You have an event coming up, and you don't want to look like you've been living in a cave for the last decade. If heading out into the sun isn't an option for you, a spray tan is the obvious answer. But do you really want to self-tan without professional help?

Getting a spray tan can give you a glam glow in almost no time at all. You might think that a store-bought tanner is an easy, economical pick, but it may not be as simple as it seems. Before you buy a bottle off self-tanner off the drugstore shelf, take a look at why you might want to visit the salon instead.

Unless you're a contortionist, it's unlikely that you reach every part of your body with a sunless tanner. At least, you can't reach everywhere evenly. Instead of trying to reach, bend and twist your body to get the middle of your back or your shoulder, a salon spray tan can help you to make sure that you don't end up with unsightly patches.

A full-body application is even more important when you'll be baring some skin. That strapless dress you bought for your cousin's wedding won't look right if your tan only extends to partway down your shoulders.

Along with a full-body glow, you also want an even color. Applying a self-tanner at home may make your skin darker, but it isn't exactly easy to get an even tone. Having light patches, dark patches and odd orange blobs on your body isn't the look that anyone is going for.

A spray tan booth mists your body with an even color, and an airbrush tan gives you a glow that only a professional can achieve.

An over-the-counter lotion tanning product may seem like it's easy to use. After all, how hard is it to rub lotion on your legs, arms and torso? You put moisturizer on every day. So why should self-tanner be different?

But a self-tanning lotion isn't anything like regular moisturizer. Even though you apply it in a similar way, using the wrong technique can result in skin that looks more streaky than superb.

A spray tan booth or a professional airbrush tan takes the guesswork out of getting a glow and helps to make sure that you don't look like an orange zebra. Instead of applying lotion up and down and around your skin, the gentle spray of a salon tanner can coat you without leaving behind those telltale signs. That means you'll get the look you want without having to spend hours exfoliating streaky skin.

Do you know what's in your self-tanner? A fancy label or an expensive price tag doesn't always equal a quality product.

The pros know what to look for in a top-notch self-tanner. Getting a spray tan or an airbrush tan from an expert (at a salon/tan studio) means that you're using products that a professional picked out. These aren't just any tanners. These are tanners that work and give you a gorgeous glow without leaving your skin dry, orange or way too dark.

A spray tan booth gives you that glowing coat in almost no time. Compare that with the time it will take you to cover your body in a self-tanner lotion. It's likely that a DIY product will take longer, especially if you don't have any help applying it.

Do you need a professional spray tan? Golden State Tanning Studio can help you get that summertime glow no matter what season it is. Visit our tanning studio today.