Tights & Tanning

[LadyChaCha]

Hi all,
I know these are topics that have been touched upon already, but I was hoping to get some fresh takes as well as some opinions for a couple new issues I'm wondering about...

First off, fishnets. I'm thinking of trying them for the first time ever, and I'm not sure if I'll wear a regular hose underneath or not. My thighs are a bit on the chunky side, and I'm wondering if any other big-legged gals find that they add unflattering weight to the leg? Or chafe like hell? I've also heard they are very lycra-ish and therefore squeeze your leg -- I'm getting mental horrors of my jigglier thigh parts squishing out from between the little diamonds. Can anyone confirm my doubts or allay my fears on this?

Oh, and do you find that the full sock on the bottom of the hose takes up alot of room in the shoe? Cause I decided, in the name of aesthetics, to face the pain and go with a shoe a half-size smaller than the ones I am normally comfortable with. Will my shoes not fit if I'm wearing one or maybe two big pairs of hose?

Ok, now for color. I am going to get tanned and went with the darker latin shoes. If I decide to wear hose, what color (of the supermarket variety) is more appropriate? Suntan or taupe? I'm naturally really pale and normally wear nude.

And finally, before we abandon the topic of tanning altogether, I am really looking for opinions here: I found a couple spray-tan places that will airbrush me for $40. The older ladies from my studio usually do this -- I have yet to hear anyone there talk about pro-tan or braun or any of those "paint yourself" varieties, so I haven't really considered it (plus it seems like a hassle). I also found a local spa that will exfoliate me and hand-rub a tan all over my body for $50. Which of these options is preferable? Do you think the spa will be able to get me dark enough? Will the spray tan come off on my clothes, costume, sheets and bathrobe? Which will last longer? I'll have to get this done probably the weekend prior to competing, so it'll need to stay dark through at least three showers...

Thanks so much for the advice....I'm one of those newbie competitors freaking out about my first real comp ever, and I need as much figured out now as possible so I can relax a bit and not be up all night nervously reading this forum at 4am anymore!!!!!!

[waltzgirl]

As far as fishnets are concerned, they are pretty snug, so they hold your thighs in nicely and nothing pokes out the holes. Make sure you buy dancer's fishnets with fairly small holes, not fashion fishnets you sometimes find that have larger holes. I've worn them alone and with regular hose underneath. Your legs look darker if you wear dark hose underneath. And hose prevent "grid butt." The fishnets do leave temporary indentations on your skin if you don't wear hose underneath.

I've had the hand-sprayed tan a couple of times, but honestly, I prefer to do it myself. Cheaper and I get about as good a tan, using one of the tinted self-tanners, as long as I have help with my back. L'Oreal Sublime Glow is my favorite, but I've heard they stopped making it--not sure. I've also used Sally Hansen Spray On Legs in the Deep Glow color. It's a "paint" of a consistency about like facial foundation, that I've used on my legs, arms, chest, and back. The key is to spray it on your hand and work it into your skin *very* well. It stays on well, but washes off completely with soap and a little scrubbing.

For shoes, I personally won't dance on shoes that hurt. Did it once at a comp in a newish pair of shoes and I might as well have flushed the $$$ down the toiilet, it affected my dancing so badly to dance on painful feet. If you do decide to buy smaller shoes, make sure you get them in enough time to break them in before the comp.

Good luck! Remember the main goals at your first comp are a) remain vertical throughout the dance and b) have fun! Anything more than that is icing on the cake!

[danceronice]

I was told that the drugstore tanners simply aren't dark enough. (Larinda? You around?) I've been told the best method to use is a professional spray tan done VERY dark, with ProTan over it. Especially if (like me) your complexion resembles Casper the Friendly Ghost's.

Personally I wear dancer's fishnets with nothing beneath and I've never had a problem with anything poking out where it shouldn't! If anything, the fishnets make my legs look much more scuplted than they actually are in pictures.

[and123]

Fake tan preferences are often just that -- preferences. What works or looks great on one person might not be so good for another person. Might be due to body chemistry; I don't know. If you want a one-shot tan, you probably have to get the super-dark pro stuff. If you don't mind a more prolonged process, several days' worth of applications of drugstore stuff can do the trick.

The industrial-strength fishnets will hold everything in place with no spillage (aside from nasty muffin-top from the waistband - so I cut all of mine off (thank you Larinda!)). Wearing additional pantyhose underneath is a matter of personal comfort. To me, the fishnets are MUCH tighter than any pantyhose I have ever encountered. As for the sock-bottom, I haven't encountered a problem with it taking up precious space in the shoe. My worst annoyance is the pressure of the fishnet against the ends of my toes. I feel a need to pull them out a bit throughout the day. I train and practice with no pantyhose/fishents/socks, so a day or two of this "restriction" can get irritating. My toes yearn to be free....:cool:

[fascination]

muffin top????

[fascination]

I cannot even fathom other hose underneath fishnets ...I would die of heat stroke straight away...in fact if pro wasn't so doggone proper I would probably not wear them at all at least in latin

[LindyKeya]

As has been mentioned, regular drugstore can work, if you're willing to apply several times. When I was on teams in college, most of us used the same product (and I can't remember what it was now, although I would surely recognize it!). Some of us (like me, who is super pale. My mil says my skin is "porcelain") had to apply several coats. Usually I needed 3-4 applications, although I could periodically get away with two. Other girls, some equally pale, were plenty dark with just one coat. I suspect it may have something to do with how your skin reacts to things, and not just your starting shade. That kind would only stain light-color sheets if you went to bed too soon afterward.

[danceronice]

If you're super-pale, though, the regular stuff just does not get dark--I used spray-on and creme-based for weeks before Manhattan and it did nothing except streak. The ProTan darkened me right away (roughly two coats), and also came off quickly. I'm naturally super-pale, though, and I also don't tan in the sun at all (I burn and then become pale), so the slow-develop stuff may just not work on me, period. I suspect you have to experiment, and if you want to go really dark, again, drugstore stuff may not get you there.

Glad to see no one's suggested actually going out and tanning in the sun, though! I went swimming at 6:30pm today and still drowned myself in SPF 50.

[waltzgirl]

My recommendation of drugstore self-tanner or Sally Hansen was partly based on the fact that it's the OP's first comp, so I assumed (perhaps wrongly?) that she would be dancing bronze and probably beginner or intermediate, if not newcomer.

IMO, a too-dark tan on a beginner is like an over-elaborate costume--sets up expectations against which the beginner's dancing looks worse than it actually is.

Sorry, LCC, if I'm wrong about your level.

[Larinda McRaven]

http://nuevayores.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/muffintops.jpg muffin top

I have actually in all my years never SEEN a tan that came from a drug store lotion that was dark enough. I have been Hearing about this mysterious phenom. I see some tan, but frankly the thought in the back of my mind is "what a waste" because the end result is so pale compared to what is normally expected. I am not sure with all of the time and applications that trying to do it with a drugstore brand that it is any cheaper.

When I judge a college comp I usually only see or two girls then entire weekend that is dark enough. The sad thing is that you can tell that most girls have put on tanner because there is a funky hue to their skin (usually streaky and in the folds of skin) but without the actual darkness that would benefit them. They spent the money and time, went through the hassle, endured the smell and the stain, but did not actually achieve the end result. The same goes for the lower levels of pro-am. It seems to take time before people actually get into the groove of tanning. No pro I know even bothers anymore with experimenting with drugstore brand.

As for tights... I would not wear a pair that did not have a sock bottom. It hurts majorly when the mesh gets stepped on all day. My issue with the solid bottom is it often is too big, so it sticks out the front sides and heels. I usually end up pushing and pulling the bottom around so that it shows less. ANd when it does show I would rather it be on the inside of the foot, instead of sneaking out the shoe on the outside of the foot.

[Merrylegs]

http://nuevayores.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/muffintops.jpg muffin top

I have actually in all my years never SEEN a tan that came from a drug store lotion that was dark enough. I have been Hearing about this mysterious phenom. I see some tan, but frankly the thought in the back of my mind is "what a waste" because the end result is so pale compared to what is normally expected. I am not sure with all of the time and applications that trying to do it with a drugstore brand that it is any cheaper.

When I judge a college comp I usually only see or two girls then entire weekend that is dark enough. The sad thing is that you can tell that most girls have put on tanner because there is a funky hue to their skin (usually streaky and in the folds of skin) but without the actual darkness that would benefit them. They spent the money and time, went through the hassle, endured the smell and the stain, but did not actually achieve the end result. The same goes for the lower levels of pro-am. It seems to take time before people actually get into the groove of tanning.

Thanks for the laugh. Did you get that picture off of a Glamour Don't?

I think the prob with the too light tan is that people buy the light tan color and it doesn't get you dark enough because it isn't designed to do so. I always purchase the dark color of Neutrogena or whatever brand I'm using and it works pretty well. However it depends on the brand for me. Clinique does not work on me and I prefer Neutrogena to Banana Boat but have found that the Walgreen's brand was pretty good.

I've seen people use the light color and, frankly, they look yellowy orange. It's not good.

I have never done spray tan but when I get back on the competition floor I think I will try it. (When will that be exactly????)

Whatever you do, don't fake bake in a tanning bed. It's not worth it.

[Merrylegs]

Back to the original post, I don't wear fishnets anymore because they give me waffle toes. I've tried wearing hosiery underneath but it was very constricting. Plus, it can create a weird line around your waist that shows through the costume. Depending on your costume.If you tan well enough you should be able to forgo the fishnets but you should probably ask your coach what he thinks.

[Laura]

My recommendation of drugstore self-tanner or Sally Hansen was partly based on the fact that it's the OP's first comp, so I assumed (perhaps wrongly?) that she would be dancing bronze and probably beginner or intermediate, if not newcomer.
Newcomer or not, I know Pros in my area who use the Sally Hansen Spray On Legs and recommend it. So it's worth a try -- the Original Poster should try all these suggestions out in lessons and practices *before* the comp, just so she doesn't find that a product makes her itch or turn orange or something on the day of the comp!

[fascination]

I know the hazards but this thread just makes me so glad that I tan easily and darkly...(again, I KNOW) ...but jeez it is nice to not have to mess with all of that crap

[yanka]

Back to the original post, I don't wear fishnets anymore because they give me waffle toes. I've tried wearing hosiery underneath but it was very constricting. Plus, it can create a weird line around your waist that shows through the costume. Depending on your costume.If you tan well enough you should be able to forgo the fishnets but you should probably ask your coach what he thinks.

Similar here - I wore fishnets a couple times and I kept having to adjust them around my toes between rounds. It's a struggle [for me] between creating holes big enough for your toes to comfortably fit through and still leaving enough connected stuff so they don't slide too far up your foot. I think it's far more of an issue with latin [open-toes] shoes than standard shoes, because you already have all these straps around your toes (or I do, anyway) to deal with without having to deal with the additional layer of fishnets.

Anyway, my other issue was that I couldn't reliably get the rest of my body tan to match the shade of the fishnets, so my legs didn't look as though they were part of the same body as the rest of me. I didn't want to spend the energy trying to figure it out, so I stopped wearing the fishnets.

[LadyChaCha]

YIKES. Thanks for all the suggestions, but now I'm starting to get nervous about this tan stuff. Nobody seems to recommend spray tanning at all!

I mean, it's not a HUGE deal. This is my first time competing Pro-Am, but I'm not a beginner-beginner, I'll be dancing Silver...still I don't wanna stick out like a sore white thumb on the floor! I mean, I look back at all my collegiate comp videos from when we never tanned, and I look totally sickly and disgusting. These Pro-Am ladies take it so seriously that I know I couldn't get away with it even if I wanted to.

I AM Caspar white. The comp is a week away. And there's no way I can "try" a fake tan this week without looking like the crazy orange girl at work. I've tried several products in the past (not for dancing, just for general not wanting to be pasty) and they have ALL turned orange on me. That's why I hesitate to try this DIY way.

Still...the Sally Hansen stuff is sounding sorta tempting to try. But now I'm wondering if I should run to the city or rush order some of the protan painty stuff. I wanna get to a nearly unrecognizeable dark color...plus I have some freckles on my cheeks and back that I'm hoping will get covered up. But I just can't fathom painting this stuff on myself the night before the comp -- I'm gonna get there late and may not have any help!

Maybe I shoud spray tan AND pro-tan/sally hansen myself?

I'm dancing Smooth the first day...then Rhythm the day after. Hmm....I don't know what to do!! :confused:

[waltzgirl]

I've found that tanning emphasizes freckles by darkening them even more. Another reason I like Sally Hansen (it's available at most drugstores around here--just be sure to get the Deep Glow color, the others are too light or weird).

But a lot of people do the spray-on tan you can get at a tanning place. But if you turn orange with self-tanner, I'd be afraid the spray tan might do the same thing. But if it did, the Sally Hansen over it might improve the color at the comp. (But then you'd be crazy orange girl at work the following week!)

[LadyChaCha]

Hmm....so Sally Hansen will cover the freckles? Now I'm getting tempted. Do you think that stuff alone -- with no base tan of any kind -- will work on me and get me real dark?

And geez, I never even considered the spray on could look orange! Ack!

So about how much does a bottle cost, and will one bottle be enough? :-P Where do they sell it? Say, can I pick it up at CVS? :D

[waltzgirl]

I can't say it will get you really dark. But if you are pale, it will give you a noticeable tan and cover freckles. I get mine at CVS or Rite-Aid. One bottle will be more than enough for your whole body. If you can get some soon, you can try it and still have time to do a spray tan if the SH isn't dark enough.

I am very happy with it for silver smooth and bronze rhythm. If I were doing silver rhythm, I might want to be a bit darker than I can get with SH, but for a first comp, I wouldn't worry too much about that.

[danceronice]

Larinda's advice to me was professional spray tan, FOLLOWED by protan. (I am a bronze-level pro/am dancer, so I'm not by any stretch dancing at a high level. I *am* dancing with some pretty kicka$$ pros, though.) I don't do that because frankly the bottle of protan is cheaper and at the time I had about week before I left for Manhattan.

Someone mentioned itching--I also did a patch test, like when you dye your hair, before doing a mass application of the protan. I have allergies and hypersensitive skin, so sometimes chemicals (like Clinique's facial bronzer--THAT was an experience I won't soon forget) make my skin do very strange things. I'd strongly reccomend patch-testing anything you get at least twelve hours, preferably 24 or 48, before you use it.

[RIdancer82]

Pro-Tan used to get me really dark. But recently it just hasn't seemed to be working. It just isn't getting me dark.... (and yes, I exfoliate really well w/ a good exfoliator for it.... very much used to the process by now) 3 coats of it leave me more pale than most people after only 1 coat..... The same amount used to get me very very dark and now it just doesn't seem to work very well. A few people have said that they use Super Braun.... anyone here have experience w/ that brand?

Also, as one of the vendors this weekend pointed out to me, Super Braun has 2 versions of the same product. They have one marketed towards ballroom dancers w/ 12% more DHA in it than their regular one.... Has anyone else heard this? Is the same true for Pro-Tan? (If so, I wonder if that might be my problem w/ the Pro-Tan...)

[Katarzyna]

Pro-Tan used to get me really dark. But recently it just hasn't seemed to be working. It just isn't getting me dark.... (and yes, I exfoliate really well w/ a good exfoliator for it.... very much used to the process by now) 3 coats of it leave me more pale than most people after only 1 coat..... The same amount used to get me very very dark and now it just doesn't seem to work very well. A few people have said that they use Super Braun.... anyone here have experience w/ that brand?

Also, as one of the vendors this weekend pointed out to me, Super Braun has 2 versions of the same product. They have one marketed towards ballroom dancers w/ 12% more DHA in it than their regular one.... Has anyone else heard this? Is the same true for Pro-Tan? (If so, I wonder if that might be my problem w/ the Pro-Tan...)
I really like superbraun.. never heard about 2 different versions of the product though..

at nationals I used only 1 layer of the tanner, and didn't even add DHA to the bottle to enhance it

[and123]

grid butt.
waffle toes.
muffin top.

lord help us....:roll:

[samina]

sounds like hannibal lecter's breakfast order...

[Imhere]

Karina, Cheryl, and Kym talk about makeup and tanning @ Ballroomdancechannel. They’re so funny.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid716132513/bclid823321401/bctid1137687476 (http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid716132513/bclid823321401/bctid1137687476)

[LadyChaCha]

I saw the two kinds of Super Braun on dancshopper and was wondering what that was all about! One was "Classic," was a little more expensive, and mentioned that it was used by all sorts of pros. The other had a less appealing bottle and looked pretty ordinary. Only one kind of Pro-Tan, though. And another half-dozen other types of mysterious self-tanners I've never heard much about.

You know, I'm not exactly thrilled at the concept of standing in front of someone half naked while they ask me to lift my leg so they can spray-tan my inner thigh, so the idea of painting myself is actually seeming more and more appealing.

I think I'll try to pick up some SH tonight, and if it doesn't get me dark enough (I have no faith in anything to turn my pastiness dark!), I'm thinking of getting Pro-Tan or Super Braun or one of those...but how the heck do I choose a brand?

So I guess while I'm at CVS I should pick up some dark makeup for between dances? You mentioned SH was like makeup....so can I just use the actual Self-Tanner as a foundation?

[waltzgirl]

I guess you could. But I get a regular foundation in a darker than usual color and use bronzer to match up my face with my body.