach…under a large umbrella, of course!
