The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

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Fantasia with some golden tips for your skin

Hello there Matadors, it’s Fantasia Fabulous here with another dose of fabulousness for you.

With Labor Day barbeques over, we can now put on our last bits of sun block and kiss the summer goodbye. But that doesn’t mean that we have to say “adios,” to those divine tans we worked so hard for. With self-tanning technology, we can maintain healthy tans all year round. As an added bonus, these tans will not cause us any sun damage or wrinkles, since their UV ray free.

Here’s a bit of self-tanning history, in which a scientific mishap lead to the discovery of at-home tanning.

A scientific accident lead chemists to discover that DHA (dihydroxyacetone), the main ingredient in self-tanners oxidizes the skin when air hits it. In the beginning DHA research wasn’t advanced, and in combination with high levels of dye, it lead to the unpopular orange tan and streaks, that gave self-tanning such a bad name.

Now, with the addition of erythrulose, a cane sugar derivative, deep, dark tans are possible. Combining DHA with erythrulose, and their larger molecules than DHA, causes the oxidization process to react slower, which leads to a better quality tan. Adding better ingredients, and natural fragrances has improved texture and odor, so there are no more excuses for staying pasty.

The popularity of self-tanning began with bodybuilders, but soon after models and actors were joining in on the fun. Ingredients like walnut shell and iron oxide create “instant bronze.”

So here are all your options.

Self-tanning lotions are the classic option. They are the best choice for dry skin, because they tend to hydrate the skin better. St. Tropez is a classic product, and its dark brown color allows you to really see where you’re going with the product. L’Oreal also has some great inexpensive tanners in their Sublime Bronze line. You can even find daily skin moisturizers with small doses of self-tanners in them, for a gradual, subtle, tan. If you’re scared to take the plunge, Jergens makes a great one.

Mousses are a better option for oilier, combination skins. Mousses also give you a lighter application. Colour, by Supre, is a foam sunless tanner that gives you a great shade.

Sprays take out a lot of the mess factor in self-tanning. They are designed to simulate airbrush tanning, and tan to give you a cleaner application. Sally Hansen makes a great spray tanner specifically designed for legs.

Now, some very important tips to remember when you are making yourself golden in the privacy of your own home:

Exfoliate, exfoliate, and exfoliate. You have to scrub your body before you tan, so you remove dead skin and eliminate the possibility of scaling and uneven color.

To accentuate your tan, you can also bleach your teeth. The contrast o white, up against skin, makes for a darker looking tan.

As always, makeup is a girl’s best friend. Keep your makeup simple when you are going for the beach bunny look. Peach blushes and champagne eye shadows are good colors to try. Too Faced Cosmetics has some great options in both eyeshadows and blushes.

I hope my tips aid you in keeping yourself golden and delicious.

Connie Llanos can be reached at spotlight@sundial.csun.edu

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