Be Safe. Use Protection.

Now although the weather may be flirting with 50 today in Chicago...in January (like seriously, wtf?), it's still a bit gloomy. If you're like me, you are over winter by now. I'm like okay Christmas is done. Winter is over. I'll take some rain. I'll take a warm breeze. I'll take some flowers. And most importantly, I'll take some sun. We all get in that winter blues. I'm tired of wearing baggy sweaters that make me look ten pounds heavier. We're working out (..or at least I am?) but we still don't seem satisfied because our bodies still look like white whales. We start to get that itch for summer...for the tan skin which just makes you look at least 20% more attractive. I mean come on, please, point someone out to me who doesn't look good tan. Now, I don't mean Doritos tan, cause that shit ain't attractive, I mean sun-kissed.

What is my point to this story? Point: It saddens me to know that during this winter lull, some of you are still going to bake yourself in tanning beds.Yes, I know you feel like you look better, and in turn, you have more confidence! But it is NOT. HEALTHY. I don't careeee if its $5 Tuesday at L.A Tan and that's a great deal! Tanning beds cause cancer. Well not actually the 'bed' but the harmful rays that are baked into you at an extreme high and fast level. My scientific terminology may not be correct here, but you get what I mean. Yes, can you still get cancer from sun rays too? Yes, you can. Especially if you burn. But I'm focusing on tanning beds now, because honestly, unless you're going on vacation, I don't foresee you tanning outside anytime soon. (If you are going on vacation, please lather it up! USE PROTECTION!)

If you would like to argue with me about tanning beds, that's fine. Your going to feel like a piece of dirt underneath my shoe when I tell you that the reason I'm so 'practice safe-sun' 'anti-tanning bed', is because my mom had skin cancer. Yes, she was lucky enough to have it removed, but that doesn't mean she is going to continue her bad habits of tanning outside every damn day (without much sunscreen..if any) or use tanning beds. I've learned from this, so I promise not to do the same thing. I'll tell you a story:

I was going to use a tanning bed ...hmm..I think it was last winter around this time. I wasn't in the best place in my life, and all I wanted to do was just look better. It was Tuesday. L.A Tan, 5 minute walk. Got in the elevator. Started sweating. Got sick to my stomach. Got to ground level. Hit the number '17' to go back to my apartment. That, my friends, is guilt. I felt bad as I made a promise to my mom to not use tanning beds, and to protect myself when tanning outside.

Now that I THINK I'm done preaching, here is my advice to you.

I feel you. I feel really pale. But there are safe alternatives! Self-tanning lotions, sprays, gels, gloves..should I go on?

If you want just a tint: try a self-tanning lotion. Keeps your skin moisturized with a little glow to get you through the winter. I use Ulta Daily Moisturizer Body Glow - $6.99. Great deal.

If you want a little more color, for a special event: try a self-tanning (with bronzer) spray. Gives you an instant glow, and builds up with use. I use Ulta Tinted Self-Tanning Continuous Spray - $9.99. I've also used L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Pro Perfect Salon Airbrush Self-tanning Mist - $10.99. This stuff is AMAZING. I've heard gels are also good for this, I haven't tried a gel before. Has anyone else? Do you have some cheap options?

If you want to be Jwoww or Snooki tan: Why you would want to be this on a daily basis is beyond me, but I've wanted to be this tan for one night. That was Halloween 2011. I was Jwoww. So I needed to be really really tan. I was using Sublime for like 2 weeks before Halloween, and used like five coats that night. I ALSO went to Sally Hansen, where they recommended using a tanning 'mitt'. I don't know the name of them, but these bad boys WORK. You just rub them all over your body...and within 2 hrs (well they say 2, I say more like 3 hrs) you are TAN. Proof below.

If that's not tan, I don't know what is.

So however tan you want to be, do it the safe way. Please? I don't want to have to preach again.