These are all FDA approved names which cosmetic companies can use to describe products which contain DHA or dihydroxyacetone. The FDA frowns upon all other means of producing a tan without the sun, including tanning pills, which contain carotenoid color additives, and tanning "accelerators" which contain tyrosine or tyrosine derivatives.

Sunless tanners contain dihydroxyacetone [DHA] which reacts with the amino acids in the top [or "dead"] layer of your skin. DHA combines with the amino acids to form brown-colored melaninoids. I have no idea what melaninoids are. That won't take long. The DHA in your sunless tanner was derived by some mystical process from a vegetable source, most likely sugar beets.

Here's a list of sunless tanners which won't make you smell like a girl: Origins Summer Vacation, John Abaté International Sunless Tanning Lotion, Au Courant [all products], Aveda Sun Source, Beauticontrol Sunlogics, Bain de Soleil Mega Tan with sunfilter, Au Courant lotion and spray, Jan Tana Golden Sunless Tanning Lotion, Clinique [all products], Paula's Choice Almost the Real Thing Self-Tanning Gel, and Zia Sans Sun Self Tanning Creme.

Light colored nylon fabrics are definitely in danger, and I have the bathmat to prove it. Avoid wearing light colored nylon fabrics after applying sunless tanners. Wool is also supposed to be at risk, but I haven't confirmed this. Other light colored fabrics may stain slightly but the stains should wash out. The arrival of Coppertone Endless Summer and Bain de Soleil Radiance Eternelle have changed the situation, however.

The debate over whether sunless tanners are safe to use during pregnancy isn't finished yet. The concern some doctors have is over whether or not the active ingredient, dihydroxyacetone or DHA, is able to penetrate the skin. The indications are that it cannot. But some doctors ask their pregnant patients not to use sunless tanners in the first trimester to play it safe. Therefore, you should ask your doctor.

Many people with rosacea are drawn to sunless tanners. The brownish hue of a sunless tan can disguise the redness of rosacea; tanning in the sun can cause rosacea flare ups and must be avoided. But before applying sunless tanners to your face, consult your dermatologist. DHA can be a potent skin irritant. While you should be able to use sunless tanners on your body, for your face consider the advice of a long time sunless.

Yes, as long as you remember that your scalp should be exfoliated first just like the rest of you. If you have been shaving your head for some time, you are all set. If you just shaved your head for the first time twenty minutes ago, don't do it. Wait at least one day to avoid irritation of the hair follicles.

There is a noticeable smell about an hour after you have applied the sunless tanner. I have read statements that the smell fades, but I haven't noticed that myself. It seems to persist until you wash the sunless tanner off. The smell isn't that terrible, but it's not how human beings normally smell. Some of the perfumes added to sunless tanners to mask the smell are far worse than the smell itself. Au Courant makes a virtually odor-free product. Nivea makes the worst-smelling.

I couldn't survive with just one product. But if I had to cut the list down to a bare minimum, it would be Au Courant Bronze Face Gel, Au Courant Sunless Tanning Spray or Mousse, Beach by Strong Products [Coconut Rum], and Paula's Choice Almost the Real Thing Self-Tanning Gel.

Even with the greatest of care, and help from a friend to get all the places you can't reach, you can't duplicate the even consistency and natural look of spray tan.

Sunless.com does not make them, sell them, or distribute them. The shopping guide provides a comprehensive list of sites that sell sunless tanners.

A cosmetic procedure that color your skin to simulate a tan , without the use of dangerous UV rays. Sunless tanning embodies spray tanning, airbrush tanning and self tanners of different shapes and types.

Some sunless tanners contain "added color," or FD&C approved coloring agents, the same coloring agents you will find in makeup. The rest of the sunless tanners only contain dihydroxyacetone which gradually "tans" your skin over a period of several hours. The advantage of a sunless tanner with added color is that you can tell where you are applying it, eliminating mistakes. The disadvantage is that some sunless tanners with added color make you look like a TV anchorperson.

All sunless tanners contain the active ingredient dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which reacts with the amino acids in the top layer of your skin. DHA combines with the amino acids to form a brown-color—the “sunless” tan. The “tan” starts to show up around 4 hours after application, and can continue to develop for up to 12 hours. In the 1970s the Food and Drug Administration added DHA to their list of approved cosmetic ingredients.

Imagine the difference between using your hands to smear paint over your car and using an airbrush to paint it. Even with the greatest of care, and help from a friend to get all the places you cannot reach, you cannot duplicate the evenness and natural look of an airbrushed tan!

Imagine the difference between finger painting your car and using an airbrush to paint it. Even with the greatest of care, and help from a friend to get all the places you cannot reach, you can't duplicate the even consistency and natural look of an airbrushed tan.

Absolutely. In fact, the sunless tanning results are phenomenal over a nice base tan. If you want to combine both applications in a single visit, we recommend to use the tanning bed first, then the sunless unit. You can use a tanning lotion in the tanning bed like you always do. However, make sure it is rubbed into the skin really well and use a towel to wipe away any excess lotion or perspiration after getting out of the tanning bed.

The shelf life of activated DHA sunless tanner in a liquid form is 6-9 months. This is true for ALL sunless tanning products. We are not a "middle man" and always have fresh product on hand. Be wary of "middle man" sunless tan product dealers who may have had solution in stock for a while. After 6-9 months the product will turn green in the bottle and will also turn YOU green! So be careful. Although, sometimes you will see a little green around the top of the ring of your bottle under the lid.

Absolutely! LookingTan self-tanners use all natural ingredients such as Aloe Vera Gel, Panthenol, and Soybean Oil, which provide the richest looking tan without the sun. Our self-tanners have added B-5, Aloe Vera, Fruit Acids and Panthenol to create balance and overall great glow for the skin's outer layers.

The starchy odor often associated with sunless tanning is due to DHA reacting with your skin. Some people's bodies seem to absorb a starchy odor, and other people seem to shed it. Unfortunately, the odor may be observed in this case since we use DHA just like other sunless tanning products. Ask the staff for tips minimizing the odor.

The principle tanning agent used in all self-tanning formulas is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). This ingredient does not produce a "real tan" by increasing the skin's melanin levels, rather it creates a tanned appearance by developing a brown color on the surface of the skin. The action of DHA is limited to the upper layer of the skin and involves a reaction between DHA and skin proteins that produces brown compounds.

The active ingredient is DHA. The DHA is absorbed into the epidermis of your skin, it interacts with the amino acids in your skin and produces a natural looking tan. Au Courant products also contain a variety of quality ingredients to aid in the process and to nourish your skin. The natural looking tan will fully develop in 3-5 hours.

Yes, you can do sunless tanning at home using a wide variety of products available at your local drug stores, though there are significant difference between salon sunless sprays and those used in the home. The largest differences between the home sunless solutions and the salon solutions are 1) the duration the tan lasts, 2) a balanced distribution, and 3) quality of lotion.

Sunless tanning is FDA approved and does not involve any ultraviolet rays. The sugar-based compound (DHA) interacts ONLY with skin cells that are already dead posing no known side effects or harm to the body in any way. Open daily from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm | Phone: 808-735-3777 | Address: 625 Kapahulu Avenue Honolulu, HI 96815 | Email: info@sunsplashtans.com

This revolutionary new system is a safe method of achieving a rich golden tan without the risk of damaging the skin from over exposure to the sun. An FDA approved process in which a clear liquid containing DHA (dihydroxyacetone) is airbrushed on the body leaving you looking as if you just returned from an exotic island. It is highly recommended that a body exfoliation be done before this treatment. The tan usually last for a week or two depending on skin type and lifestyle.

Self-tanning products such as an indoor tanning lotion or other sunless tanning products help you achieve a better tan from your tanning session! Lotions protect the moisture levels in your skin, allow the pores to open, magnify your UV exposure for maximum light absorption, and help you achieve a deeper long-lasting tan. Some tanners who are already very dark can break through their tanning plateau by using a high quality lotion.