To Mystic or not to Mystic

[TheCruisingBrewers]

Okay here is the sad fact... I am SOOOO pale. I have very fair skin and it takes me an eon to tan....I am tempted to try a Mystic before our cruis but and worried it will look odd or orangy on my skin. I am also worried about it fading and streaking if I swim and I plan to. How many times should I go? Does it stay better if you do two or three? I sure would like to be tan for once and not look like a ghost...LOL

 

Can anyone out there give me some advice on it? Are there sunless tanners you can suppliment the Mystic with if it fades while on the cruise?

 

Help I have just 3 weeks left!

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Nancy

[romy]

I too am "Casper the Friendly Ghost". I haven't tried it, but I have read on the boards many weeks ago a lot of information. Try a search, I guess it works now. Anyway, I remember reading that it does fade/streak in the pools.

 

Personally I've been very happy with sunless tanning creams. I like L'oreal Sublime Bronze, light/med. I've tried them all and this does not stink! Goes on easily, doesn't streak and lasts for days.

 

I'd start now, and reapply every other day for the first week. Then maintain once or twice a week. Be sure to wash you hands very thouroghly after applying.

 

Good luck!

 

Happy Sailing!

 

Romy

[romy]

As an addition; I do use it on my face too with no problems whatsoever.

 

Happy Sailing!

 

Romy

[Princess Di]

Hi, Nancy,

I go to Paradise Tanning Salons, here in California, before a Cruise. (I am a Very Fair Blonde.) I buy the package for 3 sessions. You can choose between 2 different levels, one darker than the other. I get the darker. You should schedule it for about 2 weeks prior to your sailing, ending with the last one a couple of days prior to sailaway. :D

At the salon, they will advise you of this. I buy the Savon generic tanning creme to use on the ship. I have never found the Mystic to streak or run. However, it does fade. That is why you take the tan creme to supplement the tan. :cool:

I like the Mystic because it is much more even than you could ever get with the cremes alone. On my last cruise, I went to the spa on my first day (I had done a 7-night pre-cruise). I had the Glow Treatment of exfoliation and then application of their tanning product. Thereafter, I use my own creme to maintain. You will want to take some rubber gloves to protect your palms from the colour. On the Star, when I had the Salon Tanning Treatment, I bought the Steiners product and it comes with a neat sponge-glove for application. Worked very nicely.

At the Mystic salon, they will give you (in the tan room) an occluder. If you have any spots on your face, arms, or body, you will want to use the occluder to block the liquid from these spots. You also put it on your toenails and fingernails so that these don't get ugly.

The first time is a little shock because it is Cold; however, the spray only lasts for a couple of minutes. :p

When you follow all the instructions, you will be Very pleased with the results. :)

Have a Great cruise with your beautiful tanned body.

[TheCruisingBrewers]

Thanks for the suggestions and advice! I looked for the Sublime stuf today but could only find DEEP. I think it is a peril living here in CA since everyone is SO tan crazy!

 

I think I will try the Mystic and see life as a tanned person just this once :winks: How to explain my sudden tan??? I am seeing George Hamilton and it rubbed off? LOL

 

One question though... do you use the creme to help fading AND go to the spa for a tanning treatment? Or just do the one? It sounded like you had more than one experience? I do not remember there being tanning Spa package there on the Pride. It there is about how much is it?

 

Also I read you should exfolliate and moisturize first any suggestion there... you sound like an expert Di!

 

Thanks agin for the help!

 

Nancy

[Princess Di]

Hi, again, Nancy, You are very Welcome.

I am probably a quasi-expert. When you find the Salon that uses Mystic, they will advise you to shower and exfoliate just before coming for your treatment. I am a licensed Esthetician in the State of California. Although I do not do this, currently, for a living, I recall most of my training. :cool:

 

When you bathe and exfoliate, your pores are opened up and the dermis will absorb the products better and more evenly. The Salon will try to sell you an exfoliating product. :) Yeah, I fell for it; however, I AM a product junkie (I used to sell Avon and all of their products are excellent also).

The Salon Product is probably more expensive. :p

I scrub with a granual product (inexpensive) using a loofah in the shower or bath.

 

 

The Salon will also offer to sell you their tan creme for upkeep. I bought a travel package (around $20) from the Paradise (Mystic) Tanning Salon, which contained about 6-ounce plastic bottles of 3 products - the exfoliator, a moisturizer (body lotion), and the tanning creme.

 

You may use Any product to bathe. I especially like any with the little granuals - just get an inexpensive one at the drugstore. The only difference in the ingredients of expensive department store products and drugstore & avon products is the packaging and price, so save your money. That is why I use the cheapest I can find - Savon Generic (for the tanning creme). I buy several when they are on sale.

 

So now you go to the Mystic salon for 3 treatments, about 5 days apart. Then you go on your cruise and after a couple of days, you start applying the tan cremes. Actually, I apply them every day, right after my shower, just like you would any body lotion.

Also, keeping your skin soft with a moisturize helps to get it more even and helps with absorption.

 

I Sailed on the Star Princess, who uses Steiner (from London) as operators (except for the Caribbean Princess and Sapphire Princess - these are managed in house and use Phytomer products). I think it was about $100 for the treatment and lasted about an hour; however, I can't honestly remember the cost.

 

If you are cruising another line, :( most likely the Salon will also be operated by Steiners as they do most of the cruiselines.

http://www.timetospa.com is a Steiners website if you would like to shop.

 

It is not necesary to do the Salon treatment aboard the Ship - however, it is a very pleasurable treatment, the colour will last a few days, and it is a good basis for applying your daily creme, and it is very EVEN.

 

I use all the products on my face, as well, then everything matches. See if you can buy some of the occluder at the Mystic Salon to use on the ship when applying your creme product. :D

[JanetMarie]

Hi gang ~ On my last cruise in March, I went to MT. Boy will I never do that again. Initially, I loved, loved, loved the tan! But what happened to me was on the cruise, the sun never really penetrated through the dark color on my skin, and when I returned from a week in the Caribbean, the MT was loosing its power and I had no Caribbean tan. If I was to use the MT for around Connecticut, that would be fine. But for the ship, no way.

[Truffle]

Hi Princess Di,

When you mention tanning creme to use onboard the cruise after the MT sessions are you referring to suntan lotion/creme or are you referring to a sunless tanner? Also, is the occluder for use on age spot/large freckle type spots (on back of hand for example) or some other type of "spot?" Have you had any problem with knees and elbows if you exfolliate properly? I assume you wouldn't want to use any exfolliating bath products AFTER the treatments, but do you use them in between treatments in a series? Thanks!!

 

Melody

[TheCruisingBrewers]

Thanks for the advice!

 

Asto the not being tan when I get home... I doubt I would be anyway, as I will always have to use 45 to 60 sun block while out in the sun as it is. I have never in 4 cruises come home tanned :(

 

That is the peril of being so fair I supose. After having a mild skin cancer already... I am not interested really in a REAL tan. My doc would have fit!

 

I guess slathering sunscreen on will help with the moisturinzing bit right Di?

 

Now I am getting excited...

 

Thanks again

Nancy

[Princess Di]

Hi, Nancy and Melody,

 

Yes, Nancy, the sun block is an Excellent moisturizer to use in the daytime. At night, I just use the Amenities Lotion provided in my Cabin. The Cabin Steward will always give you more, if needed. Nancy, are you going to go for the Mystic Tan also? :confused:

 

Melody: I Love your Screename. I'll take the chocolate with nuts, please. ;)

Yes, I am referring to the Sunless Tanning Cremes. And, yes, the occluder is to apply onto those Ugly Age (AKA Sun spots) marks and spots that prevail - especially on hands and arms. You may want to use it before your Mystic sessions every other time also so they don't get darker than the rest of your bodyi.

 

ANOTHER PRODUCT for lightening Spots:

The Hydrocynone products work well (such as Porcelana and the Avon Lightener - there are many of them in the Drugstores - all have the same Active Ingredient) for dissipating the Age Spots, but take about 6 months to see progress and you must be religious applying them every day after bathing. I just rub it all over my arms chest and legs, after showering.

Knees & Elbows: Yes, for some reason, they seem to get darker so you may want to avoid those areas every other application when using either the spray on Mystic and/or the tanning cremes. :cool:

Melody, are you going to do either the Mystic or the tan creme?

They will make you feel "Less Blonde" and look more like the regular population. :D

 

No, I do not exfoliate after the initial time; unless it starts to fade and peel. If you do not keep it up, it is just like a regular tan and then you just start over again, so upkeep is important on your vacation.

 

BTW, (Janet) it is NOT true that the sun doesn't penetrate these products. ONLY sunscreen will keep the rays from penetrating. Although the Mystic and the self-tanners appear to be a real suntan, they do not afford the sun protection of a Real Tan. You can still burn and tan when using them.

[CarolSW]

Hello ladies! I'm joining in on this sunless tan discussion. I've been a do-it-yourself-er in this area for years. My product of choice is Lancome Flash Bronzer for Legs which I use all over (except my face - there I mix regular foundation with a little Sally Hansen Skin Brightener in Bronze). I get my Lancome products on eBay to save $. Although I've been generally satisfied with the results of my efforts, I keep encountering the same challenge - the tan washes away in the pool! Recently I looked online for a solution to that problem, and the only suggestion I've found is to apply sunscreen liberally (which we should be doing anyway). Haven't yet tried this for the purpose of preserving my tan, but will do so on my cruise this next week. Does anybody else have any tips or hints about sunless tans and swimming pools?

 

CarolSW <---I always said if all my freckles would connect I'd have the perfect tan!

[ama-sam]

If that isn't the truth! :p I would be the envy then of all of my tan friends!!

However, I doubt that will ever happen, so I have also resorted to self tanners and the spray on tan. and 30+ sunblock when I am in the sun to prevent burning. Only once with spray on, but I did like it (despite the initial shock of the cold spray) and if it were not so expesive I would do it more often. It is hard to justify $11-19 (depending on the package) for five/six days of tan! A bottle of self tanner lasts longer and costs much less.

As I type this I am waiting for my self tanner to dry a bit before getting dressed... and now I seem to be stuck on the boards!

Ally

[TheCruisingBrewers]

I am TAN! I loved the Mystic.. I did the first one yesterday and will do my second on Thursday.... only place a had a bit of streaking was the tops of my fingers on one hand... need to put on MORE barrier I guess.... Otherwise I am tanner well than I have ever been in my life.

 

Now maybe I can get a real tan to go under this one as it fades out.

 

The price was not too bad for a one event type thing... I could get seriously addicted to looking like a real native Californian though and the DH LOVED it.

 

Nancy

 

PS Thanks for all the advice!

[MartiniMama]

So glad you liked the Mystic Tan. I tried it once and loved it! I had also tried the Hollywood Tan but wasn't as happy with that one. For a self-tanner, I also liked NO AD Tanning....it worked really well, could be applied every 4 hours, had a little odor but easy to get used to and best of all, only cost $4 for a huge bottle. I think they sell it in Walmart/K-Mart. One word of caution... the fake tans are not the same as a real tan and you can very easily burn if you're not careful. :cool: