Safer Alternatives to Tanning Beds

Last Monday, I wrote about the dangers of tanning in the post, "A Healthy Tan or a Healthy Body?"

However, there are options when it comes to sunless tanning. And there's nothing wrong with switching up your look a little bit, especially when summer rolls around. To give yourself a toxin-free, natural glow, Treehugger touts Lavera as being the greenest sunless tanner on the market. Made with organic soy extracts, jojoba oil, calendula, aloe vera, and rose water, it was voted the greenest cosmetic and beauty brand in Europe. It also won the "Best Sunless Tan" award in the New York Times bestseller, "Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth Friendly Life."

Unfortunately, it seems not too many other companies are following in Lavera's footsteps. According to Skin Deep, the cosmetics safety database, there isn't one sunless tanner given their "low hazard" rating. This essentially means that most sunless tanners will have some potentially hazardous ingredients. You can weigh the pros and cons though and move onto their "moderately hazardous" products.

One of the more interesting sunless "tanners" I came across was a do-it-yourself concoction from Care2, involving natural ingredients like water and sesame oil. Although it seems a bit on the archaic side, it's certainly one of the most appealing in terms of being eco-friendly, health-friendly, and budget-friendly. Of course, this all is assuming it works. Check out the Natural Sunless Tanning Lotion from Care2.

If all else fails, I refer you to the comment of Jaime (from It's a Jaime Thing), who told us how she learned to "embrace the porcelain," by making the decision not to get a spray tan for her sister's wedding. You rock Jaime!