At a quick glance in the mirror, the reflection may take someone be surprise.
It looks like the same woman or man; the hair and makeup are the same.
And then you see it — a sun-kissed, bronzing shade covers the skin. Even so, there is a glow that seems to extend far beyond the flesh, as relaxation, confidence, sexiness and a dose of the tropics ignite.
The inner glow one carries may be more apparent than the striking physical appearance.
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Lori Giordano, owner of Bronze Couture Tan and Spa in Tinton Falls, says getting a tan, specifically in a sun bed or booth, creates a feel-good factor for people.
"The overwhelming response of customers is that using a sun bed or booth brings an all-round improvement to their well-being," Giordano says, adding the treatments are also a luxury for the body, mind and soul.
Winter is a time that skin often turns dull, pale and dry, but don't let the frosty air and cloudy skies fool you. There are multiple methods to achieving coppery, glowing skin regardless of the tanning index outdoors.
"Looking better helps you feel better about yourself," says Giordano. "The better you feel about yourself, the more you will look after your health in other ways and the more confident you will feel about the use of indoor tanning beds and booths."
Bronze Couture Tan and Spa, 980 Shrewsbury Ave., focuses on premier tanning and spa treatments. Services such as ultra-violet tanning, custom air brush tanning, premium teeth whitening and Lumiere Red Light Therapy are available.
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"Our services cater to any type of tanner, whether it be one time, (or) a week to get a base tan before going away on vacation, or year-round," Giordano says.
The Tinton Falls salon has a variety of lay-down and stand-up tanning beds, such as the Ergoline Sundash, Ergoline Radius 252, Ergoline 450, Ergoline Ultra World Classic 600 Turbo Power, The Saturn, and the Magic 636, described by the salon as the most powerful tanning bed on the planet.
Overall, trends in the tanning industry remain the same, Giordano says. On an average day in the United States, more than 1 million people tan in tanning salons, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
"People want to feel good and look good and we offer a solution to that," Giordano says. "We will be introducing the first PURA to the Monmouth County area in early January 2015. This is the newest, award-winning spray booth in the industry. This will offer our clients who desire the immediate tan more privacy."
Airbrush tans are reportedly a safer way of sunless tanning to achieve sun-kissed skin for the winter months. Bronze Couture Tan and Spa also offers these services. New customers can tan for $10 a week in any bed, while memberships start at $14.99 per month. Air brush memberships start at $24.99.
Spray de Sole in Long Branch only does airbrush tanning, said to be quick and easy with no exposure to ultra-violet rays. The 103 Brighton Ave. salon sprays an organic tanning solution on customers, made of eco-grown sugar cane, sugar beets and other eco-grown vegetable sources.
"I grew up in Denmark, and we're very organic in Denmark," says owner Linda Durso. "We're not into chemicals and processed things. We don't have the orange stuff."
The solution, which comes in 20 shades from "lightly sun-kissed" to "dark and tropical," is sprayed on customers in a mist for several minutes, coating every nook and cranny of their skin. Ninety percent of customers go topless during the procedure, to avoid strappy tan lines.
People stand around dryers for a period of time to ensure the solution is settling into the skin. Spray de Sole employers also spray an organic sealer, with coconut and lemongrass, onto bodies and then sprinkle on baby powder to avoid stickiness.
"Once you're dry, you're absolute perfection when you walk out the door here," Durso says.
The tan is said to last seven to 10 days, Durso adds. Here, a spray tan is $32 ($37 with the moisture seal), $30 for Monmouth University students. Half-body tans cost $25, and a face-only tan costs $12. The purchase includes amenities such as shower caps and proper footwear.
"We're pretty much our own little entity because we are not a big box place that has tanning beds and stand-up tanning beds," Durso says. "We've been successful because what we do is a niche market. We get customers as far away as Lawrenceville and Princeton. There are so many salons between here in Manalapan."
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Durso is against the use of tanning beds, and adds several of her customers are also cancer survivors who yearn a healthy glow.
Surprisingly, winter is not when the salon is at its busiest.
"The hotter it is, the better my business is," Durso says. "They want to be tan, and you can't go to Pier Village out at night and not be tan. It's the Jersey Shore."
And a sexy glow is not just for the females. Men are regular customers in Spray de Sole, and usually buy a package of 10 tanning sessions.
"Men are much more frequent than you would think," Durso says. "We do a lot of guys. We love it."
Not into the salon treatments? These self-tanner products are said to provide people with temporary glows just in time for the holidays:
• Body Drench Quick Tan: The self-tanner collection has facial bronzer and tanning lotion in medium and dark shades. It is a favorite and must-have item by Durso. $20; Spray de Sole, 103 Brighton Ave., Long Branch
• Aqua Tan Self Tanning Body Milk: Enriched with white tea, cucumber and green tea extracts, the lightweight self tanner is said to create a tan upon application. $42; www.aqua-tan.com
• Dior Bronze Self-Tanner Natural Glow Body: Radiant, sun-kissed look said to appear in under one hour with a "ph Bronze Perfect" complex. $37, www.sephora.com
• Sun Laboratories Dark Sunsation Self Tanning Lotion: Blend of natural ingredients said to produce a tan within three hours. $50, www.dermstore.com
• Sally Beauty Salon Bronze Airbrush Tanning System: The spray tan kit is said to provide an even, natural-looking deep tan that can be applied anywhere with the 360-degree mist applicator. $12.99; www.sallybeauty.com
TIPS FOR YOUR SPRAY TAN
•Shower and exfoliate before your treatment. Linda Durso, owner of Spray de Sole in Long Branch, says this step provides the best results.
•Do not apply deodorant, moisturizer, makeup or perfume before your session.
•Wear loose-fitting clothing.
"Be prepared not to wear a bra for a couple of hours," says Durso. We don't want you to have any strap marks. We want you to look perfect. Wear something super comfortable."
•Do not exercise or get wet eight hours after your airbrush session.
•In the week following your tan, be sure not to scrub skin or use very hot water while in the shower.
•The nicer you are to your tan, the nicer it will be to you.
"Moisturize after every shower," Durso says. "That really keeps the color and the pigment. If you're dry and chalky, then your tan is going to look dry and chalky."
An effective moisturizer? Durso swears by Johnson's Baby Lotion.
•Wait a day before shaving, as a razor can shave off the first layer of skin — and ultimately your tan.
COLORFUL OPTIONS
SPRAY DE SOLE: 103 Brighton Ave., Long Branch; 732-222-7722 or www.spraydesolenj.com
SIMPLY SUN TANNING: 635 Bay Ave., 1174 Fischer Blvd. and 1311 Route 37, all of Toms River; www.simplysuntanning.com
BRONZE COUTURE TAN AND SPA: 980 Shrewsbury Ave., Tinton Falls; 732-542-0012 or www.bronzecouture.com
BEACH BUM TANNING: 588 Route 70, Brick; 21 South Hope Chapel Road, Jackson; 53 Route 36, Eatontown; 55 Route 9, Manalapan; 2145 Route 35, Holmdel; www.beachbum.com
HEALTHY GLOW AIRBRUSH TANNING: 133 Markham Place, Little Silver; 732-450-0400 or www.healthyglownj.com
RAROTONGA TANNING PARADISE: 336 Lacey Road, Forked River; 609-242-0013 or www.rarotongatan.com
TIKI IMAGE: 2791 Hooper Ave., Brick; 410 Mounts Corner Drive, Freehold; 2313 Route 66, Ocean; 2175 Route 35, Sea Girt; 1825 Route 35, Wall; 145 Route 36, West Long Branch; www.tikiimage.com
SOLE SANO SALON: 810 River Road, Fair Haven; 908-670-6645 or www.solesanosalon.weebly.com
KNOW THIS WHEN YOU HIT THE (TANNING) BED
•Bronze Couture Tan and Spa in Tinton Falls evaluates your individual skin type to determine timing and bed type.
•Always wear a lotion, which are available for purchase at many tanning salons, to protect your skin so you do not burn.
•Use protective eyewear, such as goggles, which can be found at many salons.
•Tanning booths are not recommended for everyday use. Beach Bum Tanning recommends customers skip days between body parts to let your muscles rest and rebuild.
Source: Bronze Couture Tan and Spa, Beach Bum Tanning
