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shimmer

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Is anyone tanning to prepare for their wedding day?

I''m getting married in Hawaii and I''ve talked to a few people who think it''s a good idea to go tanning for a few weeks before. Right now I am very pale, I wear the lightest MAC foundation there is! FI gets super dark in a few hours, so by our wedding day he will be a dark chocolate brown, where I will be a white chocolate with red shoulders (with no tanning)! I''m not sure if it will help or not (the contrast, and red shoulders).

Any advice is appreciated (and yes, I know that UVs are harmful)!


I would spray tan or use self-tanner, but they don''t work very well on me.
 

booswim542

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I probably will! I was showing FI pics of me trying on dresses (...I know...gasp
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) and he said..."You match your dress. I like it, but you definitely need a tan. Haha.
 

JSM

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I have never tanned before, but I am planning to before my wedding. Mostly because I STILL have marks on my back from a bad burn I got last summer (and I wore sunscreen!), and because my dress is strapless, I''d like to ''even it out''. Also, my skin definitely breaks out less with a little sun exposure, which is always a bonus.

I''m part Irish with pretty fair skin, so I''m not planning on getting dark or anything. I''ll likely never tan again.
 

musey

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People still tell me they have no idea what I'm talking about when I say this, but I personally feel that the tan-fad is gone. Maybe that's just wishful thinking on my porcelain part
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(MAC doesn't even MAKE a foundation light enough for my skin!)


Anyway, I think that no matter where you get married - be it a Hawaiian beach, a Colorado mountain top, a midwestern chapel - you should just look like yourself, whatever that is. If you're normally tan but just a little less sunny than usual, go ahead with the one-time-only speed-tanning approach. If you're normally pale, then just rock it as you always do!

If you decide to do the beds, just don't make a habit out of it. It is so, so, SO terrible for your skin. The tanning industry will tell you that it's better for you than a day in the sun, but when it comes to aging your skin, that's extremely wrong. There's plenty of reading material out there on how just one tanning bed exposure can have an impact on your skin's future health.
 

Smurfysmiles

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I burn very easily and before I went to hawaii it was suggested to us to have 2-4 tanning sessions to build a "base tan". supposedly you are a whoooole lot less likely to burn at all if you have a tan started. i did this before i went to hawaii and didn''t burn at all so i would definitely say go for it!
 

elrohwen

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I'm as anti-tanning as they get, so despite my very white skin, I won't be doing any tanning!

I will probably try some of that tanning lotion type stuff (the really gradual color, like from Jergens) on my legs leading up to the wedding. I'm ok with my arms and everything, but my lower legs will show (knee length dress) and they are much whiter than my arms. The freckles on my arms keep them from looking totally white
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If the lotion starts to make my legs look at all orange, I'll stop though. No point in looking silly.

ETA: I totally agree with Musey in that I see less and less people looking tan and more people looking like whatever they normally look like. If you usually have fair skin, rock it! No point in ruining the health of your skin when I don't think anybody will notice a slight tan anyway (unless you go totally orange
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).
 

booswim542

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The base tan thing is so true. I used to swim and before we went to Florida for Nationals (outdoor meet), our coaches would PAY for us to tan so we wouldn''t fry and be miserable for the week. It worked wonders and barely any of us burned.
 

elrohwen

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double post

 

EricaR

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I''m lily white and decided I''d like to have a tiny bit of color, but I''ll be doing mystic tan (or some such).
 

Cleopatra

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Ever tried Mystic Tan? The spray tan available at most tanning salons? It looks terrible on some - but it looks great on me - and at most places, you can even adjust your "tan color" - i went for the lightest available and it looked very natural and pretty on the day of...But DEFINITELY try it BEFORE your wedding day.....it lasts for about 5 days.
 

Clairitek

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Date: 2/23/2009 4:27:11 PM
Author: musey
People still tell me they have no idea what I''m talking about when I say this, but I personally feel that the tan-fad is gone. Maybe that''s just wishful thinking on my porcelain part
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(MAC doesn''t even MAKE a foundation light enough for my skin!)

Anyway, I think that no matter where you get married - be it a Hawaiian beach, a Colorado mountain top, a midwestern chapel - you should just look like yourself, whatever that is. If you''re normally tan but just a little less sunny than usual, go ahead with the one-time-only speed-tanning approach. If you''re normally pale, then just rock it as you always do!

If you decide to do the beds, just don''t make a habit out of it. It is so, so, SO terrible for your skin. The tanning industry will tell you that it''s better for you than a day in the sun, but when it comes to aging your skin, that''s extremely wrong. There''s plenty of reading material out there on how just one tanning bed exposure can have an impact on your skin''s future health.
Right on Musey! I agree that its best to look like you! I am with you on wishing for the tanning fad to be gone thanks to an exceedingly pale skin tone. I just can''t achieve the tanned glow now matter how hard I have tried in the past. For fear of permanently damaging my skin I don''t do it anymore.

I can tell you what I will do before my wedding is apply sunblock like its my job to make sure I don''t get any lines from tank tops or the like while working in my yard (will be a May 2010 wedding so it is right on the heels of spring gardening!).
 

PearlDahhhling

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I am! I''m very very pale naturally and definitely want to have a nice glow for the wedding/honeymoon. I used to tan quite often several years ago but then I moved and couldn''t find a tanning salon I liked and just didn''t tan for about 2 years. I forgot how PALE I was! I''ve been tanning for about a month now and am nowhere near my goal tan, but am definitely seeing some color. I''d suggest starting to tan a few months before the wedding because if you have very fair skin that burns easily, it will take a while to build the tan up!
 

shimmer

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Wow, thank you all for your experiences!

I haven't tried mystic tan, but I have dry skin so I'm scared to! Plus, I will be swimming a lot when I'm there and I don't want to deal with patches/fading.

The main reason I would tan is to prevent burning. I love the way my skin looks now (pale), but the moment I'm in a sunny spot I burn (even with sunscreen!) and I really don't want to be two-toned for my photos.

I'm glad that you have had experience with this, smurfysmiles! I think I will go just a few times so I don't look too different, hopefully it will be enough.

Speaking of which, any favorite sunscreens for face and body?


ETA: I'm in Canada, so we don't have much experience with this sun thing
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Peardahling, now I think I should go a few weeks! I just don't want to get too dark, but I guess I can always "maintain", how do you keep it at the level you want?
 

diamondgirl4382

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I am also considering going tanning before my wedding, I am very pale and I turn red very easily when I get nervous (not just my face, but I get splotchy on my neck and everything!) so I am hoping a tan will help that not to be as noticeable. But...at the same time I hate to do something so unhealthy to my skin, especially after the bad burns I have had in the past.

I have tried the Jergen''s gradual self-tanner before, and it turns me such an odd orangy color. I know that it works well for some people, but I think it''s just the reaction to my natural skin tone. So if you are doing the self-tanner or Mystic or anything, definitely make sure to try it out first to see if it looks natural on you!

My thing is, I am kind of claustrophobic, and I''m actually a little scared to lay in a tanning bed because it seems so enclosed. Is this a totally unreasonable fear?
 

booswim542

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2 things about the claustrophobia:

1. I am too, and the beds are not that bad - cuz most don''t close completely. There''s a bit of a crack off to one side that is reassuring!

2. You could always try stand-up tanning. There''s a lot more space in there!
 

shimmer

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I was typing my reply, but ditto Booswim!

The stand up beds are far less ''constricting'' in my mind at least.
 

violet02

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Date: 2/23/2009 5:03:23 PM
Author: booswim542
2 things about the claustrophobia:

1. I am too, and the beds are not that bad - cuz most don''t close completely. There''s a bit of a crack off to one side that is reassuring!

2. You could always try stand-up tanning. There''s a lot more space in there!
I think stand up tanning is almost more claustrophobic cause they shut the door on you!

Fancy taning salons have a no lid bed.
http://www.soletan.com/images/big-sunboardxtt.jpg
They''re actually pretty cool!

Anyways I gave up sun/bed tanning a couple years ago because I can see it aging the heck out of me and I don''t want to be a prune in my 40s and 50s.

I did do a spray tan before my wedding but not a mystic tan. I did the kind where someone sprays you by hand. I did a trial run a month before the wedding and then a tan two days before. Two days out is just perfect for a well done spray tan (a professional one). They can spray you lightly as well you don''t have to be orange. Check out the wedding photos I have posted here. I''m spray tanned!

And I agree with Musey too. If you look great with non tan skin by all means wear it with pride! I look better with some color but I felt spray tanning was a reasonable compromise to ''real'' tanning.

If you have dry skin and want to tan, exfoliate the HECK out of yourself! EXFOLIATE! That will happen the spray tan. Btw, I tried some tan in a bottle by Clarins recently. While it worked pretty well there were some issues with me not applying it right everywhere etc. I would in no way attempt something like that before a wedding. I didn''t use gloves either though and it took quite awhile to get that stuff off my hands properly. Still... I would be afraid to do it.

And my spray tan did give me some nice color. I made DH do it too. I thought it looked nice.
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brandy_z28

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I''ve never fake baked in my life. <-- no offense meant by that statement, just what I call it. I''ve had several people tell me that I needed to for the wedding but I just can''t see myself doing that. It''s just not me. My MOH, who is now not coming to the wedding, does it all of the time and one of my other bridesmaids is always tan as she lives at the pool during the summer. She''s tanning for the wedding since it isn''t summer yet and thinks she looks gross if she isn''t tan but I''ll be my pasty white self. I''m actually avoiding the sun until the wedding so that way at least I''ll be an even shade of pale.
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I''d definitely suggest a mystic tan rather than the beds but I haven''t done that either so I can''t speak on wether that would be a good option for you or not. Whatever you decide to do I''m sure you''ll be lovely!
 

packrat

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I was tan at our wedding b/c I used to do the beds ALL the time-a few times a week, year round. I''m super pale naturally and it took forever to build up to being able to go the full 20 minutes, and even going often, I never got to be a shade that was too dark. Was way easier to find foundation when I tanned. I quit tanning several years ago-my gramma on my mom''s side has had a couple skin cancers removed, and gramma''s brother lost his nose to skin cancer, so I was a tish worried about my future skin. I can''t stand being pale-the fish belly white color, but I''m too scared of what could happen in the future b/c of how I treat my skin now, and how I treated it when I was younger. I''ve done the spray kind where someone does it to you, twice. And I''ve done Mystic Tan once-I thought the results of that were amazing, and if I didn''t have to drive 45 miles for the closest one, I''d do it all the time. If we were going to go on vacation someplace tropical, I dunno what I''d do now..I''d have to start tanning months ahead of time if I were going to.
 

katamari

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Date: 2/23/2009 4:27:11 PM
Author: musey

Anyway, I think that no matter where you get married - be it a Hawaiian beach, a Colorado mountain top, a midwestern chapel - you should just look like yourself, whatever that is. If you''re normally tan but just a little less sunny than usual, go ahead with the one-time-only speed-tanning approach. If you''re normally pale, then just rock it as you always do!

36.gif
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I totally agree. So, I will be rocking the diamond white skin. I actually will be lighter than my dress (which is "natural"--think ivory), but I like it. To each her own, though.
 

musey

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Date: 2/23/2009 4:44:45 PM
Author: Clairitek
Right on Musey! I agree that its best to look like you! I am with you on wishing for the tanning fad to be gone thanks to an exceedingly pale skin tone. I just can''t achieve the tanned glow now matter how hard I have tried in the past. For fear of permanently damaging my skin I don''t do it anymore.
Same here. I''ve decided that tanning is not ''in'' anymore. It''s just whatever your natural, healthy, undamaged-by-sun skin tone is. Just look at all these porcelain beauties!

porcelainredcarpetbeauties.jpg
 

musey

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Date: 2/23/2009 4:44:45 PM
Author: Clairitek
I can tell you what I will do before my wedding is apply sunblock like its my job to make sure I don''t get any lines from tank tops or the like while working in my yard (will be a May 2010 wedding so it is right on the heels of spring gardening!).
I was the same way! I did my best, and used some body makeup to cover some back sunblock choices from way back in high school (my skin is STILL red in some areas from the ONE time I used a tanning bed
38.gif
). I was pale as can be on my wedding day!

museysbouquet06.jpg
 

musey

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Date: 2/23/2009 4:51:19 PM
Author: shimmer
The main reason I would tan is to prevent burning. I love the way my skin looks now (pale), but the moment I''m in a sunny spot I burn (even with sunscreen!) and I really don''t want to be two-toned for my photos.
Shimmer, I''m exactly the same way. Are you sure you''re using adequate sunscreen? You may need to do some research into the subject.

I am very pale and burn very easily - and never tan. I go straight back to white, or even worse, the redness sticks around... sometimes for years. I''ve been to Hawaii twice now, for about two weeks each time, and never got burned when I was wearing my SPF 50 with helioplex. You need to get a sunscreen that protects for both UV A and B rays, and you should be okay.
 

Smurfysmiles

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i''m so glad you''re doing the base tan! my mom did it as well (she was a chaperone sigh lol) and it worked well for her too. I think the main reason for this is that you don''t want to look bad in your photos and look like a tomato-honestly, wouldnt you rather have a slight tan as oppposed to looking like a strawberry!

i personally wont be tanning before my wedding because how ridiculous would i look with a tan in november in fargo nd when there will most likely be snow on the ground teehee :)
 

shimmer

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Thanks musey, we don''t have a great selection of sunscreen here so that''s probably the problem. I have never seen anything higher than SPF30 or heard of helioplex!

I will try to find some online that will ship to here, or just pick it up once I get there (i''ll prob get burned on the way to get it though, scratch that idea!)
 

shimmer

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Date: 2/23/2009 9:20:45 PM
Author: Smurfysmiles
i''m so glad you''re doing the base tan! my mom did it as well (she was a chaperone sigh lol) and it worked well for her too. I think the main reason for this is that you don''t want to look bad in your photos and look like a tomato-honestly, wouldnt you rather have a slight tan as oppposed to looking like a strawberry!


i personally wont be tanning before my wedding because how ridiculous would i look with a tan in november in fargo nd when there will most likely be snow on the ground teehee :)

Haha. You''re so funny! (I would highlight that last part if I new how on Mozilla)
 

CNOS128

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Aside from what it does to your skin in terms of aging, I''ve also read studies that suggest your chances of developing skin cancer are much higher from tanning with tanning beds than being out in natural sunlight!

I''m with Musey -- I think the tanning fad is over (although I''m an interested party).
 

Kelli

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I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way I used to look when I was tan, but I stopped going years ago because I don''t think it''s worth getting cancer over. I live in FL but don''t get to the beach very often, so the tanning beds used to be my friend!! Boy, did I LOVE how toned and gorgeous I felt, but I started noticing some fine lines and stopped going. I do think it''s a silly thing to do, considering how dangerous it is, but I still might go just a few times before my wedding day. I''ve been thinking about whether or not it''s worth it. I look better tan, but I don''t need it for a "base tan" or anything because I''m not leaving on my honeymoon right away, so it''s not like I''m concerned about burning. It''d be purely for looks.

I also agree that the whole "miss hawaiian tropic" look is over. I love the pics that musey posted. BUT... I still may prefer the look of a little color on me before I wear a whitish dress and have people taking my picture all day! It''s probably the ONLY day I''ll ever wear a dress like that again, and it will probably be the last time I tan again too. I''m still not sure though, I''ve got a little while to decide.
 

Kelli

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BTW musey, you should have just included yourself in those pics of porcelain beauties! You looked really beautiful!
 

Deelight

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Here is a good reason not to tan, Solarium skin cancer victim dies. If you do wan''t to use fake tan it is much better for you :).

If you are worried about getting burnt have you thought about invisible zinc? I haven’t used it but it is meant to be good.
 
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