http://www.care2.com/greenliving/sunless-tanning-lotions.html
Sunless Tanning Lotions
Adapted from Debra’s Guide to Choosing Natural Sun Protection, by Debra Lynn Dadd (an e-book available here).
All the scariness surrounding skin cancer is enough to make you want to hide under a rock this summer! But that sun-kissed look is so appealing. Many of us are turning to sunless tanning lotions to give us that golden glow, but are commercial sunless tanners safe? How do they work? Is there such a thing as a natural sunless tanner? What to do?
The only active ingredient approved by the FDA for use in sunless tanning products is DHA (dihydroxyacetone). This is a colorless sugar that reacts with the dead cells located in the upper layer of the skin. As the sugar interacts with the dead skin cells, a color change occurs. The effect is temporary, because as the dead cells naturally slough off, the color fades, disappearing within a week unless the lotion has been reapplied.
Is DHA safe to use? The Environmental Working Group lists “0” health concerns on their website. The MSDS sheet for this ingredient also lists no health effects beyond the possibility of mild irritation.
If you would like to give your skin a darker color naturally without going out in the sun, try this concoction. It doesn’t contain any sugar, but it works beautifully:
Natural Sunless Tanning Lotion
3/4 cup pure water
3 black tea bags
1/4 cup lanolin
1/4 cup sesame oil
1. Boil the water and use it to brew the teabags until the mixture is strong.
2. Put 1/4 cup of this strong tea in a blender along with the lanolin and sesame oil and blend at low speed. Add remaining tea gradually, with motor running.
3. Try this mixture on a hidden spot first to test. Use sparingly.
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10 comments
add your comment »I tried s solerra mitt which uses the same concept here and it was way easier to use. It smells great and is supported by the skin cancer awareness foundation. I loved it! check it out at www.solerra.com They even have an exfoliating mitt you can use before to extend the 5-7 day tan-life.
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Thumbs down on this one. IF it works at all (and IF being the key word) it is because you have a lot of dead skin cells, as this is what is being "colored." If you are using any recipes that exfoliate or smoothe skin (i.e., removing dead skin cells)it is a waste of a good tea bag and sesame oil.
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I have tried this receipe and found that there was very little change in my skin color even after several applications. This could be that my skin coloring is not a "true white" or that I made a mistake in the making of the lotion. I jprobably need to try this out again.
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Has anyone tried this? How long does this tan last for? Is it only for when you have the concoction on, or does it last a few days? Can you darked it with an application per night for a couple of nights?
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Has anyone tried this? How long does this tan last for? Is it only for when you have the concoction on, or does it last a few days? Can you darked it with an application per night for a couple of nights?
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yes i will try this.
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*yaaaay* I'm soo trying this! I'm very careful about being in the sun (being in the middle east doesn't help!) This is a great alternative way to get tanned, thank you so much :D
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I live in Arizona and it's HOT here. I use an umbrella to go walking and use allot of sunscreen to avoid the damage the sun can cause. My skin is very white and I was wondering if there was some way to get a little color naturally. Thank you for this!
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Thank you so much for offering an alternative to those still weary of using DHA and the self-tanners so readily available in drugstores. Although is no evidence suggesting that the sunless tanning products are a threat, I would much rather take my chances with good ol' fashioned black tea. Thank you!
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I am so scared I'm going to get skin cancer I usually stay out of the sun on the really hot days. It's sometimes embarrasing going shopping in mid-summer and I'm still as white as a ghost. I can't wait to try this lotion so I can still have healthy skin but with a nice summer glow. Thanks
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