0315 SW Montgomery St Suite 380
http://www.organicbronzebar.com/
Some of my new favorite things are daily deal sites such as Groupon, Living Social, and It's Just Deals. I recently decided that I better use my Groupon for an airbrush tan at Organic Bronze Bar. I bought this back before summer started for $20 (normally $50, except they have special Happy Hour prices during the week of $35). I am one pale Portlander, and I have never tried airbrush tanning before, so I wasn't 100% sure what to expect.I was told on the phone that it was important to come, "Showered, shaved, and exfoliated!" I followed directions and exfoliated that morning as I had never exfoliated before. I had heard horror stories of self-tanning gone wrong due to pesky dead skin cells, and I was not going to fall victim to that!
Organic Bronze Bar is located on the waterfront, and although Google Maps did me wrong, I was able to find it. It is near McCormick and Schmick's and Three Degrees. I was also able to find street parking, but I noticed that they also have pay parking lots down there.
Once inside, I was able to sneak a peek at a few women who just had their tans done. They looked bronze and amazing. I was pretty excited. When it was my turn I was led into a curtained off area. I was told by the tanning lady that I could undress to my level of comfort. They had paper disposable underwear if I wanted to go that route. I opted to wear my bathing suit. Then I went into another curtained area with the tanning lady. She told me to hold out my arms a little, and then she went to work. She was very professional and made me feel comfortable.
The experience wasn't unpleasant in any way. Basically, you stand there and she sprays your entire body with cold tanning formula. She tells you to turn this way and that, double checks her work, does a few touch ups, and then you are done. Then you get to blow dry yourself off for a few minutes, and you are on your way!
To make your tan last longer, you are not supposed to sweat, shower, or exercise for about eight hours after the tan. Then you can shower off. After each shower you are supposed to moisturize. You are supposed to avoid scrubs and exfoliation, and it is supposed to last at least five days.
The most inconvenient part about getting the airbrush tan was the sticky feeling afterward. Since I had to wait to shower, I felt like I was kind of stuck at home until then. I felt like I might get tanning formula on items around me, but it didn't happen. It also washed out of my black clothes and swimming suit.
Of course, the most important question is whether or not I liked the actual tan. I opted for a very light tan because I wanted to look natural (one of the girls at the salon had a darker tan and said she asked to make it look like she went somewhere tropical). I liked the look of the tan because I was not as blindingly white as I normally am, but I didn't get super dark. It wasn't orange at all, and no one said anything about my change in skin tone unless I told them about the tan. I did like it because it made me feel more comfortable wearing shorts and skirts since I wasn't as self-conscious about my skin tone.
However, it was a lot of work for five days of tan (I am on day four, and it is still around but starting to fade a little). I think I would stick to only getting one of these tans for a very special occasion or before going on a vacation. If you are interested in getting one, though, Organic Bronze Bar did a very nice job.
--E
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