I've tried spray tans from L'oreal at the drugstores--not a good idea. and, i've tried Jergen's natural glow--didnt work for me.

I'm so glad you asked this q, fergie, cause I was wondering the same thing. I have to attend a wedding, so I was looking into tanning salons and would also like to try it. Im leaning towards having a mystic tan. Has anyone tried it?? THoughts on it??

My old boss use to get sprayed and it rubbed off on everything from his clothes to his bedsheets. Yes, he was a man, but he also got a pedi with his spray tans. I thought it had that fake orange-ness to it like the do it yourself creams do.

yeah ive heard mystic tans last a week. i figure i can test tan weeks before the event I hve to attend ,and if i dont turn out orange, I will get it done again a couple of days before the wedding. Im very afraid that I'll turn out orange, but I keep thinking that mystic tan is pretty popular so may be it works...

I tried a mystic tan. I went to a tanning bed for a couple of months, and it came with the package. There was a particular event I really wanted to be tan for, otherwise I would have never went to a tanning bed. The mystic tan seemed to work well, but my finger tips around my cuticles seemed really streaky. It made me a shade darker and lasted about a week without rubbing off onto everything.I will not do it again though What I use now is Strike Gold from bath and body works for self tanning. It has an instant bronzer so you can see where you are applying and can see results within the first day. Just be sure to wash your hands.

I've tried Mystic Tan, and I didn't turn orange

It has 3 levels, I picked the middle one, and it made just enough difference so that I didn't feel horribly self-conscious of my milk-white legs on March break. It didn't rub off on anything, either. If you do it, I would wear something loose to the appointment - track pants or the like - just so it doesn't streak.

Just saw the post above. I was given a barrier cream to apply on palms and around cuticles, so there was no problem there.

I have a friend who sells Arbonne and I just bought the spray tan that they sell. I'll let you know how it goes!

I have used the Mystic system many times. (maybe 40 or so?)

From my knowledge...they come in two shades, Golden and Caribean.
Golden is the lighter of the two, some salons have both shades and can change it back and forth, others have separate machines and some salons only have one color (usually the Caribean)

I am pretty fair/medium and always use the Golden as the Caribean is waayy to dark for my taste.

There are also three levels 1,2 and 3. I asked the salon and they told me that the levels are the amount of spray that comes out, Typically someone larger or taller would need more spray. I use level one and I am larger than average.

I love the look of the tan, but sometimes, it takes extra on the hands or feet and it takes about 2 days to even out (even with the barrier cream) It will then last anywhere from a week to 10 days.

My best advice is to put cream on your toes and fingers. Then blend the cream out to the wrists and tops of the feet. When you get out to the machine DO NOT wipe yourself off, gently blot or you will get smudges everywhere!!!

I also noticed the machice itself plays a part. Some (the newer ones?) have a finer mist that makes for a much better tan.

I used a mystic tan and did not like it at all. The color sucked, it was streaky and it came off very easily. So later I decided to get a tan where a technician actually sprays you and there are a ton of color choices based on a bunch of questions you answer. It was WAY better. It could have been even better if I had gone back and tweaked the color. It lasted pretty well but it does NOT hold up in salty, sandy water. The minute I stepped into the ocean the color on my legs was gone.

Hi, I posted this earlier, but I know it got erased with the problems last month...

I'm a natural redhead, like fergi--

Personally, I don't think natural redheads look very good with fake tans-- I think folks who do tan naturally can look great with a 'fake' tan and if its done well, I certainly can't tell the difference...

But natural redheads? I don't think we have the right coloring for it. I think you should stick to your natural color skin. Natural redheads (to be honest, even some people who dye their hair red) with a tan looks really fake to me; it just doesn't look right.

Just my two cents.

I agree 100%. Someone with very pale skin naturally, who does not tan with the sun...especially a natural redhead, looks horrible with a tan. (Check my avatar... )

My advice, wear colors that suit your pale skin/red hair. Black and green are my favorites. A redhead with pale skin looks great wearing black capris, black sandals, and some chic black sunglasses...or a retro/pinup style bathing suit.

I managed a hair salon for a long time...and the same thing goes for natural blondes (with light eyebrows/lashes) who want to change their hair to black, to look punk/goth. They simply do not have the coloring to pull it off...and it looks horrible.

I have come to the conclusion this weekend that being tan is not for me. The family gets on me all the time because I avoid the sun. Well when you burn like I do then there is a problem. I just explain to them that when they are older and ate up with skin cancer they will love to have my white legs. My brother has skin cancer and it is bad. He has to do several rounds of chemo. So I will opt to keep the whiteness of my skin. I just wanted to get the pastiness out of my legs. But as of right now I am over it.

I have had numerous people in my family that have had to have skin cancer removed as well. My mother used to be an avid sunbather/tanning bed user, and she is one of them as well. She now has a small scar on her face from the removal.

My mother and grandmother also have a lot of wrinking/aging due to their former sun use. I make sure that I have SPF 15 in my makeup and moisturizer, and I always use sunblock all over when I am out in shorts/swimwear.

You are so right...when we are all older, we will look so much better.

One of the ladies that I went to high school with who always tanned, well, now she looks 10 years older than I do.

I completely agree with Fergi and Aphil--

I think that pale skin is beautiful (and happens to be what I have). People should embrace the color they are given. I also think that dark skin can be gorgeous...

Another thing that gets me-- sort of along the same lines as the 'tan is good' thing-- the whole 'only very thin is beautiful' thing-- I know I know, another thread perhaps, but man, that just irks me. And the media for calling people like Jennifer Lopez curvy-- you've got to be kidding me. That woman is thin-- she looks great, don't get me wrong, but the whole labeling thing; its ridiculous.