Hey Guys,

I hope the last entry was helpful -- I tried to think of a bunch of different ways to look for dresses besides aimlessly walking around the mall. Anyway, to go along with that great dress, you'll definitely want your skin to look great. Everyone talks about how tanning booths and beds are pretty dangerous, so I have a few tanning alternatives for you to try!

Option 1: There are some great lotions and creams out there that will give you a good tan in a couple of days. (Alloy Editor Note: We love Clinique 'Touch of Bronze', $18.50. It's a moisturizer/self-tanner mix.) Be careful though! DO NOT wait until the day before prom to try one; try them out NOW!! This prevents problems like having a weird allergic reaction to your skin or streakiness from an uneven application. The only problem with these, is sometimes when you sweat, the color that is supposed to stay on your skin, decides to move and hang out on your clothes...or your pastel colored prom dress. Whoops! So definitely try them all out beforehand and make sure they're not leaving stains.

Option 2: Another option would be spray tanning. This can be a little more reliable, if you go to the right place. The color goes on pretty evenly, but after you get sprayed, you have to do the upkeep. That means you can't shower for about 4-7 hours after you've been sprayed to ensure than tan sinks in. Also, whatever salon you choose should have some lotion in the room. The second you get out of the spray, you should apply one even coat of lotion to your entire body. This will spread the color to the few spots it may have missed.

So, that's the low down. If you have any questions or comments just leave them below! More next week!

xo, mary