This last part is about lotion! There are so many brands and types of lotion, it’s hard to give you a list that will stand the test of time. But, I’ll describe some of the features of different lotions, so you can know what to look for. If you want specific reviews, I totally recommend the iamTAN message boards.

If you are tanning in a bed, you need to use indoor lotion only. Lotion or oil that is for outdoor use can damage the acrylic that is in the bed.

Accelerators – they speed up the time it takes for you to get tan without tingle or bronsers. Most people recommend no bronsers for first time tanners so you can see your actual results without the extra color.

Bronsers – just like fake tanners, these tan you until your color develops or deepens your current color. If you are pale to start with, don’t get heavy bronsers or you will look orange. The bottles labeled 10x or whatever are for advertising, there’s no standard amount of bronser that they are multiplying by 10.

Tingle – it tingles or burns, bringing oxygen to the surface of your skin so you’ll tan faster. It’s instant results, but again, it’s a burning feeling.

Silicon – they add this to lotion to make the consistency better. You have to use less, it goes on smooth, and it will last longer.

My salon only sells MR International products, and right now I’m using Signature for my face and Omega for my body. I am really impressed with the results I got from Omega, people noticed a difference within a week.

Feel free to comment with your favorite lotion or any tanning questions!

If you haven’t looked at my first post in this series, it is here.

(me in the tanning bed yesterday)

In the Beds

As I said, the base bed is fine for starting out. The person in the salon should teach you how to work the bed, because each one is different. You’ll want to start slow if this is your first time tanning. It’s not a race, if you burn you’ll be miserable and just peel. The last time I started tanning I did 7 minutes, but the first time I ever started tanning, I did 5. No, it won’t give you immediate color, but you are building the foundation to tan longer. If that does not burn you, do that number for 3 days, then move up 1 minute the next day. If it does burn you, wait until your skin is no longer red, then go down 1 minute. Most people who tan recommend tanning every other day for the best results. I’ll tan any day my schedule will allow. Tanning salons will only let you tan once a day.

Once you get all set up in the room, it should either give you some time before the bed comes on, or you’ll have a button that you press when you are ready. You can wear as much or as little clothing as you would like in the bed, but you should absolutely use eyewear that the salon can provide for you. Here in the U.S., you won’t be able to go into the bed without proving you have eyewear with you. I give my eyes enough trouble with lenses, lashes and liner, so I always use eye protection when I tan.

You can also use lotion if you’d like. I’ll talk about lotion in the third part.

Once you’ve got your lotion on, you are ready to lay in the bed. Lay flat on your back with your arms away from your body. If you are a little claustrophobic at first, you can leave the lid up until you feel more comfortable, or just lift it up if you start to panic. I did that for a long time but now I can even fall asleep in the bed with no worries! If you worry that the bed will go all Final Destination on you, most beds have openings at the head and foot, so you wouldn’t ever be trapped inside.

I put my feet on a towel when I tan because my heels burned once and I couldn’t even sleep I itched so bad! So keep that in mind if there is a part of your body you have trouble with.

After your time, the bed will turn off and you can get out. Be nice and wipe the bed once and lay the towel and “this bed has been sanitized” tag on the stool or whatever thats in the room. Don’t leave it in the floor like a punk, they won’t be nice to you if you are an ass.

Leave the door open so they know you left, say goodbye to the girl at the counter.

High-pressure beds are a completely different animal. They are an amazing treat if you want to try something different (like the Sunboard at the salon I go to) but keep in mind that the time in those beds is different than the time in a base-bed. I went 15 min in a base bed with no problem, but burned doing 15 in the Sunboard. Be able to do at least 15-20 min in a base bed before you do anything high pressure. I know some of the beds have a place for you to plug in your mp3 player or have aromatherapy and stuff! You should at least try it once, it’s so much fun!

There are many factors that will affect how long it takes you to get a tan. If you use a lotion with bronzers, your skin type, and how often you tan. I can go from not tanning at all to people asking if I tan in about 2 weeks (at that point I’ll be going to the bed for 12 minute sessions) to crazy manba dark in about 2 months. (where I can tan for about 15-20 minute sessions) But please take your time and you will get good results.

Part 3 is lotions!

As I steer the blog a bit more into tsuyome and ora ora kei, I figured I talk a little about one of my favorite gal activities, tanning. There aren’t a lot of established western gals tanning anymore, but I’m always going to be a sucker for that extreme look that sets me apart from my peers. And although I haven’t been true to that part of myself for a long time, I want to get back on that road to the look I love so much.

And for those who are curious, there isn’t really a gyaru version of “how to tan” that I know of, so here you go.

Finding a Salon

A place you are comfortable with is crucial. Go on google or yelp and look up salons in your area and read reviews. Find coupons for a free visit if you can. (This is much easier if you live near a college at the beginning of the semester, people give out coupon books with tan and nail salon coupons) If you need to try out a few places, that’s ok.

When you visit you are looking for these things:
1 – Friendly, helpful staff. They shouldn’t be stuck-up or act like it is a burden to help you. If you are new to tanning, these people are going to be crucial to your adventure into sexy bronze-land. They should be able to help you pick a lotion suited to your needs (and in your budget), and help you figure out how long to tan your first time or if for some reason you stop tanning for a little while.

2 – Clean facilities with working equipment. Everything should work, and beds should be sanitized after every use. Think about other little things you might want in a salon as well during this time. The one I go to has radios in each room, which I like.

3 – Cost. Find something that works for your budget. Some places sell tanning by the minutes, and some by the number of visits. I like doing an unlimited plan that I pay for every month, because I can go as often as I want and I get a lotion discount. You can absolutely use the lowest level bed (called a base bed) to start with and kind of play around with high-pressure beds once you get to where you can tan in the base bed for about 15 minutes or so. They should have a range of lotions for whatever budget or feature you want.

Once you find a place you like, it’s time to tan!

I redid my phone case today because my old one was completely falling apart!

Like clockwork, Labor Day started a weather chain reaction which pushed Fall weather into Fayetteville. It was such a welcome change for me, not only because we were sweating to death in 100 degree weather, but because September editions of western magazines and websites were telling me all of the fantastic ways I could pull my wardrobe into fall. Excitingly, Japanese magazines are also ready for a new season, and they’ve been singing the praises of a few new trends.

1 – Ankle Boots

Shorts will continue into winter as gyaru don’t really understand the idea that pants are supposed to keep your legs warm. (They’d rather use tights or a thigh-high boot.) For now however, the western world is still selling shorts of all types and the ankle boot will be the cutest way to accentuate the long legs while still looking very new and fresh.

Black and brown are preferred since they can be paired with anything, but animal print tends to make an appearance. I hate hate hate saying you should buy more expensive heels if you can, but they are just more comfortable and won’t slowly fall apart as you wear them 24/7. However, for some crazy reason, I bought some ankle boots from Kohl’s that I’ve worn for years with no problems. And you know every weekend is a reason for Kohl’s to have a ridiculous sale, so you could probably very easily get good shoes for cheap.

2 – Dress Shorts or Printed Shorts

This is a really good time to develop your shorts wardrobe, because soon no western retail store will sell them. You probably already have denim shorts (if not, look at that too), so look for shorts made of dress pant material or some in fun prints. Wear a very tame top if you plan on getting printed shorts.

Forever 21 and H&M are great for this, since the printed shorts may go out of style quickly. Missoni is also releasing a line for Target very very soon, which will have shorts in the famous Missoni print.

From experience, try the shorts on before you buy them. Forever 21′s small is really an XS from the pieces that I’ve bought.

3 – Knee Length Pencil Skirt

The stripe one that Murua did is practically EVERYWHERE. The knee length is flattering for just about everyone, and can turn a casual t-shirt into a very sleek mode look.

Strangely enough, YesStyle was the only place that had inexpensive ones.

4 – Weird Graphic T

The fake Chanel print tee has been the one I’ve seen the most, but anything interesting will probably do. I really want a Karl Lagerfeld for Macy’s tee, and of course stores like Wet Seal always seem to have shirts with odd slogans.

If you are particularly crafty, you could make your own.

5 – Leopard Print Accessory

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of full on leopard shirts or skirts, but a lot of accents of leopard have been popping up. Invest solidly in leopard shoes, thin belts, and purses. Leopard will always reappear as a trend, and you want the print to look really good each time.

Although I have to say that a lot of stores have done much better in making a really good looking print, and as long as you think it will endure the test of time, you are probably ok buying it cheap.

Images from Blenda and Edge Style.