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"\\n[Beach Bum Tanning](http://beachbumtanning.com/)  \\n__DANTE FITZPATRICK__  \\nCustom Airbrush, $59  \\n50 E. 13th St.  \\n212-645-8261  \\n\\nSpray tanners at this popular chain mist on a hydrating toner (to help prolong the life of the tan), then airbrush from front to back while drying with blasts of cool air. Clients awake the next morning to a golden glow\u2014and not a single foul-up. Even the most seasoned bronzers might hesitate at the thought of stripping for a spray tan in front of a man. But Fitzpatrick's great sense of humor instantly puts everyone at ease. He airbrushes quickly and methodically, slightly contouring abs and thighs to create a \\\"leaner, more sculpted effect.\\\" Come morning, skin has a gorgeous, uniform glow.  \\n\\n[Bronze Boutique &amp; Spa](http://bronzeboutiquenyc.com/)  \\n__HEIKE MUSCHIK__  \\nSpray Tan, $75  \\n330 E. 65th St.  \\n212-319-5805  \\n\\nThis no-frills spa is a tight squeeze, but it does have an armoire to store your clothes, and it stays open until 10 p.m. on weekdays. Muschik mists from face to feet, dusts baby powder all over, then sends customers out the door. Come morning, they look as if they've just returned from the Caribbean.  \\n\\n[Faux Glow](http://fauxglow.com/)   \\n__LIZ SERNA__  \\nSunless tanning, $90  \\n30 E. 60th St.  \\n212-355-8552  \\n\\nWhen we called to book our tan, Serna rattled off instructions: Exfoliate with a nonoily scrub, wear loose clothes to the appointment, and wax a day in advance. Serna helped us select our color from a menu of shades, recommending the lightest bronze for our fair skin. After carefully spraying on two perfect coats of color, she noted our tanning formula for future reference and gave us a list of post-service instructions, including waiting at least two days before getting a manicure or pedicure. All her advice paid off: Our golden, believable color lasted over a week.  \\n\\n[Faux Glow](http://fauxglow.com/)  \\nFaux Glow Airbrush Tanning, $90  \\n30 E. 60th St.  \\n212-355-8552  \\n\\n\\\"You're going to get addicted to this stuff!\\\" our aesthetician gushed. After hanging up our clothes (and every last stitch of our modesty), we stood as she sprayed us with surgical precision. Inch by inch, our lily white complexion developed into a warm bronze, and we couldn't help but gush a little, too: \\\"I look thinner!\\\" We were eager to flaunt our new color at a party the following night. \\\"Did you just get back from a trip?\\\" a stranger asked, while another declared, \\\"You look Brazilian!\\\" (We're Irish.) After ten days, our color began to fade, and our chemical dependency set in.  \\n\\n[Gerard Bollei](http://www.gerardbollei.com/spa-services.html)  \\n__JOY ROMANO__  \\nSelf-tanning, $60  \\n115 E. 57th St.  \\n212-759-7985  \\n\\nAnyone can tell that we spend more time at the office than on the beach. Romano sized up our fair complexion and suggested a light, believable glow. Once our hair was tucked inside a shower cap, she coated our fingernails and toenails with Vaseline and sprayed us limb by limb. Then she scrubbed away the excess on our hands, wrists, and ankles, and positioned us in front of a fan to dry. After 15 minutes, we slipped into our jeans and left with a healthy glow that made us look sun-kissed\u2014even under fluorescent lights.  \\n\\n[Glowjob](http://www.glowjobnyc.com/)  \\n__LINDSAY PLOTKIN__  \\nSpray Tan, $150 (house calls)  \\n23 E. 20th St.  \\n646-918-6489  \\n\\nImagine a chatty friend who also happens to be a mobile spray tanner\u2014with a steep fee and a tacky company name. Plotkin can work out of a small Flatiron studio or travel to you (though she's been known to be an hour late, spend another 30 minutes setting up, and then get bronze mist everywhere). After the hour-long treatment, clients glisten like Ms. Olympia. Fortunately, the cocoa shade washes off the next morning, but the light glow might fade with patches.  \\n\\n[Gotham Glow](http://www.gothamglow.com/)  \\n__TAMAR VEZIRIAN__  \\nIn studio (1123 Broadway, Ste. 1111), $75 and up  \\nHouse calls (by appointment only), $160 and up  \\n212-592-0368  \\n\\nWe've had a lot of good spray tans, but Vezirian, who has a studio in Flatiron and makes house calls, raised the bar. She finished in under five minutes by using fewer and broader strokes than we were used to. And the flattering results rivaled more time-consuming (and pricier) spray tans we've had.  \\n\\n[Kristyn Pradas](http://www.kristynpradas.com/)  \\nSpray Tan, $80 and up  \\nHouse calls only  \\n347-504-4391  \\n\\nBack in high school, an authentic tan required two things: time and sun. These days, we want none of the latter and can't spare the former, so we booked an Express airbrushing treatment with this bicoastal pro. We started to wonder about the \\\"express\\\" part, however, when Pradas began meticulously dabbing at our hands, the crooks of our arms, and even our knuckles. Then she told us the formula would set within three hours, meaning we could take a shower that afternoon without smudging our skin's soft caramel sheen. These days, that's just the kind of quickie we're after.  \\n\\n[Louise O'Connor Salon](http://oc61.com/)  \\n__ANNA STANKIEWICZ__  \\nBronzing, $88  \\n33 E. 61st St.  \\n212-935-6261  \\n\\nSo many friends had raved about Stankiewicz that by the time we showed up for our appointment, it was as if we already knew her. Evidently, the feeling wasn't mutual: She kicked off our session with a thorough consultation, asking us detailed questions about our tanning preferences and history. Then she got to work misting us inch by meticulous inch, paying special attention to tricky spots like our ankles, feet, and fingers (at one point, she even resprayed our left inner wrist after deciding it was a touch lighter than our right one). By the next morning, we had an impeccable tan\u2014and a trusted friend.  \\n\\n[NY Sun Club](http://nysunclub.com/)  \\nSpray Tan, $60  \\n382 Third Ave.  \\n212-686-8660  \\n\\nThe walls at this popular tanning spot are painted a migraine-provoking shade of orange. But we quickly warmed up to the place when our technician wisely recommended a \\\"touch of color\\\" for our superfair skin. We nodded enthusiastically, and she began airbrushing us with an organic solution. We were thrilled with our pretty glow but wished it had lasted longer than three days.  \\n\\n[OC61](http://oc61.com/services.php)  \\n__ANNA STANKIEWICZ__  \\nSpray Tan, $88  \\n33 E. 61st St.  \\n212-935-6261  \\n\\nGetting a spray tan from Stankiewicz is a bit like warming up for ballet class: She tells you where to stand, what positions to hold your arms and legs in, how to turn out, and even when to breathe. Stankiewicz's perfectionism can border on obsession (she paused not once but twice to check the color on our wrist), but her handiwork is flawless\u2014no weird marks, orange cuticles, funky lines, or giveaway patches. We left with a gorgeous honey hue that raised the bar for every future spray tan.  \\n\\n[O'Live Organic Spa](http://www.oliveorganicspa.com/)  \\n__TARA ORTIZ__  \\nSpray tan, $68  \\n112 E. 23rd St.  \\n212-674-2424  \\n\\n__The place:__ A full-service, eco-friendly spa with a rustic, recycled-wood interior.  \\n__The technique:__ Ortiz sprayed us with a nonsticky organic formula, letting each section dry before moving on to the next.  \\n__The extras:__ You can add fragrance to your spray tan for no additional charge. (We chose a mildly sweet almond.)  \\n__Bottom line:__ The medium shade was deep enough to be noticeable but not so intense that it looked fake. We did end up with a few splotches on the sides of our hands that were a dead, dark giveaway.  \\n\\n[Paul Labrecque Salon and Spa](http://www.paullabrecque.com/)  \\nAir Bronze, $95  \\n171 E. 65th St.  \\n212-988-7816  \\n\\nSo much about the Air Bronze treatment was alarming, not the least of which was standing utterly naked while an aesthetician aimed an airbrush inches from our body for 20 excruciating minutes. Another is what our body looked like immediately afterward. The self-tanner, tinted with something that resembled walnut furniture stain, turned every tiny, previously imperceptible hair a dark, disturbing brown. As we looked at all that stained hair, we thought of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and felt an uneasy kinship with Robin Williams. But the stain rinsed off the next day in the shower and in its place we found bronzed skin\u2014with a few minor streaks.  \\n\\n[Paul Labrecque Salon &amp; Spa West](http://www.paullabrecque.com/)  \\n__ZOFIA DRAGAN__  \\nSelf-tanning, $125  \\n160 Columbus Ave.  \\n212-988-7816  \\n\\nSelf-tanner scares people, and for good reason: One false move, and you've got a streak like a lightning bolt flashing from ankle to thigh. This friendly spa, tucked in the Reebok Sports Club, has mastered a natural-looking fake tan. Aesthetician Dragan scrubbed the body with Sothys Soft Peeling Exfoliant before evenly smoothing on Sothys Self-Tanner. A golden hue appeared after three hours and continued to deepen until the next day. Leg waxing was recommended beforehand, and loose-fitting clothing after. Modest souls take note: Including drying time, we're talking 90 minutes of nudity (except for a paper thong). Be brave.  \\n\\n[Portofino Sun Center](http://www.portofinosun.com/)  \\nSpray Tan, price upon request.  \\n1300 Third Ave.  \\n212-988-6300  \\n\\nWhat Portofino lacks in frills (this outpost of the bare-bones chain is bathed in unearthly fluorescent lights), it makes up for in efficiency: Sessions take only 15 minutes. Using long, sweeping strokes, technicians guide visitors through simple positions, resulting in golden hues that stay for a week without a streak in sight.  \\n\\n__SOPHIE EVANS__  \\nSpray Tan, $175 and up  \\nHouse calls only  \\n661-754-0806  \\n\\nIt's a rare spray tanner who airbrushes in a blazer\u2014and can still make you forget that you're standing naked in your shower. Friendly and fast-talking, Evans applied lotion to tricky spots like our ankles, fingers, and hairline, then guided us through a series of poses, misting on two coats of St. Tropez bronzer. She knew exactly where to intensify the spray (our stomach and thighs) and where to lay off (our face). Best of all: Our beachy hue stayed strong for a full week.  \\n\\n[The Spa @ Equinox](http://www.equinox.com/spa)  \\nSpray Tan, $70  \\n1429 2nd Ave.  \\n212-249-3917  \\n\\nWhen we entered this brand-new airbrushing spot, a friendly receptionist offered us tea and fresh scones\u2014a nice touch, but hardly the meal to indulge in before stripping down to a paper thong. Still, our technician worked silently and efficiently, and the 15-minute airbrushing session flew by. Come morning, our skin had a tawny, uniform glow that made our thighs appear slimmer and our abs flatter\u2014scones and all.  \\n\\n[Spa Meridian](http://jadebeautyspanyc.com/)  \\nBody Scrub, $75  \\nSelf-tanning, $50  \\n143 E. 34th St.  \\n212-679-0811  \\n\\nSick of being Snow White, we yearned for Bashful's glowing complexion. But there was no room for modesty. Within minutes we were standing in the buff, spread-eagled. Our aesthetician scoured every inch of our skin with an exfoliating paste, then guided us through various poses and sprayed everywhere\u2014and we mean everywhere\u2014with a clear tanning solution. Two hours later, our skin was a brown-sugar hue. That's what we call a fairy-tale ending.  \\n\\n[Suvara at Senses New York Salon &amp; Spa](http://www.suvaraworld.com/)  \\n__KRISTYN PRADAS__  \\nSpray Tan, $95  \\n138 Fifth Ave.  \\n212-242-7979  \\n\\nPradas's room was spacious and comfortable (there was even a couch!), and she adjusted the portable heater between mists to ensure that we were warm enough. Her attention to detail didn't stop there\u2014she got every last inch of our body and wiped away any excess formula that might be a fake-tan giveaway, focusing on the tops of our hands and feet. It paid off: Friends complimented our pretty hint of color for a full six days.  \\n\\n[Suvara at the Salon &amp; Spa at Saks Fifth Avenue](http://suvaraworld.com/salon-spa-at-saks-fifth-avenue)  \\n__VALERIA SANTANA__  \\nSpray Tan, $79  \\n611 Fifth Ave.  \\n212-940-4000  \\n\\nIf Santana ever tires of administering spray tans, there's always Formula 1 racing. This speed demon whisked us back to our treatment room, where she instructed us to strip, exfoliate ourselves with nubby wipes, apply barrier cream, and put on a shower cap and foot pads\u2014in less than five minutes. She then got to work applying a light coat of color, moving so nimbly that we didn't have to perform any awkward contortions. We were out the door in exactly 12 minutes, but we appreciated Santana's handiwork even more the next day, when an impeccable medium-deep glow developed. A spray tanner who's fast and fastidious? Way to get our heart racing.  \\n\\n[Sweetheart Tan](http://sweethearttan.com/)  \\n__AUDREY SPINA__  \\nSpray tan, $75 and up  \\n106 Waverly Ave., Brooklyn  \\n323-236-4425  \\n\\n__The place:__ You can either stop by this quaint tanning boutique or have Spina come to you. (We chose the latter.)  \\n__The technique:__ Spina applies two very thin coats, no matter how dark you want to go. \\\"Extra layers lead to patchiness,\\\" she explained.  \\n__The extras:__ There's no bronze splatter; Spina leaves your shower spotless.  \\nhttp://sweethearttan.com/We were skeptical that the lightweight coating of color would last, but the gorgeous bronze shade held up through a week of Spin classes.  \\n\\n[Townhouse Spa](http://www.townhousespa.com/)  \\nBronze Leafing Treatment, $150  \\n39 W. 56th St.  \\n212-245-8006  \\n\\nWe've been known to be impatient, but even Job might've been ready to climb the walls during our 90-minute Bronze Leafing treatment at the Townhouse Spa, a place we otherwise love. The so-called \\\"leafing\\\" is simply a hand application of self-tanning lotion. Our aesthetician did her best, exfoliating with a brown-sugar-and-ginger scrub, leading us to the shower with strict instructions to dry well, then rubbing on the cream with short strokes, checking to be sure every millimeter was covered. But even she had to admit\u2014an hour into the process\u2014that a spray is more efficient. More vexing: Our resulting color was almost imperceptible, except for a few streaks on our inner wrist. We left with a new esteem for our milk white skin."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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