Spray Tanning for a Novice

Tan in this photo is not as natural as it appears.

I am a very white white girl.

Strawberry blonde, with a burn-then return to ghostly white skin. I've tried tanning booths - paying money for a burn to turn ghostly white. I've tried applying sunscreen and sitting in the sun - only to burn and turn ghostly white. The thought of being tan was merely dreaming the impossible dream.

Then I received an email from Yelp with a variety of free to try service offers from Facelogic in HP. While I'm no spring chicken and probably should have picked a microdermabrasion, I ran to the phone to book a spray tan.

I've never had a spray tan before - scarred by memories of Ross Geller's experience on Friends. Why risk glowing teeth and two-tone skin?

Now was the time to put on my big girl pants - or in the case of a spray tan on a 40-something-year-old body, remove my big girl pants.

Prep for the appointment was super easy. The spa told me what to do (exfoliate, don't use lotion/deodorant before the appointment). They sent text messages the day before and day of my appointment.

I had great advice from a friend to put lotion on the heels and outside of my feet, and on the palms and outside edges of my hands to prevent color build up there. As a pale girl, my friend also told me to pick the "fair" tone spray.

Facelogic offers a hand-applied tan. After checking in, an attendant takes you back to a private room. There, you're given a shower cap to protect your hair and are given privacy to strip to your level of comfort - and that includes nekkid if you prefer. (I did not.)

The sprayer:

The spray zone:

The attendant returns and proceeds to spray.

She was super nice and made me feel comfortable through the process. Her instructions were clear and conversation was easy and professional throughout.

After she sprayed me all over (including my face - which was optional), she turned the sprayer to air and dried me off.

I had to avoid showering for 8 hours, then I was good to go.

The results were GREAT. The tan was evident but not orange or outrageously dark. My pastor even asked me where we'd gone on vacation because I looked so relaxed and glowing.

It's now 5 days later and the tan is still lingering and nice, fading the way a natural tan would. I was told to expect my color to last for about a week and that looks to be true.

Will I get another spray tan? Most definitely. I think will stick with having it hand applied from Facelogic because, you know, Ross Geller.

Can't.Stop.Looking.In.The.Mirror - who is that tan girl?