How well I remember my teenage years when my friends and I would literally FRY ourselves in the sun during the summer with the help of just plain baby oil. Of course with my fair skin, I'd more often than not receive little more than a painful sunburn for my troubles. Instead of trying to "safely" tan gradually, I'd lay out for hours at a time hoping to achieve that same deep, dark tan that many of my friends seemed to so easily come by. Little did I know that my efforts would be in vain. All I got in return was lots of freckles and painful, unattractive and peeling skin. It just wasn't fair!

Despite all the warnings and recommendations to protect my skin from the suns powerful rays, every summer you'd find me lying in the sun in search of that perfect tan. There I was, covered in baby oil, sweating away and frying my skin. Yeah, that was me, the queen of "denial." I WAS going to be tan, no matter what! Cloudy days were my worst enemy. Usually after that initial sunburn, my skin responded by tanning somewhat, but I never received that deep, dark tan I was so desperately in search of. It just was not meant to be. Genetics were stacked against me. But stubbornly, I kept trying.

So instead of applying baby oil during my tanning sessions as usual while continuing to strive for that perfect tan year after year, I decided to purchase Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray with Vitamin E & Aloe at my local Wal-Mart recently to see if it would enhance my efforts. I was instantly attracted by the sandproof, dry oil concept advertised on the bottle, along with the convenient spray applicator, so my curiosity got the best of me. At a purchase price of around $4 for an 8 ounce bottle of Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray, I figured I had little to lose and lots to gain. That perfect tan was contained inside this small bottle of coconut fragranced tanning oil, or so I thought!

USAGE & FEATURES: Marketed as an advanced SANDPROOF tanning formula, Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 2 is designed to leave your skin feeling silky smooth and clean, not heavy or greasy like many other tanning oils do. This unique dry oil has a pleasing tropical coconut-like fragrance and is enriched with Vitamin E, Aloe, and special moisturizers that nourish the skin and reduce peeling and flaking to extend the life of your tan. Simply pump the convenient fine mist spray of dry oil liberally over the exposed areas of your skin. Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray applies easily and evenly. And because it is SANDPROOF as well, this dry oil is desirable for beach use when tanning.

IMPORTANT ALERT: Because suncare products with an SPF below 15 may not provide adequate protection against sunburn and skin damage for some skin types, especially those with fair skin, use Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray cautiously, if at all. A dark, base tan should be achieved gradually with higher SPF suncare lotions before using this product. Many skin care experts recommend the usage of sunscreens with at least an SPF of 15 or higher to reduce the risk of premature aging, wrinkling and skin cancer, especially for those that burn easily or spend long periods of time in the sun.

WHAT DOES SPF 2 MEAN ANYWAY? An SPF (sun protection factor) of 2 simply means that such a suncare product will protect the skin from burning 2 times as long as the skin's natural ability to do so. For example, if it only takes you 10 minutes to achieve a sunburn unprotected, you'll burn in 20 minutes while using an SPF 2 suncare product. Obviously, an SPF 2 offers little extra protection, which is why sunscreens with at least an SPF of 15 are generally recommended. So instead of burning in 10 minutes unprotected in the above example, the skin is protected for up to 150 minutes while using an SPF 15 skin care product.

DIRECTIONS: Apply Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray evenly, spraying 6 to 8 inches above exposed areas of TANNED skin. Reapply often, especially after prolonged periods of swimming, excessive perspiration, exercise or toweling. Do not spray directly on the face. Instead, spray into the hands first and then apply to face.

WARNINGS: Avoid contact with the eyes. If skin irritation or rash develops, discontinue use of Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray. Keep this and all drugs out of the reach of children. In case of accidental ingestion, seek professional assistance or contact and Poison Control Center immediately.

INGREDIENTS: homosaiate (ACTIVE), mineral oil, cyclopentasiloxane, isoproply palmitate, fragrance, benzioc acid, aloe barbadensis extract, tocopherol (vitamin E).

DID COPPERTONE GOLD DARK TANNING DRY OIL SPRAY WORK FOR ME? I have a feeling you already know the answer to this one. Other than smelling like a coconut while tanning, I received little more protection with Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray than using just plain baby oil as previously and burned as usual. But now after numerous trips to the beach and tanning beds over the years, I've finally realized that the damage to my skin just isn't worth the effort. Skin cancer is the leading type of cancer today, with more and more cases reported every year. I still prefer the look of tan skin, even though I know there really is no such thing as a "healthy tan." The glow that looks so natural on others takes weeks or even months for me to achieve. Is all the effort really worth it? I really am beginning to wonder....

FINAL RECOMMENDATION: Purchase and use Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray with Vitamin E & Aloe SPF 2 ONLY if you have a dark base tan already and do not burn easily, if at all. Skip this product altogether if you have fair, easily freckled skin like I do. Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray offers little more than using just plain baby oil as far as protecting your skin from sun damage goes. The pleasing fragrance is nice and the convenient dry oil spray pump is a plus as well, but these features are all you are paying for. If you are looking to protect your fair to medium skin from the sun's harmful rays while tanning, this product with a low SPF of 2 is NOT for you.

For more information on Coppertone Gold Dark Tanning Dry Oil Spray and other suncare products, check out their website online at:

www.coppertone.com

Scherling-Plough Healthcare Products, Inc.
Memphis, TN 38151 (USA)









Recommended: No