SPRAY-ON TAN Reporter goes beyond the pale

I couldn't reapply makeup for hours, but that was OK. I had 'natural' color.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- I don't tan.
I inherited my grandmother's fairest of fair, burn-red-in-the-sun skin.
I burn. I hurt. I itch. I peel.
If I'm lucky, my pale extremities, which can usually be mistaken for raw chicken legs, might end the summer with a faint -- very faint -- hint of color. By color, I don't mean the rich golden hue of a "Baywatch" lifeguard. I mean the pasty-blah color of nude pantyhose.
In my life, I've never developed the did-you-just-get-back-from-vacation glow.
Until now.
Thank you, Mystic Tan. Mystic Tan is a spray-on mist that turns pale to perfectly sun-kissed in 38 seconds.
It's ideal for people who can't tolerate the sun, want to avoid ultraviolet rays, or don't have time to stretch out on a lounge chair in the back yard or on the beach, or on a salon tanning bed.
I admit, I was skeptical at first. I even told my friends that if the spray-on tan turned my skin a vibrant orange, or some other Godforsaken color, at least it wouldn't last more than a week. The average life of a spray-on tan is three to five days.
Preserving the look
Of course, there are things you can do to extend it, and believe me, I'm doing them.
My showers are quicker than they've ever been. I'm even limiting myself to one a day. The days of lingering in the bath until the hot water runs out are over for me, at least until my tan fades. I'm also smoothing on the moisturizer. Might as well make the most of it while I can.
Who would have believed that less than a minute in a tanning booth would give me the golden glow I've never been able to achieve the natural, skin-cancer-causing way? Let alone cover up my scars and spider veins.
I'm not kidding. The road map to Timbuktu that looks like it was drawn in purple ink on my calves is gone, hidden underneath my beautiful tan.
I can't believe my legs could look so good. What's wrong with wearing shorts to the office?
All this and it was so easy!
I showered, shaved and exfoliated the night before and moisturized the day of.
Tanning how-to's
When I arrived at the salon, Kathy Squires, manager of Golden Glow Tanning, which has salons in Austintown, Boardman and Hubbard -- Hubbard doesn't yet offer the Mystic Tan -- greeted me, briefly explained the spray-on tan process and put in a 21/2-minute video that showed me how to apply tan-blocking lotion to my palms, feet and nails, how to stand to ensure an even application, and how to remove my hairnet without staining my fingers.
Then, I washed off my makeup, stripped off my office attire, slipped on the teeniest bikini I could find -- I could have gone nude but I wanted to see tan lines -- covered my hair with a plastic shower cap, moisturized my knees and elbows, applied tan-blocking lotion to my palms, stepped into the tanning booth, took my even-tan stance and pushed the green "start" button.
A light misting
A few seconds later, a cool mist of aloe, water and bronzer sprayed my face, arms, abdomen and legs in an up-and-down fanning motion. It lasted a mere 14 seconds. Then, the mist stopped, giving me a leisurely 10 seconds to turn around and get into position for the tanning of my back. After another 14 seconds, the mist stopped.
I waited 30 seconds before exiting the booth, toweled off and got dressed.
Wow!
I was starting to look good already.
Although my tan continued to deepen over the next several hours, I could see an immediate difference.
I couldn't reapply my makeup for at least four hours, but that was OK. I had "natural" color. My complexion was beginning to glow.
For the next few days, everything I wore was white. My tan really stands out next to white.
I wanted to make a trip to the beach and really show off, but stormy weather put a halt to that. Oh, well. I still have a new bottle of sun-blocking lotion -- Mystic Tan, unlike the real thing, doesn't provide protection from the sun.
Now that I know how I look with a tan, I'm going to have to make another trip to the salon. I think my friends, who have spent countless hours baking their bodies, are thinking about it too. At about $20 per session, less for package deals, who wouldn't?
kubik@vindy.com