spray tan lands ‘the white lotus’ star jennifer coolidge in er
an allergic reaction caused the production crew to change her onscreen makeup routine from heavier products typically used for camera work to “regular makeup" instead.
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jennifer coolidge holds her emmy for outstanding supporting actress for "the white lotus" at the 74th primetime emmy awards. reuters/aude guerrucci
jennifer coolidge won her first emmy for her role as the wealthy and unstable tanya mcquoid in the hit hbo series ‘the white lotus’, but her victory didn’t come without some challenges, popculture reports.
before filming began, the 61-year-old actor was sent to hospital because of a reaction to a spray tan. she needed medical attention as soon as she landed in hawaii.
“for ‘the white lotus,’ i didn’t want to look like a big, white marshmallow on the beach in hawaii, so i got a spray tan,” coolidge told allure magazine. “i got on the plane and i started to feel really weird. by the time i got off the flight, i had to go to the emergency room.”
she says she’s developed allergies in the last five years where her eyes would water, but she didn’t realize that it was likely caused by her makeup. her spray-tan health scare has become a wake-up call for her to be more conscious about ingredients in formulations she’s using on her skin.
even the production crew changed her onscreen makeup routine from heavier products typically used for camera work to “regular makeup” instead. the best in show star says she would also shower as soon as filming stopped to avoid having any possible reaction.
lesson learned, it’s always a good practice to try a test patch of a new product on your skin before liberal application — especially when it comes to covering your entire body. and while there aren’t any details about the symptoms coolidge experienced, according to the dermatology nurses’ association (dna), signs that you are allergic to the ingredients in self-tanning products include rashes, dizziness, coughing and fainting.
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mounting research about harmful chemicals
a scientific review of the literature, published in the journal of the dermatology nurses’ association in 2018, found that the chemical dihydroxyacetone (dha), which is the active agent in most sunless tanning lotions, may cause skin irritation and possible cell damage.
“there is no clear, safe use of dha-containing sunless tanning products when applied via aerosol delivery systems,” the study authors wrote.
the study also notes that other ingredients are often added to self-tanning products containing dha, including perfumes, bronzers, moisturizers, preservatives, thickening agents, emulsifying agents, and vitamins a, e and c. these ingredients have also been linked to allergic-type reactions causing dermatitis or difficulty breathing for people with respiratory conditions such as asthma.
the review highlighted a case study published in 2015 where an otherwise healthy 49-year-old woman used a spray tan containing dha, preserved by methylisothiazolinone (mi) and methylchloroisothiazolinone — she experienced “significant contact dermatitis.”
better option to get the glow? best health magazine says makeup artists recommend applying a cream or powder bronzer to the “high” points of your face, like your cheekbones, forehead and tip of your nose for a light and natural result.
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karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.
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