Out loud, we worship sunscreen’s protection. Silently, we curse its tan-killing power. Here, the best spray tans in the city, so you appear bronzed without taking any health risks.
FYI: Most of these procedures have a no-shower rule for eight hours postbronze.
Golden Girl Chicago Airbrush Tan
Details: During a consultation, cofounder Jenn Dieas determines your best bronzing color and gives you some pointers (shave the night before; exfoliate the morning of). Then she comes to your pad with a mobile airbrush sprayer, tent, towels, moisturizers, and an organic Australian sunless tanning formula derived from beet sugar.
Lasting effect: The twenty-minute process lasts longer than a week.
Perk: Dieas follows up to see how you’re doing.
Tip: Play around until you find your match (she can tweak formula hues by half a percentage).
Cost: It starts at $45; packages run up to $125.
Ortanic Airbrush Technology
Details: Ortanic’s industrial-grade airbrush compression system sprays 95 percent of the customized tanning formula onto your bod instead of into the air (excess particles are sucked up by air purifiers in the treatment room). Trained aestheticians make sure all your contours are covered.
Lasting effect: About a week.
Perks: Your personal tan “recipes” are kept on file. And 5 percent of proceeds goes to skin cancer research.
Cost: Starts at $35 for nonmembers.
Where: The Spa at Equinox, 1750 North Clark Street, at LaSalle Drive, Lincoln Park. Reservations to 877-678-2642.
Mario Tricoci St. Tropez Tanning Treatment
Details: The hour-long treatment feels like a minimassage. Aestheticians exfoliate and moisturize your face and body, then expertly apply St. Tropez sunless tanning solution.
Lasting effect: Longer than a week.
Tip: Book your treatment on a low-key night; this natural tan looks best and most even when it’s given a day to soak in.
Cost: $90.
Where: 900 North Michigan Avenue, at Walton Street (874-202-1900).
Benefit Airbrush Spray Tan
Details: Choose a bronzed glow for body, upper body, or face and decolletage. Aestheticians are freakishly meticulous about everything, from hand-spraying techniques to picking the best aloe-based, Brazilian bronzing solution for your skin tone.
Lasting effect: Longer than a week.
Perk: A mini skin consultation lets you sample a few glow-enhancing bronzers, boosters, and blushes (raspberry-infused That Gal face primer) that’ll keep your color going longer.
Tip: It’s a perfect wedding or prevacation bronze, because it’s uber natural, fades evenly, and is totally odorless.
Cost: $15-$40.
Where: 852 West Armitage Avenue, between Fremont and Dayton Streets (773-880-9192); 1616 North Damen Avenue, between Wabansia and Milwaukee Avenues (773-342-8860); 3450 North Southport Avenue, at Cornelia Avenue (773-248-5800).
Photo: Thinkstock
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