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There is a woman at my gym who is at least 65 (but she looks 95) and since I’ve known her she’s been either using tanning booths or taking in copious amounts of sunlight during the summer months. On some occasions, I’ve noticed that her skin was almost as dark as mine. She’s tanned 24/7, 365 days a year (period).

There is an interesting American health survey that was published not long ago, that actually confirms women over 35 remain hard core tanning salon users.

The study was conducted by Philadelphia’s Fox Chase Cancer Center. In 2005, they included questions about tanning bed habits in their National Health Interview Survey. The results were only published recently in the online edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

The data analysis speaks volume – despite the threat of skin cancer, adults of all ages are still choosing to visit tanning salons instead of opting for spray tan or self-tanners.

The most frequent users of tanning beds are still 18- to-29-year-olds (which represents 20 per cent of that age group), but the numbers for women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s are quite scary. The breakdown looks like this: 17 per cent of respondents aged 30 to 39 years old; 14 per cent of 40 to 49 years old, 10 per cent of 50 to 64 years old, and 8 per cent of those over 65 use indoor tanning beds to darken their complexion and give off the illusion of a year-round sun-kissed-glow.

Many people still think that tanning beds are much safer than sun tanning, but that’s just not true because a great percentage of skin cancers are thought to be caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation … which is emitted during indoor tanning sessions!

There aren’t that many options when it comes to protecting your skin against skin cancer: you either have to stay out of the sun, wear SPF protection or achieve your golden-tanned look with self-tanners.

So, are tanning beds your guilty vice? We’d love to hear what you have to say.

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I’ve noticed that the Sisley Paris Sun Care line is very popular in Paris and it’s also become a very popular brand in the U.S. and in Canada.

Here are a few key products you might want to consider as part of the sun care collection by Sisley:

Broad Spectrum Sunscreen (with SPF 30)/super huile solaire corps:  This sunscreen offers a double protection against UVA and B rays. Sisley Paris’ Broad Spectrum Sunscreen retails for $145 USD/unavailable in Canada because of Health Canada’s policies.

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Self-Tanning Gel/soleil sans soleil autobronzant: Get a natural-looking tanned appearance gradually without the harmful effects of the sun. Sisley Paris’ Self-Tanning Gel retails for $128 USD /$135 CAD.

Soleil San Soleil Self Tanning Lotion Spray/ soleil sans soleil autobronzant special corps: This lotion gives your body a natural-looking golden glow.  Sisley Paris’ Soleil San Soleil Self Tanning Lotion retails for $108 USD/$113 CAD.

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Sunleya Age Minimizer Suncare with Sisley’s All Day All Year (with SPF

In the U.S. you’ll find Sisley Paris products at Neiman Marcus and you’ll find them at Holt Renfrew in Canada.