Just like any fair-skinned teenage girl from New Jersey should, I used to be wildly obsessed with my tan. “A day is never wasted if you go to sleep tanner than when you woke up” or something like that was my lame excuse for a personal motto—no gymming or laundry necessary; was I less dynamic than The Situation?

Well, times have changed and wrinkles and sun spots are no longer just fables to keep me from my motionless mission in the gorgeous yellow gleam from 10 am till sunset. Tanning beds are absolutely out of the question; oh how disappointed I am in my younger foolish self! However, I still do love a glowing tan, I just now adapted a few sneaky ways to make it happen while keeping safe from the sun’s unfortunate side effects. I call it: The 7-Step Smoke & Mirrors Tan Plan.

STEP ONE: Sunscreen

To begin the real part of your tan (because this really works better when you’re not channeling Casper) promise me you will always apply sunscreen with at least SPF 30. I love Pevonia Botanica Hydrating Sunscreen – it’s one of the top spa-recommended sunscreens, and it’s what I used on my recent trip to Cali. It’s chock full of vitamins and completely oil-free, so it can work as a moisturizer as well, even if it’s not a pool day. $40 on Pevonia.com. Also, check out these 3 eco-friendly sun shields under $10.

STEP TWO: Maui Babe

You may or may not be familiar with my obsession with Maui Babe, a vestige of my tanorexic years that I just cannot seem to kick. Nor do I want to. As long as it’s used over SPF you’re safe, and it is still hands down the best tanning formula on the planet. And when I say tanning I mean browning. I’ve still yet to burn with the Babe. Starting at $13.99 on mauibabe.com.

STEP THREE: A Misting Sunless Self-Tanner

Since you should never be sitting in the sun all day (and who has the time, really?), this is where you mix your real bronze with your fake one. At-home tanning formulas allow you to build gradually, as needed. Applying every other day is a good pace when you want to be building your tan without looking orange. This one from Mystic Tan gives an incredibly rich and even tone. After drying off from your shower, hold about 8 inches from your skin, spray all over, stand still for a few minutes to dry, and in a few hours you’ll be “back from vacation”. $38 on amazon.com.

STEP FOUR: Liquid Bronzer

The funny thing about beauty products is that sometimes they don’t do what they promise, and sometimes they do even better things they didn’t promise. This MAC Skinsheen Leg Spray doesn’t actually do much for your legs, so I’ve found, but it works wonders on your face! It has never caused me to break out, but if you have sensitive skin, I’d try it in the store first. Put a spritz on your fingers, then apply evenly to your face and neck for an added out-the-door glow. $26.50 at MAC.

STEP FIVE: Powder Bronzer

I’ve used a lot of great bronzers – NARS Bronzing Powder, Lola Sand & Sun, HOOLA by Benefit… but none so readily available and affordable as Physicians Formula Powder Palette. Don’t use the baby brush it comes with unless it’s an emergency though – it’s too small to apply it well. Someone should really tell them this. $11.99 on drugstore.com

STEP SIX: Canon Powershot Digital Elph

I’m always shocked when more people don’t know about this! It’s my favorite little smoke and mirrors tanning secret, and I’m spilling it now. Canon PowerShot cameras have a tan setting – it’s the D for Darker Skin Tone under My Colors, and it will make your Facebook friends think you spend every weekend in Miami. I own this one in orange; if you’re on the market for a new digi, this one is positively perfect and will almost match your new tan. $199.99 at Bestbuy.com.

Exhibit 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 on me, and 2, 4, and 6 my gay hubby Michael last week. Which brings me to STEP SEVEN of the Smoke & Mirrors Tan Plan… wear white!

Play it smart in the sun!

The cast of the reality show Jersey Shore popularized the motto “gym, tan, laundry” (GTL for those in the know).  While the show places an importance on looking your best (or something like that), the emphasis on tanning can be a dangerous message. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health says that ultraviolet radiation, used in indoor tanning, is a proven human carcinogen. Nearly 30 million people tan indoors every year and they can receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose compared to regular sun exposure. In recognition of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, this May it’s time to make some changes. If you are tanorexic, make it a point to learn preventative measures against the sun while visiting the spa.

“As a melanoma survivor, I can personally attest to the importance of regular screenings and arming yourself with the tools offered at spas to protect yourself,” said ISPA President Lynne McNees. “It’s particularly important for teens to hear about the harmful effects of the sun at an early age, and the spa is the perfect place for them to learn how to properly care for their skin.”

Indoor tanning isn’t the only danger; too much time at the beach, pool or anywhere outdoors can lead to dangerous results. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed annually making it the most common form of cancer in the U.S. Even more disparaging news – up to 90 percent of the visible changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by the sun. It’s time to be proactive about sun protection, and now more than ever, spas are making it their responsibility to help you with products and treatments aimed to prevent and repair sun damage.

“Skin Cancer Awareness Month is a great opportunity for everyone to think about their skin and how to protect it,” said Dr. Brent Bauer, director of the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at the Mayo Clinic and ISPA’s Medical Advisor. “It’s especially important if you have increased risk factors for skin cancer such as fair skin, a history of sunburns or lots of moles.”

Are you addicted to being tan? You’re not alone, but it doesn’t make it any safer. If you’re going using a a tanning lotion like Maui Babe, always make sure you use SPF protection too. Try Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion with SPF 15 or higher—it’s a dermatologist-recommended, all natural, hydrating sunblock that does the job well. It kept my skin safe for ten straight days in Hawaii over the holidays, and I recommend if if you are looking for a reliable, nice-smelling sunblock that wont clog your pores. Akina Salon & Spa recommends BioElements for the best skin protection.

How did you weigh in? Last night on Facebook we asked what you do to protect your skin; read below for some inspiring stories warnings from your fellow Facebookers who’ve been there. Share your tips and stories in the comments—no matter what it is, May is the month to let others benefit from what you have to say about sun protection!

Image courtesy of kailanibeach.com

You could win a tan contest against this bottle.

The Little Luxury: Maui Babe Browning Lotion

Relationship status: Thoroughly addicted since introduced 6 years ago, cannot spend a summer or a vacation without it.

Alias: Tanning’s Holy Grail

What is Maui Babe: The greatest tanning lotion known to man. Made in Hawaii with coffee, iodine, oil, lots of love and other top secret ingredients.

Does it do what it says it’ll do? YES. You rub it on your skin like lotion, you lay in the sun, and you watch yourself get tan. It doesn’t burn you, it BROWNS. It’s actually changed the way my skin takes in the sun– even when I’m in the sun without Maui Babe, it seems like after all these years my skin has been trained to get brown rather than burned.

The bottle says it’s fast. How fast could it be? I see tan lines within 10 minutes. 

But… isn’t tanning bad for you? Aren’t you supposed to be telling me wear SPF 50 and get a damage-erasing facial with one of your spa deals or something? Of course. I was getting there. You should definitely wear sunscreen under your Babe to protect your skin while you brown it… Maui Babe makes an SPF 30 lotion.We can’t stop you from tanning, so at least do it safely. (I’ll let you decide on your own if you wanted to try one of those facial deals.)

What does it smell like? Feel like? I thought you’d never ask. It smells like a mix of coffee, cocoa, oil and beach. Some people love it, some people would rather save the smell for their mocha latte. It’s a thick and goopy cream that freaks a lot people out.

Those bottles look a little ghetto: Watch your mouth. 

Does the brown rub off on your clothes? Yes. Every time. BUT! It comes right out in the wash, no problem. I’ve never gotten a permanent Babe stain, but I can’t imagine I’d be that upset if I did.

Proving love, time and again: I once made my entire family– including my immobile grandmother, drive over an hour to go to the nearest store in Florida that carried The Babe. I also once had a shipment practically over-nighted from Hawaii to arrive before leaving for a vacation.

Where can I get it? Back in the good old days, you could only order it from MauiBabe.com or go to Maui to pick it up. Maui Babe was a true rarity. Now you can find it all over. I’ll never forget the day I walked into Duane Reade on 34th and 3rd in Manhattan, and to my horror, sitting right there on the shelf among the lowly Banana Boats and Coppertones, sat a row of my beautiful Babe. I felt so responsible, so connected, so deceived, and SO overwhelmed, that I stood there in Duane Reade at 2 in the morning convincing people in line to buy Maui Babe until they sold out entirely. 

The price of the perfect suntan:  $13.99 for a 4 oz bottle, $23 for an 8 oz at Mauibabe.com. Prices have doubled over the last few years, which I guess they’ve earned. You may also consider buying a set that includes Sunscreen and/or their After Sun formula. Or, buy Babe in bulk. 

Social Babe: I found them on Twitter and Facebook today! Couldn’t be more excited.

The Real Deal: Tomorrow I am going on my first vacation without Maui Babe in tow… because I am going to Maui! Of all the reasons I’m excited, number one might be to feel the glorious satisfaction of buying and using Maui Babe exactly where God intended. 

Hot Stone Scale: 6 out of 6

This Little Luxury Report was brought to you by: Michelle