You've decided that bottled bronze is not for you, and you simply must have that authentic sun-kissed look. Should you hop in a tanning bed and get it artificially, or go without sunscreen at the beach? We can't recommend either, but which is the biggest beauty offense?

Visit a tanning bed

OR

Bake in the sun, sans sunscreen

Using a tanning bed makes our list of the seven deadly skin sins, because women who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to get squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma. According to the National Skin Care Foundation, those who use tanning beds before the age of 35 are 75 percent more likely to develop skin cancer. In individuals aged 18 to 29, tanning beds were cited as the cause of skin cancer in 76 percent of cases. Not scared yet? Read on, brave tanner.

If you hit a tanning salon, remember that just 10 minutes inside a tanning bed is equivalent to a full day of sun exposure. And, as Condon points out, you directly absorb UVA rays, which play a key role in contributing to the development of skin cancer.

Condon says she's seen many clients age themselves by a decade or more with their tanning-bed habit. "Once you stop tanning, the aging process doesn't stop with it. It just keeps going," she says. Condon reports that she notices more "criss-cross" wrinkles around the eyes, freckles and blotchy skin tone in patients who use tanning beds than in those who don't.

And, just so you know, that whole "base tan" thing is a myth.

Don't say we didn't warn you ...

If you must sun yourself, experts say it's better to do it outside than inside a box. Cloud cover and pollution provide a small amount of protection from the sun, whereas in a tanning bed, UV light hits your skin directly.

But to be clear, lying in the sun unprotected can do a whole lot of damage, too. Outside, you're exposed to UVA and UVB rays, which hit you with a one-two punch, increasing your risk for skin cancer and causing photoaging (read: brown spots). Those who have been sunburned more than five times in their lifetime double their risk of skin cancer.

So, let's re-consider self-tanning, shall we?

It's 5 p.m. on Friday and all you can think of are the happy hours that await. But, come Monday, you don't want to look like you were born binge drinking. You (should) know that alcohol is linked to broken capillaries, rosacea, psoriasis, advanced aging and dark under-eye circles, but it's also worth knowing that what you drink makes a difference in your skin.

Hit the liquor bottle

OR

Sip on wine

Regardless of its form, alcohol is alcohol, and, when imbibed, it's inherently damaging to the skin. Alcohol dehydrates skin from the inside out. It's also damaging to the liver, which is responsible for filtering toxins in your body. If you're down to drink anyway (no judgment here), you should be thinking about what else is in your beverage, besides, ya know, alcohol. Drinks with extra sugar and salt cause inflammation and bloating -- not a good look. If you're sure that liquor is quicker, stick to shots without syrupy-sweet (like Red Bull and Coke) or sodium-rich (I'm looking at you, margarita) mixers.

But, if you take shots, be aware that you may end up drinking more alcohol than you realize, which can leave you more dehydrated (and more hungover) than you would have been if you had imbibed just one mixed drink.