Body Wraps available at Sculpted Tans

Exciting news!! Sculpted Tans now offers body wraps!

You can do them in the privacy of your own home. No more paying hundreds of dollars to have them applied for you. They are super simple to use, and take only 45 minutes to tighten, tone, and firm the area of your choice. They can be applied to your abdomen, arms, or thighs. Simply wrap it around your desired area and await the results! You will see immediate change, and it will continue to work for the next 72 hours. After that, you can apply another wrap if you wish. That's up to you and how many inches you'd like to lose.

Individual wraps will be for sale at the salon for $35. Or, you may order online and have them shipped directly to you. If you order online, you'll get a package of 4 for $99. (that's only $25 per wrap!) There's also a loyal customer program that will give you the package of 4 for only $54.00. And it doesn't stop at wraps! There's lots of other great products ranging from wrinkle creams, cellulite and stretch mark treatments, weight loss supplements, protein shakes, and much more. As a loyal customer you'll receive 50% off of all products.

To order online, go to http://sculptyourself.myitworks.com

Body sculpting with an airbrush tan (plus some diet and exercise tips!)

So sorry that I haven't updated the blog lately! It went straight from prom season, to wedding season, to Memorial Day and beach time. So needless to say it's been crazy here at Sculpted Tans. Busy is good, I'll take it!

Speaking of beach time, a lot of people want to know if I can create abs or toner arms with an airbrush tan. The short answer is yes, but that's not always the case. Shading techniques can be used in areas such as your stomach, biceps, and inner thighs to create the illusion of defined muscles. However, you have to have at least a little definition to start with, or else it will just look darker in those areas. Excuse my brief lack of professionalism when I say "You can't turn a keg into a six pack." Sorry. One of my customers said that and it's just kind of stuck. :)

So, how do you get that definition? It all starts with your diet. You can work those abs and arms all you want, but as long as that layer of fat is covering it, you aren't going to see the muscles that you've been working so hard for. If you've been dieting for awhile and just can't break that plateau, I highly recommend hGG 1234 drops. They really do work if you're willing to stick with the plan. It is strict, but sometimes that's what it takes to get the results you want! Motivation and dedication is key!

Once you've gotten your diet in check, it's time to move on to working on your body. It is impossible to spot reduce fat. So make sure you get some cardio! You can do all of the sit ups and push ups you want, but you cannot get rid of fat without cardio. Go for a brisk walk or jog, hop on your treadmill, just whatever gets your heart rate going. Remember that sweat is fat crying. (I love that saying.)

As a busy working woman myself, I understand how hard it is to get to a gym. But I have several favorite workouts that are free on the internet, and that you can do in the privacy and comfort of your own home! Most only take about 15-30 minutes and you will definitely see results!

My favorite ab video from the Tone It Up girls. They are so fun and bubbly that I actually have fun doing their videos! Their website also has great nutrition tips.

Video for arm workouts. Many women are afraid to do arm exercises because that don't want to appear bulky. This video is especially designed for women from Sarahfit and will give you definition without being bulky!

Last but not least: Inner Thigh Insanity from http://www.blogilates.com. Get that sexy thigh gap!

Once you've mastered those, any experienced airbrush technician will be able to add even more definition to your body!  

I'm In 2 U Lotion Review

I've been hard on Devoted Creations lately. Skinny Couture was too sticky, Born this Way smelled like dirty feet, some were too thick, others too thin. But I've fallen in love with I'm In 2 U. I'm so happy that I was sent a sample of this lotion! As soon as I tried it, I got online and ordered a bottle from my distributor. That's a big deal!

From the bottle:

I'm In 2 U

R3 Action, Radiant Rapid Results

An Elevated Love of Tanning

Instant, DHA Free Bronzing Formula

with ALA Technology

The scent is labeled as Palm Garden. I'm not really sure what that is, but it smells super fresh. Not floral, not musky, just fresh. It has almost no ATO at all. I actually think it smelled even better after my tanning session. I kept smelling the back of my hand because it smelled so good. Yes, I'm aware that probably looked like a crazy person walking around smelling my hand. Oops.

The lotion is a light brown color with the tiniest bit of shimmer in it, which was a nice surprise. You won't notice the shimmer unless you really look, but it's a nice addition.

I noticed quite a bit of color a couple of hours after I used this lotion. I love instant bronzers! I'm In 2 U has the perfect amount, and gave me a natural looking tan with no orange tones. Make sure to wipe the palms of your hands after applying; it will stain if you don't.

So I give this lotion an A+. (Obviously! I ordered a bottle didn't I?) If you like UV tanning lotions with bronzers, this is the lotion for you.

I was so excited when this came in the mail. See?

Products NOT to use with a spray tan

I have to admit that I'm enjoying my day off by being totally lazy today. I don't think I've moved off of my couch once! But then I started to feel a little guilty. I should be doing something. So after browsing Pinterest for what to make for dinner, I figured I'd write a little blog post to make myself feel more productive. So here goes!

I talked a little the other day about how an airbrush tan fades, and what to use to make it last longer. What I didn't mention was what not to use. The following products will lighten your tan or make it blotchy:

-Dove shower gel or soap (mineral or petroleum oil based products will fade your tan
-Hair Inhibiting Lotions such as Jergens
-Anti-aging products that exfoliate skin
-Toners containing Witch Hazel or Alcohol
-AHA’s (Alpha Hydroxy Acids), Glycolic, Lactic, Malic, Citric, and Tartaric Acids
-BHA’s (Beta Hydroxy Acids-Salicylic Acid)
-Curel lotion  
-Retin-A type products (Retin-A, Renovate, Tazorac, and Trefinoin)
-Band-Aids or adhesive tape 
-Antibacterial bar soaps
-Adhesive facial strips 
-Makeup remover cleaning products or oils used to clean away eye makeup
-Anti-acne products that exfoliate the skin-Accutane or Salicylic Acid 
-Use of loofa or a scrub mitt etc. 
-Depilatory hair removal products …Nair, Veet, Neet 
-Facial masks or exfoliating scrubs
-Body hair bleach products 
-Wax hair removal
-Submersion in a hot tub, swimming pool with chlorine, salt water even a long hot bath 
-Shaving exfoliates the skin therefore fading the tan. Clients should use a new and clean razor with a lubricating product such as hair conditioner. Wash off conditioner when done. A dull razor will scrape off the tan.
-Bug spray. Spray into the air and walk through it rather than spraying directly onto skin 
-Women’s tans may also develop differently during various hormonal occurrences (ovulation, menstruation, pregnancy). It may be a streaky, patchy, fade worse or produce a lighter or no color.


I know it seems like a lot when it's all listed like that. It's really not that hard to keep an airbrush tan. Just use a good moisturizer, avoid those products, and your tan will reach it's full potential. 


Now onto being lazy for the day again. I feel much better. "See...I did something today!" 


I'm not the only one who enjoys afternoons on the couch. Anna & Kitty do too!

Happy Monday!!

Darker airbrush tans don't last longer than lighter ones

It's prom season! Which means Sculpted Tans has been super busy, and I love it!

Throughout the week I've had lots of young girls come to get their first airbrush tan. Naturally, they've asked around for tips from their friends on what to do, what it's like, etc. I've heard everything from "you can't shower for a week!" to "go really dark so it will last longer." The first one is obviously not true (you can shower in 6 hours) but the second I actually hear all of the time. It is also false.

An airbrush tan only colors your top layer of skin. That layer naturally comes off in 7-10 days, which is how long your tan will last. (Give or take a few days depending on how well you maintain it.) It doesn't matter what shade you choose, it isn't going to last longer just because it's darker.

Since we don't shed our skin all at once like snakes, women who choose a shade significantly darker than their natural skin tone notice that their tan doesn't fade as well as others.

Your face naturally exfoliates faster than the rest of your body. So it is normal for your face to start fading 3 days after your session. Norvell makes a product called 4 Faces specifically for that reason. You simply spray it on to a makeup sponge and apply it to your face to match the rest of your tan. One application after your faces begins to fade will last the duration of your full body tan. I have it here at the salon for purchase.

The only way to make your airbrush tan last longer is to keep it moisturized, avoid long showers or baths, pat dry instead of rub, and use a very soft sponge or your hands to rub in soap or body wash. 

Perfect Curls with Remington Styling Wand

One of the common questions I get asked (besides about tanning) is what I use to curl my hair. I'm not a hair stylist, but I've found the perfect tool to get those pretty off the beach waves, or tighter spiral curls for a night out. No training needed! It's super easy and only takes me about 15 minutes to do. I'm not a morning person at all, so anything that helps me look cute without having to get up hours before work is my best friend!

It's called a styling wand, and it's made by Remington. It can be found at Walmart or Target for around $25. It's basically a curling iron that's bigger on the bottom end and smaller on the top, without a clamp. The ceramic, pearl infused barrel reaches up to 410F. I like this particular one because you can control the temperature. A lot of other tools I've tried just keep getting hotter and hotter the longer they are on. I have very thin and fine hair, so I don't need that much heat. I set the styling wand to 328 and that's plenty for my hair. If yours is thicker, you'll need to set it higher.

For beachy waves like Kim Kardashian: 

Separate your hair into 4 sections and secure with clips, starting at the top and working your way down. Leave the bottom layer out of the clip. Take sections of hair about 2 inches wide and wrap it around the wand (wrapping away from your face). You'll need to start wrapping your hair around the bigger end of the wand, and spiral it down to the smaller in. Hold it for about 4 seconds and release it. Continue to do that for all of the other sections until all hair is curled. Run your fingers through the waves to seperate them for that "just off the beach" look!

For tighter, spiral waves like Taylor Swift:

Separate your hair into sections just like you would for the beachy waves. For spiral curls, you'll need to curl smaller sections at a time. I do about one inch wide pieces at a time. I hold it a few seconds longer than for waves, about 6 seconds. Instead of unwrapping it, just loosen it around the barrel and pull the wand out. The curls will be really tight at first. Don't panic and think you're going to look like Shirley Temple. They will relax after a couple of minutes. Continue to curl the rest of your hair by sections, until you get to the top section. I only curl the very ends of my top layer, because it's quite a bit shorter than the long layers of my hair. I also don't like my hair to be curled all the way up to the roots. I have long bangs in the front. With those, I take a flat iron and straighten them away from my face, curling them at the ends toward the back of my head. 

Here's the finished product!

Skinny Couture Tanning Lotion Review: Devoted Creations

I decided to use another tanning lotion sample that was sent to me. Actually I've used 2 in the last couple of weeks, but I'm going to start with Skinny Couture's review and let you guys wait on the other one.

The front of the bottle reads: Skinny Couture Envision it...Be it! Ultimate bronzing formula with the most advanced skinny ingredients. Gluten and oil free.

What are "skinny ingredients?" It doesn't really say. It lists: Body Fit- to reduce cellulite, Matrixly-to prevent lines and wrinkles, Revita Fit- to tone and tighten. But what exactly is in body fit, Matrixly, and Revita-fit...who knows.

I have to admit that I was excited to try Skinny Couture because the packaging is just too stinkin' cute! My obsession with pink and animal print isn't really acceptable to wear or decorate with at my age, but I still love it. So why not have a pink leopard print lotion bottle satisfy my inner diva?

Sadly, the cute bottle is all this lotion has to offer. As soon as I opened it I felt like I was hit in the face with a bouquet of flowers. Don't get me wrong, I love the smell of fresh flowers. But this was floral overload. Holy Floral Batman! Waaayy too much. I put it on anyway, hoping that the smell would fade at least a little during my tanning session. It didn't.

This lotion is bright white in color and was very thin. It wasn't hard to rub in, but I don't know that that was a good thing. It was a weird texture for lotion: watery and a little like slime.

After I was all lathered up I turned on the bed and hoped for the best. For 15 minutes I smelled like baking flowers. After about 5 minutes I felt like I was literally glued to the tanning bed! I was starting to get so sticky that my skin was making sounds against the acrylic every time I moved. Have you ever sat on leather seats with shorts on in the summer? It was like the sound that your legs make against the leather when you get up. Ick, not good.

After my tanning session was over I started to get dressed. My clothes were sticking to me. I felt like double sided tape. When I sat down at my desk there was a little piece of paper by my computer. When I put my arm down, that little piece of paper stuck to it. That's how sticky I was! I took a picture to prove it.

I can't give an honest review of the color I got from this lotion. I was so miserable from being so sticky and everything clinging to me that I wiped my entire body off with wet wipes. I would've showered if I were home, but I was stuck at work for 8 more hours. And there was no way I would've been able to stand that the rest of the day.

Maybe I'm just way too picky about lotion? Maybe I was just being a big baby and a little too harsh? So I decided to do a little Google search to see what others were saying about this lotion. I found the exact same things that I was saying. Too floral, entirely too sticky. Just all together bad.

This lotion gets a F- in my grade book. I will not be ordering any, and would not recommend it to anyone. No one that I actually like anyway. Ha, just kidding.

In this situation, the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover." Proves true. Don't judge a lotion by its bottle!