The basics of indoor tanning (Part 1)

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!