The Outs and Ins of Sunmanship

There's no denying, that the best way to acquire a golden glow is to spend a month or two lounging on the beach or at poolside. But even if your summer schedule is booked solid with indoor conferences---or you spent your vacation skiing last winter---there's no need to show up at the office looking pale-faced. On the shelves at men's-toiletries counters everywhere are a host of suntan oils, sprays, foam mousses, creams and fast-tanning lotions that can be used either alfresco or under a sun lamp, and a variety of bronzing gels (available in various shades) that instantly impart the burnished look of a great and year-round outdoorsman. All are specifically designed for men who have no use for strongly scented feminine ointments or greasy kid stuff.

In surveying the selection, you'll want to equip yourself with the tanning product that best suits your skin type as well as your personal preference. For sensitive-skinned sun worshipers, there are the following: Aramis Greaseless Tanning Lotion, Braggi Sun Bronzing Gel (the one that contains a special formula for supersensitive skin), Bain de Soleil Suntan Foam with doublestrength filters, Sun Stop-by Bronztan, Ambre Solaire "Total," Sungard Sunscreen Lotion by Miles Laboratories, Skolex Sun Cream, Noskote by Coppertone and Brut for Men Replenish---a product for dry as well as sensitive skins. (Since all of the above items are primarily designed to screen out the sun's ultraviolet rays rather than act as a deep-tanning agent, black sun seekers can usethem as a protection against burning.)

If you've got the kind of hide that can take long periods of exposure---and you want to cultivate a dark bronzed look---try the following: Aramis Waterproof Sun Gel (doesn't wash off in the water), Bain Soleil Regular, Tanya Hawaiian Tanning Oil (contains both coconut oil and cocoa butter), Bronztan Cream Lotion, Charles of the Ritz Sun Bronze, Skol Rich Tan Lotion, Ambre Solaire Tanning Spray Satin, Braggi Sun Bronzing Oil (ideal for a deep-deep tan), Coppertone Suntan Lotion or Royal Blend or Sea & Ski Dark Tanning Oil or Dark Tanning Foam.

If you're going to (concluded on page 157)Sunmanship(continued from page 99) take the sun in heavy doses, it's a good idea to coat your lips with an additional protective agent, such as Arden for Men Lip Pomade or Braggi Sun Block Stick, a white zinc oxide that also can be rubbed on the nose, ears and under the eyes---any sensitive area that you want to shield completely from the sun's rays. And fresh- or salt-water yachtsmen should also pack both wolff Freres Windproof lotion and Hand Conditioner in their kit bags.

Regardless of whether or not you darken easily, there are certain precautions you'll want to follow the first few days under the sun. Since it takes about two and a half weeks for the average beachnik to cultivate a smooth tan, be sure to relate exposure time to the amount of pigmentation in your skin. Three days of 15- to 30-minute outings (using a suntan cream or lotion, of course) will get you off to a good start. Then increase the time to one hour and, after another three days, try two hours for three more days. The rest of the summer, you should be able to judge what constitutes the correct exposure. Chaps with sensitive skin, however, would be wise to stay under a beach umbrella until they've developed some degree of darkness; light reflection off sand and rocks will impart a slight tan. (If you're extremely light skinned and prone to burn despite minimum exposure and maximum protection, you might ask your doctor about Meloxine, a prescription-only pill that temporarily produces more pigment in the skin, thus increasing your tolerance to sunlight. But be sure to limit exposure time to whatever your physician recommends. Too much sun after taking the pill can cause a severe burn.)

Enterprising men with little or no opportunity to sun-bathe even on weekends can still acquire a light-tan fantastic by using one of the many excellent makes of sun lamps now on the market. Whichever brand you select, be sure, of course, to read all instructions carefully before basking in synthetic sunlight. Most recommend that you proceed as follows:

In looking over the various sun lamps available, consider purchasing one that comes with a built-in timer that either sounds a bell or------better yet---shuts off the lamp automatically after the appropriate interval. (If you already own a lamp without a timer, you can plug it into the automatic-shutoff outlet on the back of many clock radios.)

Cultivating a rich tan, of course, takes time and patience. As an instant adjunct to the sun or the lamp, we recommend that you also pick up a tube or two of bronzing gel. Although you can use a gel anywhere on the body, most sun seekers apply it to their face, in order to darken a beginning tan, to restore a golden glow that's beginning to fade or to even out areas left untanned, such as the space shielded by sunglasses. Depending upon the color of your complexion and the darkness desired, try tinting your skin with Aramis Bronzing Gel in fair, normal or ruddy tones, Fabergé West Tan in medium or deep bronzer, Burley Bronzer by Old Spice (which also helps condition the skin), Dunhill Instant Face Bronzer, Wolff Freres Bronzer or Braggi Face Bronzer (extra deep).

In applying any of the above products, first make sure that your skin is clean. Then dab on a men's moisturizer, such as Arden for Men Skin Conditioner. Then, using a moistened sponge or your fingers, rub the bronzer across your forehead. Apply more to the cheek area, the jawline and around the neck---making sure that there's no line of demarcation visible. If you want to look darker, simply add more bronzer, but remember that the tone will deepen after it dries. Later, you can easily wash off the bronzer with soap and water.

At the end of a summer's day in the sun, nothing---save, perhaps, a pitcher of martinis---is more refreshing than a leisurely shower, followed by an invigorating splash of men's body lotion or friction rub. Take the plunge with one of the following: Aramis After Sun Rub, Astringent or Friction Body Lotion, Nine Flags Sauna Body Spray, Domino Skin Conditioner and Body Rub, Pub Friction Lotion, Wolff Freres Arctic Lotion, Apres Le Soleil After Sun Moisturizer. Brut 33 or Braggi After-Sun Balm or Sauna Splash. Then, before heading out for a spirited evening, dash on an uncommon scent that you've stashed in the fridge right next to the champagne. Perhaps: Chanel's A Gentleman's Cologne, Yardley's Jaguar, Old Spice Lime, Nine Flags Cologne Concentrate, Eau de Cologne 4711, Max Factor's GTO, Dana's Canoe, Dior's Eau Sauvage, Jacques Fath Green Water Eau de Toilette or Faberge's Aphrodisia or Brut. And if you're still singed by too much Sol power, even after using the previously mentioned tanning lotions and oils, remember: You can stop sunburn pain with Solarcaine.