No need to let Mother Nature stand between you and a healthy tan when tanning beds are a great alternative.

With the invention of tanning beds, gone are the days of watching your summer tan fade into a pasty white long before Santa makes his first visit to the local mall. You no longer have to rely on the kindness of Mother Nature to provide sunny days when you are free to languish beside the pool. You have options.

If you feel the most beautiful when your skin emits the healthy glow of a tan but it always seems like you're fighting for time to lay out in the sun, consider investing in one of the many tanning beds on the market today. Tanning beds come in a variety of styles and price ranges, and many vendors offer easy payment options. This means owning your own bed is an affordable and convenient alternative to commercial tanning salons. As a bonus, they allow you to tan on your own schedule, and if that means putting in a full day at the office and waiting until after the family is in bed before making time to work on your tan, so be it.

Some of the options you can find when choosing your tanning bed include:

1 - Separate face tanners that allow you to just focus on that part of you where you want the most attention.

2 - Timers that shut off the bulbs when you've had your allotment of rays for the session. (These are great if you tend to relax and doze off while tanning.)

3 - Standing tanning beds alleviate that claustrophobic feeling many experience when using a traditional bed.

4 - Open-faced beds allow you to tan on one side at a time, and again, keep you from feeling like you are lying inside a coffin while tanning.

Rain or shine, sun, clouds, or moon; tanning beds provide the luxury of a year round golden glow no matter where you live or what your schedule. If you are unsure whether a residential bed is a good investment for you, visit a tanning salon in your area a few times, then shop around for a bed that best suits your needs and your budget.