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Esthetician Adriana Alves Moniz, nicknamed Drica, 42, applies insulating tape on her customers as they sunbathe at her beauty center in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on December 21, 2017. Brazilian women take advantage of the beginning of the summer to sunbathe using the new national trend: natural tanning with insulating tape. Instead of using tiny bikinis on the beach, women avoid being bothered or stalked by getting taped in the shape of them, and lay in the sun over rooftops to enjoy the morning sun and get the perfect “marquinha” tan lines. To avoid being ogled by passers by, they tan on specially designed rooftops where beauticians water them down – and even remove the sticky tape which is perfect for tanning because it stays in place. It has become a very lucrative business for local entrepreneurs including Erika Romero Martins, 34, who has one of the most popular “clinics” in Rio. As many as 30 women a day travel as far as three hours brown themselves on the 40-square-foot rooftop patio she owns. “We’ve found the perfect way for women to get a sexy bikini top and bottom tan line that does away with the fuss of trying to get the same results with bikini straps that move”, she said last year. “My clinic is dedicated to getting the best results in a safe and private environment where we take all the right sunscreen and sun protection precautions. The tape stays in a fixed position and produces a clear and sharp contrast on the body between the tanned and untanned area and when it’s peeled off it looks amazing”. Appointments cost R$70 ($21) each, with R$50 ($16) top ups later-on to maintain the look. Sessions start at 6am and finish at midday every day, with customers using sun loungers and deck chairs for up to an hour and 20 minutes. (Photo by Douglas Magno/AFP Photo)
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