OK, so this is a little off-topic – but the topic of safe tanning comes up quite frequently on the Bhuz forums. We want to be bronzed and lovely, with neither the risk of skin cancer nor looking like the unusual Staten Island subspecies known as the Oompa Prompa. Uncouthe though it may be to talk spray tans in your commercial blog, I’m not ashamed to admit that I go sunless. Keeping your skin young and healthy is key when you work in the entertainment biz, lest you rock this creepy E.T. look before your prime.
That being said, I’m off to Cocoa Beach this week and didn’t feel like being so, well, alabaster. And I was game to try something new. Enter the Mystic Tan.
For those of you who don’t know, Mystic Tan is a unique UV-free tanning system, available at most tanning salons, where you stand in a booth and get misted with a sunless tanning solution. The lovely people over at Sahara Tanning in Monroe hooked me up with my first Mystic Tan, and so far, I couldn’t be more pleased with my new bronze glow!
While there is a bit of a learning curve involved, the process is quick and simple – you’re outta there in less than 5 minutes, and your tan develops within hours. After taking off my makeup and putting my hair up in a shower cap (leaving just enough of the hairline exposed to not leave an unsightly white line!), the lovely Angie gave me the rundown: you strip down, apply a barrier cream to your hands and feet, step in the booth, and press the green button when you’re ready. You stand in a modified linebacker pose for 15 seconds while you get misted, then turn around and repeat. Step out, pat yourself dry and voila!
Oddly, my experience in the spray tanning booth reminded me way too much of the Alien mockup on the Great American Movie Ride at Disney’s MGM Studios. You’re in this space age capsule and the feeling of the tanning solution is not unlike simulated alien spit. (Please bear in mind, individual experiences may vary).
I couldn’t believe how quickly the whole thing was done and over with – less than 2 minutes and you’re on your way to a golden glow. Beats standing in a tanning booth for 10 minutes or laying in the hot sun all day! I saw a little bit of color within minutes, and by bedtime, I had already turned a rich exotic golden brown. My face was a little scary until I washed the excess bronzer off. The color’s nice and, most importantly, it’s even. I’d say my final results were comparable to a few sessions in a tanning booth. The color is supposed to last about a week. As with any sunless tan, I’m sure it lasts a little longer if you moisturize often.
Though conventional sunless tanning cremes and gradual bronzing lotions are fine and cost-effective for my everyday intents and purposes, I will definitely Mystic again for my next special occasion!