How to: Perfect tan

[meltdown75]

I'm starting to wonder where some of you people live and if you ever go outside.

i live in my parent's basement. i've never been outside, but i hear the graphics are amazing, like - better than 4x AA

 

[nerp]

What are you people smoking? A person with a tan looks WAY better than the same person without one, even if it's an obvious tanning bed tan. Skin just looks better when it is beige or light brown in color, rather than the sickly yellowish look of untanned skin.

OP, I'd start with 15 minutes a day as you suggest unless you have unusually sensitive skin. That wouldn't be enough for me to burn. You may want to double that time after the first week or so.

Disagree. I like the look of a woman with soft, milky skin. A girl with a fake tan tells me she is trying too hard. Not to mention that insistence of having a tan = crap skin later in life.

A guy worrying about his tan tells me other things. . .

 

[SlitheryDee]

Untanned skin doesn't look sickly yellowish for anyone I have ever known ever.
And tanning bed tans tend to look horrible.

I've seen quite a few people with disgusting translucent yellowish skin that looks like it's made of some light colored cheese. These people often have terrible complexions too. To be fair, there are probably other health factors in play there as well, but I'd bet getting more sunlight would improve their health and appearance tenfold.

 

[meltdown75]

Disagree. I like the look of a woman with soft, milky skin. A girl with a fake tan tells me she is trying too hard. Not to mention that insistence of having a tan = crap skin later in life.

A guy worrying about his tan tells me other things. . .

i like the soft milky skin of Marcia Cross. i bet that broad has never had a tan. but she has probably been milked.

 

[PricklyPete]

Are you shit'n me. Take pencil, wrap palm around it, remove pencil, and get used to this grip as you'll be using it for a really long time.

 

[dwell]

Just don't spend too much time in the sun, or by time you hit 40 you'll look like you're 60.

Seriously, this chick is 21 and has the skin of a 50-year-old.

 

[tokie]

I think people here are overblowing the skin cancer thing.

Once every few months or so I go away to a hot place on a beach and just lay out for maybe 8 hours a day for a week (heavily sunscreened of course, plus I don't burn easily). This colour lasts me for a few months until I need to repeat.

I am sick of seeing pale white people, so I suggest people start tanning more.

 

[skace]

The people here rating whether someone looks good with a tan or not are being rather ridiculous.

Just because someone tans it doesn't mean they are going to look dark brown. Maybe their skin is ghostly white and they just want to look peach, you know, normal colored. And a little sun can do a lot for not only your complexion but also your general well being. So let's hold off on being too overly judgmental.

Basically, there is an entire playing field between "15 minutes in the sun" and "the last 12 years in the sun".

 

[superccs]

If exposing your pastey bits to the sun or overcast day (they are the same, because above the clouds the Sun's still up there) make sure to use some SPF juice. Do some nude sun bathing for brief periods of time (20-40minutes at a time). See how your skin reacts, some people just freckle, or catch on fire.

 

[FoBoT]

 

[nerp]

I get tan but I spend a lot of time outdoors. If I just lay there it gets awfully boring. I guess when you were born and raised near the beach sunbathing gets old. I don't care about skin cancer, either. It's just when you see some girl who looks like some Jersey Shore cast member in the middle of fucking February, it's unnatural and nasty.

 

[meltdown75]

I've seen quite a few people with disgusting translucent yellowish skin that looks like it's made of some light colored cheese. These people often have terrible complexions too. To be fair, there are probably other health factors in play there as well, but I'd bet getting more sunlight would improve their health and appearance tenfold.

I liked it better when they looked like Gollum. Now they look like they were just released from Auschwitz. Keep the non-tanned people stuff coming, this is good.

 

[QuantumPion]

I just went through this OP over the last few months. If you are completely pale and don't tan easily, it will take several weeks to months to get a nice tan. Here is what I did:
go to a tanning salon that has a "high pressure" bed. this type of tanning bed is less likely to burn and will start the process. Start at 10 minutes, then wait a few days and make sure you don't have an adverse reaction. If all goes well, use the high pressure once or twice a week up to 15 minutes until you notice a decent tan starting. At that point, you can switch to the regular (cheap) tanning booth or spending time outside.

As a pale nerd that wanted to get a tan myself, I found the salons to be the most efficient way. It's fast, not too expensive, and you tan evenly without getting burns. Also there are always hotties there to hit on.

 

[Cheesetogo]

I did some outdoor work at the beginning of last summer. The first day I didn't wear any sunscreen and was out for about 6-7 hours. The tan lasted me the whole summer (and more). Probably not the best way to go about it, but it worked for me.

 

[HendrixFan]

Do like 5-10 minutes, the first day, 10-15 minutes the second day, etc. You have to build it up. If you do this, you will develop some color. Don't overdo it.

And yes, there's a cancer risk.

This.

Your skin tone adapts to how much sun you get so the best way to get color is a little at a time. If you sit out for 2 hours, get a burn then don't go out for a while it won't be near as effective as if you go out for stretches at a time quite a few times a week. Go running shirtless, shoot some hoops, go hiking, etc. You don't have to limit yourself to laying out. Once you get enough sun throw a shirt on and continue your activities.

We are outdoor creatures by nature, don't be scared of the sun.