Riding and tan lines and I have a wedding next weekend... sunless tanners?

[eponacowgirl]

I'm going to go ahead a consider this HR, because by god, I don't know anyone besides riders that have the kind of tan lines I'm talking about.

I have permanently tattooed sports bra tan lines. I have a wedding next weekend and my dress covers said tan lines decently, but not enough. My legs reflect sunlight.

It takes YEARS for me to develop a tan- if I were to just lay out (which would make me want to stab my eyes out anyway) I would burn and peel where I'm not tanned.

Do you use sunless tanners to help hide your riding-tan-lines? Which one? And how does it effect my DARK Mediterranean tan vs. my Irish pale pasty non-tan?

(And please spare me the sunscreen lectures. I use SPF 50 every three hours.)

[Jaegermonster]

Jergens make some really good ones. I just used one prior to our hunt ball and it made a huge difference.
I used it every morning and every evening.

[bugsynskeeter]

Why not do a spray tan for the wedding? They don't make you look orange anymore. might be an option...and you'd get darker faster then using the sunless tanners.

[oldenmare]

Being incredibly fair myself but having extremely tan arms - I understand your pain!!!

I have had good luck with the sunless cremes - BUT I have found that if I moisturize about 15 minutes prior to applying the tanning creme, I get more even coverage on the alabaster portions of my body.

I also start applying the tanning lotion a few days prior to get everything evened out - then its simple to maintain (a little costly - but again, its for a wedding).

FWIW

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

Someone from my barn got married this past Saturday, and we all went. One of us was a reader during the service. We ALL had the tan lines you describe. But that way everyone knew we were Sarah's friends "from the barn."

[eponacowgirl]

Being incredibly fair myself but having extremely tan arms - I understand your pain!!!

I have had good luck with the sunless cremes - BUT I have found that if I moisturize about 15 minutes prior to applying the tanning creme, I get more even coverage on the alabaster portions of my body.

I also start applying the tanning lotion a few days prior to get everything evened out - then its simple to maintain (a little costly - but again, its for a wedding).

FWIW

So, you just smear it across all of your body and it eventually looks about right? The dark doesn't stay proportionally darker than the transparent areas?

[LoriW]

Jergens natural glow is terrific - take it from a paleface!

[veebug22]

Many tanning places now have spray/misting tan booths. If you find a place that uses high quality products, it should turn out beautifully! I used to get them done occasionally. Pretty reasonably priced -- I want to say $20-$25? When you consider that it lasts a few weeks and looks very natural, it's worth it. They develop within 24 hours. It does feel a little weird and you have to be careful of the positions you do, because if you block the stream to an area with another body part, well, you'll have to use tanning lotion at home to try and fix it (done that, it turned out okay). It has very specific info as to which way you should turn as it sprays you up and down, and you have to rub your knees, elbows, hands, etc., down with this grease before you get in. You have to do all these funny stances. I think I put Kleenex up my nose before I got in and then held my breath when it sprayed because I didn't want to inhale the mist, although I was told it was fine. I imagine you could really moisturize your tan areas or grease them up a bit before, and they won't take as much color as your pale areas. You wipe yourself down after you step out of the booth, so the color in the greased up areas comes off a bit.

Good luck! :)

[Arcadien]

Well that professional spray on job sounds cool for the price, I may have to look into that! But meanwhile, if the OP is going to try the self tanner at home route, here are the "tricks" I've learned to make it look nice & natural:

Step 1, shower & scrub whole body with "exfoliating" soap.

Step 2, light moisterizer

Step 3, apply self tanner whole body

Step 4, wash hands, & I use damp paper towel to dab places were "lines" may collect, like creases behind knees, or elbows, blend into hairline etc.

Step 5, stand buck naked in front of fan for minimum 10 mins (LOL)

Yep, it's a process, but if you sit, or dress too soon, you end up smudged or staining clothes or other stuff. So you have to plan where you have a good hour to yourself (or someone who doesn't mind you walking around naked for a few minutes haha) before you start to do a good job.

After looking at my whole process, that spray on for $25 sounds a lot easier though, LOL

Enjoy,
Arcadien, who is trying to avoid real tanning for health reasons, but cynical enough to believe they will soon find some other kind of disease we are causing our selves from all these self tanners, haha.

[atr]

I have the scary legs thing going too--it's the breeches that do it. I'm trying L'Oreal Sublime Bronze this year, both the body and the face one. It seems to work pretty well (as in I haven't had any smart remarks from my DH about my color) and the color builds up over a few days, so you can avoid the worst of the streak horrors. It also doesn't smell of anything.

The Jergens one smells a bit peculiar to me and is a little yellow for my skin.

[katarine]

hit the salon for a spray tan the day before! If it's the least bit hot you'll be the stinky girl who went the lotion-self-tan route otherwise LOL.

[BuddyRoo]

Do the spray tan--but do it several days prior so that if you think it's too dark or you get a splotch, you've got time to exfoliate the heck out of yourself!

[eponacowgirl]

Okay, okay... so the sprays OR the lotions- will even me out, right?! I'm so paranoid I'm just going to have the same tan lines in different shades of dark.

[mcm7780]

My friend got married last year and had all of us wear pale pink satin dresses. The dress was literally the color of my skin, just a bit shiny. I decided I need a fake tan so I wouldn't look naked. The spray tan did nothing for me. I went two or three times and no one could tell, I was still that pale. :no: I used a self tanner foam (Coppertone, I think) and that seemed to work pretty well. I had to be careful about streaks but at least there was some color! You probably won't have enough time to get everything even (legs matching arms) but you may not be as self conscious about your legs being much paler. Have fun!

[lovemyoldguy]

I used a self tanner foam (Coppertone, I think) and that seemed to work pretty well. I had to be careful about streaks but at least there was some color! You probably won't have enough time to get everything even (legs matching arms) but you may not be as self conscious about your legs being much paler. Have fun!

Exactly - don't worry about trying to make yourself all the exact same color, just try to get rid of some of the pastiness on your legs. I used to ride in breeches with t-shirts or polo shirts and gloves...the only part of me that was tan was from my bicep to my wrist. The rest of me was practically see-through. I used to use Coppertone but personally have had great success with the Jergens line (they make a new foaming mousse now that's really easy to spread.)

No matter what you do, remember to heavily moisturize your hands/feet/elbows/knees/ankles. And if it looks really weird, you can always exfoliate. Good luck, and let us know what works for you!

[eponacowgirl]

How about my tank top/sports bra tan lines on my upper body? And chance of them matching my arms?!

I mean, this is a giant joke with all my friends, so its not like I'm uber-self conscious... it'd just be nice to have photos of me in a dress WITHOUT looking like I'm wearing a white wife-beater tank underneath it. :)

[lovemyoldguy]

How about my tank top/sports bra tan lines on my upper body? And chance of them matching my arms?!

I mean, this is a giant joke with all my friends, so its not like I'm uber-self conscious... it'd just be nice to have photos of me in a dress WITHOUT looking like I'm wearing a white wife-beater tank underneath it. :)

Hmm. I'd try to minimize the contrast. One possibility - to help you see what you're doing - it to get one of those tinted self-tanners. (I think some of the dept. stores lines, like Clinique, carry them.) That way you can see exactly where you're applying it and how dark it *might* look.

Really, though, it's not an exact science. Your best bet is to start experimenting now.....and accept the fact that you have some funky tan lines. :-)

[allikat819]

Lancome in department stores has a good self tanner, (there's one for the face and a different one for the rest of your body, i think), it's slightly tinted so you can see EXACTLY where you're applying it, and it's more of a gel, so it goes on really easily. It's the best self-tanner I've tried. It's a bit more, $35 or so? But it does a great job and you'll get several uses out if it. I've tried the spray on tans at the salons, and it seems to do ok, but i don't know if it makes your already tan bits MORE tan since it's an all or nothing deal. I think a self tanner you can apply to say... just your legs or under your sports bra might work better.

[Tex Mex]

OK, if you are up for it, you CAN get a totally even tan by the weekend. But you have to be committed, it's a pain in the ass and expensive. Exfoliate with apricot scrub or something similar before you start this process, and use lotion religiously this week.

Find a good tanning salon that offers spray tan, then talk to the girls there. They are experts at this very thing! But the best thing to do is probably the "double dip" which is tanning in the bed using a bronzing lotion, and also doing the spray. If you haven't gone yet, start today if you can! Tan in the bed for a short time, like 10 min. Use samples or buy a small bottle of their bronzing lotion so you won't burn. Then on Wednesday do the bed again for 10 min and also do the spray or airbrush. Then on Friday do the bed again for 10 or 15 min depending on your results from the previous days. Do not shower for a least a couple hours after tanning and it's best to go when you are already a little hot, like after riding or the gym. I go at the end of the day because the beds have already been used a few times and are even hotter than in the morning when they haven't been used.

I am super white/fair skinned. This system always works for me! I keep my face covered in the bed with a towel. Your face is probably tan enough anyway. Make sure you put your arms above your head part of the time in the bed so that you get the sides of your body tan. I know some of you are going to say how terrible this is for your skin but it's only a few times and you will look beautiful in your pictures!

[nuts4cowboybutts]

I agree with TexMex.

Your best bet is to go to a salon or spa for the spray tan. Most of them know exactly what they are doing and can advise you so you can look great.

Don't go to one of those cheapo tanning places as their employees may not be very experienced.Some hire kids out of school for the summer and those kids don't have a wealth of experience in spraying. Pay a little more and get a great spray on tan.

[CJ4ME]

I think the best solution would be to go to a better class salon and have them air brush your tan (using a hand held applictor) to cover the lines on your shoulders and then to darken your legs. They can customize the color to match your normal tan, just color in the places that are white and you see the results right away.

Pricey, but the results are the best.

[huntergirl007]

I feel every inch of your pain.

There is one way, which REALLY helped me get rid of my wonderful tan lines...was salon tanning. You know? Lay in the cancer pool of light butt-naked and wonder what the heck it's doing to your skin? I went twice before a wedding and I had this wonderful brown colour EVENLY across my body. (And I am like you described...ghostly). I didn't return after because I knew how bad it is for you. But I would have - it worked wonderfully. And not very expensive either.

Other than that, I agree. Spray tan's. They look good aswell.

I WOULDN'T suggest sunless tanners only because they get streaky and orange. At least that has been my experience with them. Even the "lotions" seem to do the same things. If you DO choose to go that route...make sure you wash your hands after. I was awfully embarassed when I noticed all this "dirt" in between my fingers. No...it was not dirt. Just layers and layers of cream...:rolleyes:

(Edited because "I feel every inch of pain" didn't make much sense...)

[janedoe726]

Add me to the list of people on whom the spray-on tans do not work! Tried it and hated it! I'm hooked on Dove's gradual tanning lotion. It's not a self-tanner, so you don't get streaks, but it works great. Like another poster said, exfoliate, then use the lotion twice a day for 2-3 days and it will come out great. Not greasy and doesn't smell too bad! Good luck!!

[IsolaBella09]

Jergens! I love the new foaming one. I use it a few times a week. It dries fast, doesn't have an awful smell, and you can use it as a daily mosturizer that will build color in a few days. I'm a little addicted. :lol:

[Trixie]

I mean, this is a giant joke with all my friends, so its not like I'm uber-self conscious... it'd just be nice to have photos of me in a dress WITHOUT looking like I'm wearing a white wife-beater tank underneath it.

I can fix this. It's called "photoshop."

:lol:

[eponacowgirl]

And here, I haven't yet mentioned the giant- "OPT- 4:37, SF- 3:51" sketched on my lower arm with permanent marker...

Oh, priorities.

[tarragon]

Okay, if you are like me and way too lazy and cheap to spend all day at the spa getting airbrushed, try this- http://www.sallyhansen.com/product.cfm?product=149

A friend gave it to me for my glow-in-the-dark white legs complete with blue, purple and green bruises. I've also used it on my arms and shoulders to even out the farmer's tan. It is the best thing ever!!!

You can easily spray it on yourself, put it just where you need it and if you get too much on or in the wrong spot it washes off with soap and water. It is water-resistant and won't rub off on your clothes. Plus, it's cheap enough that you can even do a trial run to make sure it's going to work.

[LegalEagle]

And here, I haven't yet mentioned the giant- "OPT- 4:37, SF- 3:51" sketched on my lower arm with permanent marker...

Oh, priorities.

Rubbing alcohol will get that off! :lol:

[RW06]

Two words: Tan Towel

www.tantowel.com

[suzyq]

Okay, if you are like me and way too lazy and cheap to spend all day at the spa getting airbrushed, try this- http://www.sallyhansen.com/product.cfm?product=149

A friend gave it to me for my glow-in-the-dark white legs complete with blue, purple and green bruises. I've also used it on my arms and shoulders to even out the farmer's tan. It is the best thing ever!!!

You can easily spray it on yourself, put it just where you need it and if you get too much on or in the wrong spot it washes off with soap and water. It is water-resistant and won't rub off on your clothes. Plus, it's cheap enough that you can even do a trial run to make sure it's going to work.

That's what my DD and friends used for prom - worked great!

[Hampton Bay]

I have to do this one soon for my wedding in August. Luckily, I only have a bit of my back that will show with my dress, but that patch is blindingly white.

I am thinking maybe I need to start now...

[PiaffePlease]

Get a spray tan! Dont do it the day before the wedding. Do it a couple of days before so it can fade a little and look more natural. Congrats on the wedding!

[Jaideux]

No suggestions, (though I'm in the same boat: I have weddings this summer, and a very pale complexion. Luckily I remembered my tan-line history and began a proactive regimine early (avoid being in the sun long, wear lots of differnt cuts of shirts, wear long sleeves as long as I can bear it, and hit the tanning booth for 5 minutes or so every few days). I'm still pretty pale... but I'm evenly pale :)).

However, I DID dream about your problem last night. I dreamed I was you, oddly enough. Are you by chance rather thin and with short dark hair? 'Cause you were when I was you last night, lol. I just remember lying in a tanning booth the day before the wedding and having purplish arms (well, they appeared purplish under the tanning lights) and an alabaster body, and freaking out about it. I hope you find something that works for you!!

[rabicon]

I've had this problem before. I went and got a spray tan. Worked great and looked natural. Just go to a nice place, the place I went even made me watch a video on spray tans before I did it :lol:

[superpony123]

Similarly to the wedding tan post, I am of course pasty white (legs and various areas reflect sunlight, LOL) and then i have a lovely farmers tan and then my hands are slightly lighter than the rest (thank you, gloves)

anywayysssss, i am leaving to go to italy in 6 days, and i am clueless as to what to do. i do NOT want to be pasty and gross while i am wearing cute little sun dresses! however, i was hopeful when i saw the wedding post but it seems that most of the suggestions are for the spray-on stuff.

i am NOT NOT NOT NOT (etc) willing to get a spray on tan or use any kind of bronzers or what have you. I have done this before, yes, done it the right way, and without any success. I felt like a streaky oompa loompa (thankfully this was a very long time ago, so i don't have to think about it much :lol: im sure none of my friends will remember)

what are my other options? also, a reason i will not use a lotion is because my skin is very prone to acne, and really any kind of greasy anything will make me break out all over (and that is abundantly worse than being pale!) and i don't want to just use a bunch of stuff allover my body and leave my face being all pale and white because i know if i put anything on there it will break out. i'm enjoying the fact that my skin is perfectly clear, so i don't really want to ruin it :)

so, guide me through the process of safely using a tanning bed! or any other options? i really dont like the fact that this is the only thing i could think of as an alternative, but i'd rather subject myself to the UV rays than get super broken out. (and besides, i use spf 45 on my face everyday, and also on arms when i ride outside, even though there are a few times i havent which is why i have a slight farmers tan)

i DON'T want to be super dark. i just want to be not-pale. not necessarily even tan, just not pale. i want to kind of match the color my arms are right now.

[danceronice]

If you won't use the sprays, your other option is the tanning beds or the real sun. Which no one I know uses because they cause cancer and make your skin leathery. There just isn't a "safe" tanning bed. I'm a ballroom dancer, I have to be tan, and I use the self-tanners, even on my hypersensitive skin, because I have no desire to find out what the treatment for melanoma is like. Also, wrinkles start fast enough after thirty and "real" tanning makes them much, much worse.

If you're going to use a 'real' tan, just lay out in the sun. Why pay for the privilge of upping your cancer risk?+

[Pirateer]

Go to a better Spray-Tanner.

[Jealoushe]

Similarly to the wedding tan post, I am of course pasty white (legs and various areas reflect sunlight, LOL) and then i have a lovely farmers tan and then my hands are slightly lighter than the rest (thank you, gloves)

anywayysssss, i am leaving to go to italy in 6 days, and i am clueless as to what to do. i do NOT want to be pasty and gross while i am wearing cute little sun dresses! however, i was hopeful when i saw the wedding post but it seems that most of the suggestions are for the spray-on stuff.

i am NOT NOT NOT NOT (etc) willing to get a spray on tan or use any kind of bronzers or what have you. I have done this before, yes, done it the right way, and without any success. I felt like a streaky oompa loompa (thankfully this was a very long time ago, so i don't have to think about it much :lol: im sure none of my friends will remember)

what are my other options? also, a reason i will not use a lotion is because my skin is very prone to acne, and really any kind of greasy anything will make me break out all over (and that is abundantly worse than being pale!) and i don't want to just use a bunch of stuff allover my body and leave my face being all pale and white because i know if i put anything on there it will break out. i'm enjoying the fact that my skin is perfectly clear, so i don't really want to ruin it :)

so, guide me through the process of safely using a tanning bed! or any other options? i really dont like the fact that this is the only thing i could think of as an alternative, but i'd rather subject myself to the UV rays than get super broken out. (and besides, i use spf 45 on my face everyday, and also on arms when i ride outside, even though there are a few times i havent which is why i have a slight farmers tan)

i DON'T want to be super dark. i just want to be not-pale. not necessarily even tan, just not pale. i want to kind of match the color my arms are right now.

There are always people against tanning beds, but if you must use them, use them properly.

Always ask the tanning place people what bed is the weakest and what they recommend. Start out in the weak bed for about 8 minutes a time. You can tan twice a week to start. After about 2 or 3 weeks of that you can up your minutes.

You stand no chance in hell in getting a tan safely in 6 days, unless you get a professional spray tan.

[missamandarose]

I know how you feel! I just got back from a vacation at the beach and did NOT want to go because I was pale as a ghost. I also didnt want to burn, because even though I wear sunscreen, I always burn if I don't have some kind of "base tan" before I head to the beach. Super pale shoulders and upper arms a la rider's tan are aren't so attractive, but they are also more susceptible to get burned, for me anyway, despite sunscreen.

I think thats something you want to consider. Do you just want to look good in those cute dresses, or are you also worried about getting burned, from even just a little sun exposure? No, tanning beds aren't without risk, but I think if you went to the tanning bed a couple times for a few minutes (like 3 mins, max, honestly, thats all it takes) each time, you will likely be ok.

LONG TERM use of tanning beds is no bueno. Just like long term exposure to the sun.

On the other hand, if you just don't want to scare off the natives with your pastey white skin, try a spray tan from a place that gets good reviews, keeping in mind that you usually get what you pay for. The pricey places are likely to be better quality and won't leave you day glo orange.

Regardless, wear sunscreen, a lovely broad brimmed hat and super sexy sunglasses while abroad! And have a GREAT TIME!

[Nauset]

There is no way to "safely" use a tanning bed. They all give off UVA/UVB rays and are capable of giving you skin cancer. I'm not preaching, as I do go tanning myself... I'm just saying.

A friend/coworker of mine just got a professional spray tan for her brothers wedding. She is very fair skinned (Irish) and she went twice (in 2 weeks) and it came out lovely. Looked very natural, no streaks at all. I think spray tanning has come a long way in the past few years.

[WorthTheWait95]

I would go to Italy and not worry about a few tan lines! They'll fade after just a few days in the sun. ;) Your only option is a spray tan otherwise. I also had very acne prone skin (thanks to accutane that is no longer a problem) but spray tans never made me break out back then. I had to get one when my sister got married and went twice over a two week period. It looked very natural the only downside being that they make you smell kinda funky until you're allowed to shower again. Tanning beds on the other hand gave me a TERRIBLE itchy reaction all over my entire body which turned out to be an allergy to UVB rays. I had to get a ton of rxn creams and go on steroids until it cleared up. Not fun or attractive. It was a little scary b/c the lights in those things must be really, really strong considering I spend 2 weeks/year in the carribbean sun and never react to natural UVB rays that way.

[Moderator 1]

We were giving this thread a little leeway since riding does have a tendency to create some uniquely heinous tan lines, but in-depth discussion of tanning beds, etc. is subject matter better reserved for an Off Topic day. ;)

Safe travels and festive wedding wishes to all...
Mod 1