The Student Room Group

Too white.. sunbeds?

My skin is quite light in colour, but I don't have freckles or anything. The thing is I am going on holiday in the summer, but I don't want to go like pastry again. Even if I stay in the sun for long I usually go really red and then it dies down and I go back to my original colour. I am 17 and I have never been in a sunbed before because I know it's not good for you, however I want to go before summer this year. I'm going in the first week of July.

1) How long before should I start going to sunbeds?
2) How many times and for how long should I go?
3) How much does it usually cost? ( I live in London).

Please do not tell me to use fake tans because they don't look anything like natural and I can't put it on properly anyway. Plus I am going for 5 weeks so it would probably fade during the holidays because of too much sea and pool and everything.

Thank You.
Go for a spray tan if you find it difficult to fake tan yourself!! :smile: You wouldn't believe the damage that sunbeds can do to your skin - especially if you're fair-skinned. :frown: Spray tans aren't that expensive and they won't damage your skin - I really wouldn't recommend you start using sunbeds.
Reply 2
How much are spray tans and how long do they last? Don't they look orange?
Heya I'm going on sunbeds before my hol as well, I don't know if my skin type is the same as yours but I'm going to start going on 3 weeks before my hols, 3 times a week.

There's quite a good thread here to get your teeth into. I'd probably reccomend visiting the tanning salon though, they should assess your skin type and give you information from there.
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=216506

iamtan.com is another site to look at, you might get more helpful responses on there.
Reply 4
Prices vary depending on stuff like the rent the place has to pay, that's what the lady said to me when i went on a sun bed. Maybe one of your friends or someone you work with could recommend a place? :smile:
Reply 5
Sunbeds are pretty cheap to go on, they vary from place to place. In saying that though make sure you don't go to some dodgy place just because its cheap, I've heard a lot of horror stories about it. Use a recommended salon.

I would at least consider a fake tan if I was you, if your going to be somewhere hot for 5 weeks then you probably don't need to be damaging your skin any more by using sunbeds before.

Fake tans are pretty good these days and don't make you orange! Again, if you can't apply a fake tan try a spray tan. Last year I had a St Tropez spray tan which was a lovely colour, it lasted about a week and by the time it had come off I had tanned quite a bit anyway.

If you do still decide to use a sunbed, talk to a professional about the length of time you need. With fair skin you would probably only need a couple of minutes a few times a week.
Reply 6
Noooo!! :eek: Step away from that sunbed! It is incredibly bad for your skin. If the thought of increasing your risk of skin cancer doesn't put you off, think of the premature wrinkles at 30.:p:
I can sympathise with people who want a tan-I'm so pale that if I'm not careful people ask me if I'm feeling ill (sooo confidence boosting, lol!) and it's not great looking like a milkbottle on the beach. BUT- now you can get really good fake tans, or even tinted moisturisers that build your tan up gradually. They are what I use and they're really good. (Try johnson's:wink: ). Don't resort to the sunbed...
Reply 7
SuziN


Fake tans are pretty good these days and don't make you orange! Again, if you can't apply a fake tan try a spray tan. Last year I had a St Tropez spray tan which was a lovely colour, it lasted about a week and by the time it had come off I had tanned quite a bit anyway.
.

So even with a fake tan your skin still tans like normal underneath?
Reply 8
Chances are if you go red under the normal sun you'll do the same under a sunbed. Get a spray or tropez done and then use a high sun factor when your away and work your way down. No-ad is a good sun cream and not very expensive so you can afford to get about 3 differnt factors.
Reply 9
I wouldn't risk it. I'd rather spend money on tanning lotion and look like a beached whale in my garden everytime it's sunny.
Reply 10
sahsum
So even with a fake tan your skin still tans like normal underneath?


Yeah defiantly, loads of people think that fake tans protect them from the sun but they don't, so you still have to wear sunscreen! I think some brands do fake tan with added protection now but its not very good as it only lasts for a couple of hours after you've applied the stuff!