Skin whitening masks and brightening lotions fill the aisles of local cosmetic stores as Asian aesthetics often set pearly white skin as the beauty standard. But there are some who do not abide by such standards of beauty and dare to venture over to the "darker" side - by hitting the tanning bed.

If you've never seen a tanning bed, imagine getting into a bed on a spaceship, and you'll have a pretty good estimate. Inside this lit-up capsule, the bed emits ultraviolet (UV) rays via fluorescent lamps. Done properly, a once pallid toned individual may see darkened results after a few sessions.

Beijing has a handful of establishments boasting tanning facilities, with tanning studios scattered in the Sanlitun and Gongti area, like Bronze Bodies Tanning Salon, or tucked away in hutong, such as Muzen Tanning Studio in Wudaoying Hutong near Andingmen. While the rest of the world may be trying to scale down on tanning for health purposes, Chinese salons may still be attempting to build a loyal customer base. Who frequents tanning salons, and how can first-timers prevent themselves from becoming statistics in disaster cases? 

Meet the tanners

Jiang Xinyong co-owns Luxura Tanning and Wellness Centre, which has two locations in Beijing. At his Sanlitun 3.3 spot, Jiang said the idea of opening a tanning salon first came about after he had spent some time living abroad.

"Many of our customers are like me. They've spent some time abroad and are used to the idea of tanning," he said.

According to Jiang, the store's customer base is an even spilt, 50 percent locals and 50 percent expats.

It's not just locals that try out tanning after spending some time overseas; many expats who otherwise wouldn't tan at home do so in Beijing.

Beijing resident Grant Carpio, 28, originally from Hawaii, said that he goes tanning every so often in Beijing - a newfound habit developed after living here for a few years.

"It's ironic that I go, but I get sessions mostly if I'm preparing for, say, a summer vacation elsewhere and don't want to appear too pale," he said. He visits Sweat Tanning Studio in Central Park, CBD, and tans for 8 to 12 minute sessions. 

At the Black Golden Tanning Studio in Sanlitun SOHO, Manager Cherry Lin noted that the concept of deliberately getting darker may be hard for some locals to swallow. But the store, which has another location in Wangjing, gets about 60 percent of its business from Chinese enthusiasts. 

"Our store also receives many gym buffs, looking to highlight their muscular achievements, or just people hoping to even their complexion," she added.  

Avoiding dangers

Last week, over in the US, a bill was passed in New Jersey banning children from commercial tanning beds. The bill listed risks of melanoma - a deadly form of skin cancer caused by too much exposure to UV radiation - and other health problems associated with the improper use of indoor tanning systems.

As with anything, first-time tanners should exercise precaution and use the tanning beds sparingly. According to Lin, the biggest danger seen at their store is tanning addiction.

"We have customers come in here initially just to get a few shades darker. Then they end up coming in everyday, despite our recommendation [not to], because they think they are still not dark enough," said Lin.

Lin recommends that customers rest at least 48 hours between tanning sessions to avoid damaging their skin. Similarly, Jiang advises first timers to start with nothing more than 8-minute sessions and suggests applying tanning lotion to increase the tanning process.

Carpio said that a friend of his went tanning for the first time - and ended up peeling profusely afterwards.

"A lot of people also don't wear eye goggles. ... But you're really not supposed to open your eyes, because the skin around the eyelid area is extremely sensitive," Carpio said, recommending that people take the necessary precautions to protect the eye area. 

For those still determined to get that summer glow without the risk, opt for sunless tanning via a spray-on tan or bronzing lotion.

Or do it the natural way, albeit slower and braver - outside, armed with plenty of sunscreen.

Carpio used to tan this way. When he lived in Wudaokou, he would venture outdoors to work on this tan.

"People looked at me like I was crazy, because I was shirtless and just lying out there," Carpio said.