Faux Glow

Valley spas serve up a healthy dose of pampering with glowing results.

Slathering up in baby oil and basking in the sun is about as passe as snacking on a slab of white bread. And yet the allure of a golden tan is still a desirable part of our beauty code. According to a survey by the American Academy of Dermatology, although most of us acknowledge that sun exposure is unhealthy, more than 80 percent of those surveyed admit that they feel better about their appearance after getting sun. Thanks, however, to a healthy menu of bronzing treatments offered at spas across the valley, a sun-kissed glow is not only attainable, it can be as good for you as, well, a whole grain bran muffin.

Faux Tanning

Backed by 12 years of setting valley beauty trends, Pucci Salon & Day Spa is a full-service salon and day spa that buzzes with a contemporary, client-centric atmosphere. The Faux Tanning treatment is done in one of Pucci's four treatment rooms and begins with a citrus salt glow to prepare the skin for the bronzer. A quick rinse in the shower and guests are treated to an even, full-body coat of Decleor's self-tanning emulsion. Leave your modesty at the door and for $85, you'll walk out with a pearly iridescence to your skin and the remainder of the Decleor bronzer to maintain your tan at home.

Faux Sun Body Bronzer

Located just outside the bustling Chandler Fashion Center, a chic retreat hides behind the doors of Dolce Salon & Spa. Dolce's Faux Sun Body Bronzer treatment begins with an invigorating sea salt scrub. Using heated towels to gently remove the scrub, the therapist then applies an even coat of Dermalogica's moisturizing self-tanning cream from head to toe. Guests are left to rest in the aromatherapy-infused room as the bronzer is absorbed. Tack the $95 bronzing treatment onto the end of a full spa day and you'll go away with a healthy glow inside and out.

Solar Bronzing

Tranquil, serene and a touch exotic, Spa du Soleil offers a Solar Bronzing treatment that not only tans the skin but also truly pampers spa visitors. Starting with a full-body exfoliation, the therapist uses an aromatic French body peel containing pumice and essential oils to remove dry surface cells. Guests rinse in the Swiss shower and are then treated to a face-to-foot massage with the spa's signature tanning milk. After drying on each side for several minutes, spa-goers leave with a rich, golden tan. This $95 treatment is a best bet if you're looking for a resort spa experience with lasting results.

Body Bronzer

Elizabeth Arden has been defining classic day spa elegance since opening their famous red doors nearly a century ago and the Biltmore Red Door Salon & Spa is no exception. For the Body Bronzer treatment, guests are first indulged with a gentle cream and sugar body polish to exfoliate and moisturize the skin. The therapist uses warm scented towels to wipe away the sugar scrub and then works Elizabeth Arden's own self-tanning lotion into the skin. For $115, you'll develop a natural-looking tan within two to three hours, take home another full application of self-tanner and experience 90 minutes of unadulterated pampering.

--Story by Lisa Kasanicky. Reprinted from ITEM Magazine.