Tanning question

[MagicalMom]

I have never been to a tanning salon before but am considering using one for my up coming cruise. I called Hollywood tans tday for some prices. They have a 3 month unlimited pkg for 15.00/month. Great price, but I don't think I would go that often. They also have shorter packages. I don't want a dark tan, I really don't want to look like those leather ladies you see out and about. I just don't want to look pastey in my formal photos. Do you think a 5 session pkg would do any good? Or is more than 5 sessions usually needed before you can see a difference? I will be using their lowest level booth.

 

[PlaneJoy1]

I have never been to a tanning salon before but am considering using one for my up coming cruise. I called Hollywood tans tday for some prices. They have a 3 month unlimited pkg for 15.00/month. Great price, but I don't think I would go that often. They also have shorter packages. I don't want a dark tan, I really don't want to look like those leather ladies you see out and about. I just don't want to look pastey in my formal photos. Do you think a 5 session pkg would do any good? Or is more than 5 sessions usually needed before you can see a difference? I will be using their lowest level booth.

It's been a while since I tanned but things probably haven't changed that much. At $15/month there is probably a per visit fee, do you know how much the per visit fee? It's probably $2-3 each time you go. So that can add up, depending on the amount of times that you go. You might look into a no-fee monthly package.

I would say if you have very little color now, you'll want to go 2 or 3 times a week for at least month to get some color back into your skin. For more of a summer tan look, it would take that many visits a week for a couple of months or more. It really depends on your coloring and how quickly you tan.

This is the time that the salon business is picking up due to spring proms and summer weddings. If you can only go afterwork, getting an appointment may be difficult.

Have fun on your cruise!

 

[mickeyboat]

I hear the self-tanners are great, too. Is there a spray-tan place around you? It might be cheaper and take less time than tanning.

Denae

 

[PrincessPatty]

I think Hollywood tans are a spray tan place. If it is, you really don't need to go more than the week before you leave.

 

[Buckalew11]

When I worked at a hair salon with a tanning bed we always said 10 visits gets you a "base". I think I would suggest going for about 15-20 visits and doing it very slowly and not every day but we were always taught that consecutive was best.

 

[Desnik]

Hollywood Tan is a regular tanning salon but I do believe they offer the spray on tan. I prefer regular tanning in the bed. I just actually came back now from tanning! You would definitely need to go 2-3 times a week for a month if you are fair skinned, haven't tanned and are going in a low power bed. $15 for a month sounds great to me!

 

[Briarmom]

5 sessions in a low-level bed will get you nothing.

$15 per MONTH! I have never heard of such a cheap price! Here it is that much for one 12 minute tan!

 

[Kimnicki]

If you are looking to just get a base tan before vacation, I would recommend using the higher number bed. The lower number the bed the higher the chances you'll burn. Hollywood Tans has 3 levels of booths - the 42, 54 and 60. I did the 54 for three 5 minute sessions ( I think you can do up to 8 minutes) and I was tan...not overly tan, but just enough to feel a healthy glow. I know you can buy per session and I know it can get expensive doing it that way, but you may consider doing it that way. And the only difference between the 54 and the 60 is the amount of bulbs in the booth.

 

[Tigger Woods]

My wife and I owned a tanning salon 10 years ago and charged 39.95 for a monthly unlimited package. 15 bucks a month? Go for it.

 

[vettechick99]

That does sound cheap. Must be a catch.

I would not get a 3-month unlimited package, that's too many visits for you. You really only need 10-12 sessions to get a base tan. Start by going a few weeks (3-4) before your cruise starting at 5-8 minutes total. Go every few days adding a few minutes each time til you get up to 20 minutes. I also always rotate to my front and sides in the bed so my back doesn't get scorched. Have fun!

 

[Mrs. Bee]

I say...if you must be tan...get a spray on tan.

Unless you like skin cancer.
Or the look of leathery skin.

 

[fraggle551]

I did the 3 month package at hollywood. I did the second level bed, and went probably 3-4 times a week. I had an excellent base tan, but it took awhile to get there. If yours is only 15, I would definitly do it. Here its 20 for the lowest level, and 35 for the second level. They do have stand up tanning though, so just be aware of that. Mine does at least, I believe all of them do. Start off with just a few minutes, and then go for longer once you have a base tan. The stand up beds get you darker quicker than the lay down beds from my experience. Have fun on the cruise!

 

[Shannon G]

I'd recommend just using a self-tanner at home. I used to hate them (it always looked streakey) but LOVE the newer ones that are just body lotion with a bit of self-tanner added to them. Goes on easy, doesn't get streaky, and gives great results. I use it all the time in the warmer weather. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than going to tanning salon, and a lot healthier too!

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I don't recommend spray tan for vacation. I do recommend spray tan for a one time shot, wedding, formal or somewhere that its dark.

IMO, the spray tan is too much pressure for me. Am I supposed to dry myself off completely/partially, did I get my knees? how about my neck, what does that look like.


Spray tans for vacation are horrible, you are out in the sun the whole time and you can see every single flaw in them, where you missed your ankle, your knee, the top of your feet. It seems the sunshine just magifies the errors.

I recommend about 2 weeks prior to your trip, go to the tanning bed on Sat and Sun, then the next weekend do the same, and then go the day before you leave.

This will also prevent sun burn a little bit. The spray/mystic tan does not.

 

[MinnieMe87]

Go every few days adding a few minutes each time til you get up to 20 minutes. I also always rotate to my front and sides in the bed so my back doesn't get scorched. Have fun!

I rotate when I go too! I did get the unlimited package though, because I'm a pale white girl and it'll take me awhile to get even a few shades darker. For me, it was cheaper to go the unlimited route at the place I go to. Have fun on your cruise!!

 

[Tazicket]

It's been a while since I tanned but things probably haven't changed that much. At $15/month there is probably a per visit fee, do you know how much the per visit fee? It's probably $2-3 each time you go. So that can add up, depending on the amount of times that you go. You might look into a no-fee monthly package.

I would say if you have very little color now, you'll want to go 2 or 3 times a week for at least month to get some color back into your skin. For more of a summer tan look, it would take that many visits a week for a couple of months or more. It really depends on your coloring and how quickly you tan.

This is the time that the salon business is picking up due to spring proms and summer weddings. If you can only go afterwork, getting an appointment may be difficult.

Have fun on your cruise!

I agree. I have a naturally olive skin tone, but I'm pretty pale since I don't spend much time outdoors. I went tanning 2x - 3x/week for a month before my friend's wedding a couple of years ago - and I just barely got any color. The only way I could prove I actually got darker was b/c I got one of those little "tan tatoo" things. I'd go, "See!! I am tanned!" (In fact, one of the other girls in the wedding who was a bit of a jerk said that she'd kill herself if she were as pale as me - and that was after tanning for a month!) And $15/month sounds like a really really great deal.

Just be really careful if you start to feel like you're burning. I learned more about sunburns in interesting places in that one month than I did in any other month of my life!

Hope you have a great cruise!

 

[Yzerbear19]

I'd recommend just using a self-tanner at home. I used to hate them (it always looked streakey) but LOVE the newer ones that are just body lotion with a bit of self-tanner added to them. Goes on easy, doesn't get streaky, and gives great results. I use it all the time in the warmer weather. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than going to tanning salon, and a lot healthier too!

I also recommend the lotions with the self-tanners in them. I think the one I have at him is by Jergens. I used it last year before we went to Florida and it worked well. It definitely seems less streaky than the older self-tanners .

 

[Dopey Sharon]

When I go to Hollywood Tans to get my base tan for vacations, I buy the 60 bulb stand up booth tans. They usually have some kind of package for 10 tans.

I will go Monday, Wednesday & Friday the first week starting at 5 minutes the first day, 6 minutes the second day and 7 minutes the third day. I go again the following Monday for the full 8 minutes and, maybe, one more day that week for 8 minutes. That does the trick for me. You can definitely see a difference.

The lower bulb booths burn me, I don't do them anymore.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Am I the only one that LIKES having pale skin? I went to the Bahamas for 10 days on my honeymoon. Did I get a tan before I left to prevent getting burnt? Nope! I just used sunscreen while on my trip.

I guess I'm in the minority.

 

[Buckalew11]

I think it is important to remember that even with a base tan from a tanning bed it is still important to use sunscreen. You could still burn.