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Tanning
If you've never experimented getting a dark tan, you can
easily be fooled when preparing for your first contest. As
you become darker than you've ever been, you start to think
you have a great tan, and that you're ready. Then you get up
on stage only to realize you're too pale. What happened?
The stage lights are very bright. They can wash out
definition and make you look much lighter once you get under
them. Don't fall victim to this common oversight. Make sure
you will still have a dark tan once you're under the lights.
You'll most likely need to add artificial color before the
show. Even African Americans, whom many tend to think
wouldn’t need to tan, find they can benefit at a competition
by having darker skin coloring; plus coloring evens out
their tan. Tanning beds are not needed for that one-day
you'll be on display, although many competitors do use them
to get a base tan. You should shave your entire body at
least a week before the show in case you break out from
shaving in areas not accustomed to being shaved. To look
really dark, use a skin dye like Pro Tan Competition Color
or Jan Tana Show Tan the night before the contest and apply
amply (about 4oz per coat). Be aware that this stuff can
really dry out your skin, so it's wise to apply a
moisturizer before you apply the skin dye product. Don’t
fool with a spray nozzle that some brands come with. They
are messy and take much longer to apply the product. Pour
the dye in a cup and dip the applicator in it. You will get
a thicker coat, and cover yourself much faster. While
applying the dye, you may wish to stand on a towel to catch
any dye that drips to the floor. When you go to bed for the
night, make sure you use old sheets where you sleep, as the
dyes leave many stains. Rinse off the excess tanning agent
in the morning. If you are light skinned, it would be good
to apply another coat of dye in the morning on contest day.
Then you can apply a coat bronzer (ProTan, Jan Tana,
DreamTan) over top once the dye dries to make the color
darker, and more even looking. (Bronzer is intended for use
on contest day. It does not tend to leave one blotchy like
the skin dyes can do, as long as it is rubbed in thoroughly
and evenly). Bronzers darken the skin’s appearance, but do
not stain it. If you want to be even darker, you can apply a
second coat of bronzer on top of the first. Bronzers also
wash off afterwards. If you need to even out streaks from
sweating after group comparisons, apply another coat of the
bronzer prior to the finals. If you use a skin dye more than
one day before your contest, don't apply it to your face or
neck until the night before to avoid peeling skin in these
more sensitive skin areas. It's not necessary to dye your
hands, wrists, feet or ankles until the night before either.
Doing so can make those areas more noticeably dark than the
rest of your physique. Go easy around the elbows and knees
when applying tanning agents or those areas will appear
darker due to being more porous. If you choose to use oil
over your tan, use professional posing oil, not baby oil as
that makes one look too shiny and wet. Remember that posing
oil is for providing a sheen under the lighting. You don’t
want to over apply it and appear too wet. A small amount is
all that’s needed. A warning about Dream Tan... wear black
or very dark posing trunks, Dream Tan doesn’t dry
completely. Try not to put any clothes on until after going
on stage as that can ruin the look (comes off on clothes).
Apply small amounts and rub in. Using too much at once can
cause the stuff to go on looking very messy. You can apply
more Dream Tan before going on for finals, or at least add
some Hot Stuff vasodilator to help bring the shine back out.
Baby oil does help a lot when removing the color after a
contest (after you’ve scrubbed with a lufa or washcloth). Be
courteous in the contest venue or in other people’s cars.
And that goes to all tanning products users. It takes 15-45
minutes to apply Dream Tan.
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