make me glow

For all of you who have been following my crazy friends and their comments, no, I do not look like Ross after being spray tanned.

I'm pale. I am. It's just how it is. I apparently inherited the pale portion from my mixed roots from Croatia, Hungary and Poland. My mom is more olive toned and can tan after an hour in the sun and so can my brother. Well, my dad is the opposite and I'm somewhere in the middle - I do burn but I tan at the same time.

After reading a scary Allure article and hearing about Alexa from Cleveland's a Plum friend (in Glamour too), I vowed to quit indoor tanning FOR GOOD.

I was done. Quit cold turkey. With all the sunless lotions and bronzer, I've made my way through the winter with my natural skin tone and knowing I will look less of an old hag than those who tan year round as I age.

Do I lay out? Yes, in moderation. I wear SPF 45 all over and huge glasses or a hat to protect my face. I'm all for plastic surgery. A little nip here and there, but I don't want to need a full face lift by the time I'm 40. Do you know how many Louis Vuitton bags I can have for that price tag??? Or beach vacations? Or dirty vodka martinis?

So after the beautiful Cleveland weather we had this past weekend, a friend brought my new favorite tanning salon to my attention - Glow Tan & Spa. I tried it out and loved it. There are three levels - natural, medium and dark. Like I said, I'm like Casper so I opted for the natural color. Plus, I'm not trying to look like Paris Hilton or Tara Reid.

Before looking at a pasty white arm.


After looking at a glowing arm.


After looking at a glowing face!


If you are in the Cleveland area and want a nice glow for the rainy week, head over to Glow and make an appointment with my new friend Callie.

Glow safely

After much thought and reading scary, but true, stories about skin cancer, I have given up tanning beds. I believe the last time I was tanning was last March after I read an article in Allure that scared the living shit out of me. I can't find it online to save my life, but it worked that well so you know it was a well written article. Anyway, after reading this from Alexa at Cleveland's a Plum, I realize that I made the right decision to stop tanning. However, I decided that I don't want to be pasty white anymore, and I need to gain some color somehow in a safe way. Ta-dah! Sunless tanner! As far as my heritage goes from, I'm a cross between a good looking Croatian-Hungarian and Polish chick, which means I didn't end up with Hungarian skin -- I'm stuck with Polish skin. Now don't get me wrong, I definitely tan but not as easily as my mom and brother can. Damn them.

The B.F. constantly reminds me how pasty I am. He sometimes shields his eyes as if I'm blinding him when I get out of the shower or am changing outfits. He once told me he broke up with a girl because she was too pale. (I doubt it.) Seriously...I'm not that damn white. I fake a good golden brown with NARS Bronzer on my face and neck. Truly, isn't that all that matters until I put on a bathing suit?

If you are looking for a new sunless tanning lotion, try this one here. I got the recommendation from Kristin, Beauty Addict, after reading through her many trials from this past summer. Kristin -- you better be right with this one!