Did you know that nearly 5 million people are treated for skin cancer each year in the United States? While many of us enjoy vacationing throughout the summer, don’t be afraid to lather on the sunscreen! If you really are searching for that summer glow, try spray tanning!

The canal district’s newest spray tanning salon, BlushTan (first opened in Wellesley in 2011), provides real-looking, fake tans with natural ingredients. With more than 100 possible color combinations (no turning into an orange here), the spray tan solutions are water-based, free of harsh dyes and chemicals, vegan, gluten-free, fragrance-free and PTA-approved.

Working at BlushTan in Westborough for the last six years, Jenna O’Connell saw a need for a BlushTan in the Worcester area, knowing that clients traveled from Shrewsbury, Worcester and West Boylston to get tanned. Having grown up in West Boylston, she’s always been familiar with the area and dreamt of having a studio in the Canal District.

“I think spray tanning gets a really bad reputation,” said Jenna O’Connell, owner of BlushTan Worcester. “I have so many clients come in and say, ‘I don’t want to look like Ross from Friends,’ and I’m like, ‘OK, that was, like, the ’90s.’ We have come so far from, you know, from stepping into a booth and hoping that you did the right arm rotations to not get streaky.”

Having gone through months of trial and error and a lot of blood, sweat and tears, BlushTan has taken careful consideration in what has gone into the organically based, house-produced products and tanning solutions. From how things will smell to what the colors are like, they’ve got you taken care of.

While all spray tans are a case-to-case basis, the product typically lasts five to 10 days. Make sure you follow a pre-tan checklist, and once you’ve been tanned, do not get the treated area(s) wet! However, once your solution has set for the appropriate amount of time, simply rinse it off and carry on normally. You can strut your new tan by the pool, at a wedding, at work, literally anywhere. If you do go out in the sun, make sure you wear sunscreen. If you get burned and peel, your BlushTan will peel, too.

“Getting a tan isn’t going to change you or what you look like; it’s just going to make you feel more confident. So really taking that beauty from the inside out and just being able to give that to someone is really such a rewarding feeling,” said O’Connell.

BlushTan prides itself on being body positive and accepting of all clients. Whether you have rosacea, eczema or you’re looking to cover up and blend some skin impurities or you’re simply just getting tanned, there are zero judgments.

“All of our posters on the walls are real girls. We don’t have any professional models in any of our photo shoots because we really want to highlight the cellulite, stretch marks, the skin impurities; that’s really our biggest goal – to make people feel confident in their own skins. So, don’t be nervous; be excited; you’re gonna love it, and you’re going to be doing something good for your skin, too,” said O’Connell.

If you’re a new client, get one free partial body spray tan or $25 off your purchase when upgrading to a full-body tan by using code PULSE upon checkout!

BlushTan is at 122 Green St., Worcester; visit blushtan.com/Worcester or call (774) 420-2920 for more information and to book your next appointment; follow BlushTan Worcester on Instagram (@blushtan_worcester) and Facebook (@blushtanworcester).

Savanah Hippert