Here's some helpful hints from a tanning salon patron:
First of all be very careful about the amount of time you spend in a bed. Every tanning salon is different and some use higher watt bulbs that can burn you faster in shorter periods of time. I start out at 5 to 8 minutes and continue that for a week or until I'm not burning after going. Then I increase my minutes accordingly.
Be careful if the salon has just changed their bulbs on the beds. Most will post signs, but it's always good to ask because if they have then they are EXTRA strong at first and you should cut back the amount of minutes you go for...this includes if you've been tanning for a while.
Always use a tanning lotion (NOT AN SPF - that ruins their beds). A few good lotions that I've used are Sweedish Beauty, Joop!, Butter Milk... tanning lotions help increase the tanning process and decrease the amount of dryness you get from tanning without lotion.
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wear the goggles. I don't care how STUPID it sounds...but just protect your eyes.
Furthermore if you start to feel really really hot while in the bed, don't feel stupid if you get out and stop it...or put a towel on your face or the area that feels very hot. The places on our bodies that "never see the light of day" BURN faster and usually worse than others. If you tan naked be careful cuz if you burn your A$$ it will itch and hurt for weeks (speaking from experience).
Do some research too on the salons. See what places offer special student discounts and what places offer tanning prices by the minute versus a monthly package. I like to start out by the minute because if I burn myself and can't go for a few days I don't feel like I'm wasting my money. Then I might switch to a salon that goes by the month once I've built up my tan. There are some places that also offer "Early Bird" specials where you can tan for however many minutes between certain A.M. hours. That's always nice cuz then you don't have to buy a package.
Threaded Mode