Tips, Tips and Trends, Features

Glow Big or Glow Home: Tanning Tips for the Winter

Whether you’re experiencing your first Boston College winter or have been through more than your fair share, the effects of this cold, lifeless season can already be felt here in Chestnut Hill. Students are bundled up, trees are bare, and the Quad seems desolate even during peak academic hours. 

More than these immediate winter effects, you may start to feel a little tired, discouraged, or down on yourself. Of course, there are numerous ways to combat this lingering feeling: take a walk, grab some coffee with friends, or—my personal favorite—take care of your skin! And one of the best ways to do so is by bringing a little bit of summer into the winter and catching a tan. Here are the best ways to get a glow during an otherwise bleak Massachusetts winter.

What Not To GLOW With … Self-Tanning Oils

Overpopulated and underbought, tanning oils line up like soldiers awaiting a chance to show off their effectiveness in stores like CVS and Walgreens. Despite being effective and glow-catching, it’s understandable why they’re not the favorite pick—tanning oils lower a skin’s refractive index, a measure of how much UV light enters the skin, damaging the skin of whoever is using the product. Obviously, knowing this, I wouldn’t recommend that those looking for a glow would use tanning oils, even if they do tend to “work.” Let’s explore some better options … shall we? 

Self-Tanning Creams and Moisturizers

An alternative to sun-exposed tans, self-tanning moisturizers have two purposes: softening the skin of its user and, of course, staining the skin a slightly darker hue than the previous tone. Because they don’t need sunlight to work, these products are much healthier than oils for those seeking a noticeable glow. The most popular brands for these products are Jergens “Natural Glow” moisturizer and Nivea “Sunkissed Radiance.” 

Spray Tans

The quintessential fake tan, spray tans are quick, easy, and have long-lasting results. Typically, they only take around ten to fifteen minutes and are relatively cost-effective. Countless salons and spas offer this service, and prices range anywhere from $30 to $100. Some of these stores, like Boston’s Pure Glow, even offer student discounts or group tanning sessions at lower rates.

Tanning Beds (A NO From Me)

An extremely effective method, tanning beds are a quick and peaceful solution (in the moment) for those seeking a tan. Besides that, they’re extremely unhealthy and damaging to skin cells, as they radiate a high amount of UV light into the skin. This results in long-term side effects like skin damage (mainly wrinkles) and, in extreme cases, skin cancer. A tan is not worth that much, so please stay healthy and avoid using a tanning bed when possible.

Get Outside

Although winter is long, cold, and has a very low UV index, there’s still so much fun to do inside and out in Massachusetts. On the off-chance that we do get a sunny day, take advantage of the sunlight and soak it up while you can. Just remember that, even in these cold winter months, you can still stay glowing!

November 24, 2024

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