Don't delude yourself, Molly, a tan damages your skin whether you see it now or not until later, and the damage accumulates with each tan. A suntan is the result of injury to the epidermis, the top layer of your skin, it's your body's way of blocking out the U/V rays to prevent further injury to the skin, but the protection only goes so far. Even for people who "tan" and can tolerate longer periods of sun exposure without "burning," the sun can still cause skin damage. Melanoma is on the rise and is directly linked to sun exposure. Choose from the myriad of bronzers available that you apply to your skin to look tanned, most of them also benefit your skin by moisturizing it as well.
I use nothing less than SPF 50 on me and the kids, used SPF 70 for a pool party this past Sunday and still got some color.