False Tan: A Love Hate Relationship

I go through phases. A lot of them. One week I'll love it, the next I couldn't think of anything worse. False tan is my ultimate on the fence beauty product. 

I love having a summer glow, I mean who doesn't? That golden transformation of your skin is just pure beauty, the "I've been away for 2 weeks" kind of look is my sort of style, but I still don't love false tan. 

Although false tan makes everyone and everything look healthier, and feel better, it makes outfits hotter, white dresses look prettier, sandals look nicer, and teeth look whiter, it also comes with so many downsides and negatives...

It smells... Like really bad. I haven't found one false tan product that has either no smell, or smells even half decent. It doesn't just smell on application, but for the whole time its on, no matter how many showers I take to try and diminish the smell, I can still whiff that odd curry, biscuit, cakey smell that seems to linger for days. 

It never applies perfectly even, I may be a little bit of a perfectionist, but even someone who isn't would still agree with me... there's nothing more annoying than missing a part of your body when fake tanning. Being left with a white line behind your knee, or under your arm, or that stupid round circle you cant reach on your back!

Not only that but without a decent tanning mitt, it always looks streaky. Cheap tan, expensive tan, to me it happens with them all. Those awful streaks that just seem to never rub in properly.

It stain everything! From hands to bed sheets to even a few of my tops! I find that it rubs off on clothes and doesn't easily come out in the wash. My bed sheets have turned orange many a times from wearing tan the night before and nothing seems to lift it. Hands, oh orange hands. No matter what protection I try and use (and believe me I've tried the lot) from hair dying gloves to layering tan gloves it still finds a way to leak through and stain my palms. 

Although there are all of these many downsides to false tanning I still use it, I just can't bare ghostly looking legs in summer or that pale white face when I have no makeup on. 

There are alternatives to false tanning, the likes of sun beds are widely used but are they really safe? We all know the dangers of UV raise and the risk of skin cancer. However most ignore these risks but why? I personally have never been on a sun bed for the risks that are associated with them, and probably never will, yet I'm still okay with lying on a beach abroad for a week baking in the sun's raise. 

Whilst having that perfect tan, that perfect summers glow, is not only mine but many girls, and guys, ideal look, there is no safe yet practical way of gaining it. The risks with sun beds and direct UV raise from the sun, should be educated more as many are oblivious to the dangers. Although I have a love hate relationship with false tan, personally I think I will be sticking to it, putting up with the stinky smell and the nasties that come along with it as it is much safer than the alternatives. 

I would love to know your thoughts and opinions on both false tan and sun beds.