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Original poster

Any benefit to going to a sunbed before my holiday?

22 replies

boredaccountant · 23/02/2015 14:02

I am really pale and I'm going on holiday for 2 weeks and I'm likely to burn even with sun cream. Is there any benefit to tanning gently in a salon before I go to get my skin used to it? Or is that really bad for me? I also hate being so white on the beach with all my varicose veins on show, so I would like to have a bit of colour. Spray tans only last a week or so don't they anyway? And they won't stop me burning. I know nothing about fake tanning sorry....

OP posts:

hellsbellsmelons · 23/02/2015 14:14

Yes it's really bad for you.
Get some Garnier Summer body.
Apply it every other day until your holiday.
You will have a decent-ish colour.
I have no idea if it helps with getting burnt though.

LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 23/02/2015 14:16

Agree with hellsbells. It wouldn't make any difference, tanning technically burns the skin anyway so all you'll be doing is burning it twice. Go for a good factor sun block, stay out of the mid day sun and cover up! The Australians have some great tips so it may be worth looking online.

Apatite1 · 23/02/2015 14:19

Argh, please don't encourage melanoma!

squoosh · 23/02/2015 14:21

Please don't go anywhere near a sunbed. Especially if you're naturally fair.

LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 23/02/2015 14:28

I'm not Australian. I just know that they are doing a fantastic job at looking after people and protecting them from the sun over there

Haggisfish · 23/02/2015 14:31

No there will be no benefit. You don't have to burn -you just need to wear a very high factor and light clothing.

Lambzig · 23/02/2015 14:31

Buy a really good quality sun cream - the ones that stay on all day are good if you don't mind them. P20 or Ultrasun. I love P20 and am a very pale skinned redhead and I always burned until I tried P20. I top it up with a spray of factor 50 on sensitive areas throughout the day.

Don't go near a sunbed unless looking like a leather handbag is your thing. Sunbeds do not tan you gently.

mammuzzamia · 23/02/2015 14:34

No, don't do it! And purchase a high factor suncream. Sorry for sounding like a bore, but it's not worth the risk.

squoosh · 23/02/2015 14:36

I'm pale and used to dream of tanned skin OP till I realised it was never going to happen. Now I try and work the pale and extremely interesting look.

Don't wear pink or red swimwear as it will make you look pink all over. Navy and green are much more flattering.

burnishedsilver · 23/02/2015 15:33

Oh God no. No sunbeds unless you have a deathwish.

florascotia · 23/02/2015 15:49

No sunbeds - they are really dangerous. As others have said, your skin does not 'get used to it'. You burn, and dramatically increase your risk of skin cancer. See statement by expert dermatologists here: www.bad.org.uk/for-the-public/skin-cancer/sunbeds

Gunpowder · 23/02/2015 15:54

Yeh don't do a sunbed. Before my last sunny holiday I had an all over body scrub and moisturising treatment. looked much better in my bikini even though I was v. Pale.

Original poster

boredaccountant · 23/02/2015 19:46

Ok, ok, it was a stupid idea. I'll stick to the fake ones and be sensible with the sun cream. Still secretly wanting to be golden all over, I blame my German ancestry for the horrible paleness. Thanks all!

OP posts:

TSSDNCOP · 23/02/2015 19:53

Have a good spray tan a couple of days before you go. Load up on F50, as the Spray tan fades your new tan will emerge.

Kikiw123 · 23/02/2015 22:40

Spray tan the day before you go and I'm using palmers coco butter with natural tan in it, use that in the evenings from about 4 days after the tan to maintain it.
You will still red to use sunscreen during the day though.
Have a great time!

Kikiw123 · 23/02/2015 22:40

*need not red!

coffeenut · 24/02/2015 05:22

I'm aussie and naturally pale.

The other posters have given great suggestions. If you want to prevent yourself from getting burnt, stay out of direct sun between 11am - 3pm (adjust depending on where you are going). Wear a hat (some gorgeous wide brim boho-style floppy ones around or a straw cowboy/fedora style) and high SPF waterproof sunscreen (I use a spray on for body so not so thick and no white cast, with a sensitive one for face - you cant buy the brand I use in the UK though) and reapply every 3 hrs if you are out in the sun/water. Personally (could be controversial!) I get a bit of colour by going without sunscreen pre 10:30am or after 4pm (depending on where exactly you are and how hot the sun is still). I find a small amount of colour is better than getting very very burnt (which is what happens if I get caught out by too much sun and I haven't any colour to start with).

Fake tan - get a spray tan for an all over tan, however try to do some research and find a good one near you (and get a test). Good spray tans look amazing whilst the orange/blotchy ones look awful and are hard to cover up or hide when it's hot! I find the st tropez ones to be the best (most brown/natural looking). You need to moisturise A LOT if you get one and you are swimming daily. I would top up with an application of st tropez mousse (if you prefer to just do one/two top ups rather than many) or use something like Dove gradual tanner after about 4/5 days into holiday - depending on how your tan is wearing. Always use gloves (thin surgical sort) when tanning or you'll end up with orange palms. Also - moisturise your feet, elbows, armpits, knees before tanning or better yet avoid these areas altogether if you've already had a spray tan already and are just topping up.

Solariums are illegal where I am, for good reason.

Skivvywoman · 24/02/2015 07:34

I always go on sun beds before my holiday just to give me a little base and I never burn on holiday now, I don't go mental on the beds start at the lowest and work my way up

violetbunny · 24/02/2015 07:43

No benefit unless you love wrinkles.

specialsubject · 24/02/2015 10:46

there are two products which are legal and when used as instructed give a high risk of cancer. The other one is cigarettes.

OP, accept a healthy body that looks the way it does. Your skin does not tan, end of. Buy a long sleeved rash vest and boardshorts for swimming, that will keep the rays off while you splash about.

tanning makes leather. Deliberate sunbathing is just bone-headed. You'll get all the vit D you need from being in the shade, or from exposure when walking etc.

Original poster

boredaccountant · 09/03/2015 13:41

Thanks for the tips, all good thanks!

OP posts:

iwantgin · 09/03/2015 13:52

I used to cane the sunbeds in the 80s/90s - and have awful freckled, moley skin with white patches now.

If I were you I would just get some fake tan and have a couple of gos with it prior to your holiday.

I like the ones with an aerosol mist, so no rubbing in necessary. I think I have a Garnier one. Tip: stand in the bath, on a flannel and spray. The excess goes on to the tiles, so you can hose it down after, and you don't get it on the soles of your feet ifyou stand on the flannel. It does get everywhere.

I tend to do it about 4 days before a hol, and then the day before just to make sure I haven't missed any bits.

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