Aqua Tan says it has acquired proprietary rights to patent pending skin care products formulated with what it terms as the 'sacred and holy water'.

This means its Aqua Tan sunless tanning line will incorporate spring water from a grotto in Lourdes, situated in the heart of the French Pyrenees, as an integral part of its formulation.

The line is packaged in a distinctive colbalt blue and silver packaging, which the company says contains quality skin nourishing ingredients, now further enhanced by the inclusion of the holy spring water.

Katianna Nightingale, founder of the Aqua Tan company, claims that there is more to the inclusion of the spring water than mere H2O.

She says that, after developing skin cancer herself, she was given water from the holy grotto, which has now inspired her to incorporate it into her new line.

"Aqua Tan sunless tanning products are infused with botanicals and anti-oxidants known for their healing properties," Nightingale said. "It is a natural extension that Aqua in the line be drawn from a natural healing source as well."

The product has been launched in boutiques and spas throughout the US and will retail at $45 for 50ml, and aims to tap into increasing demand for sun tanned skin without the risks associated with exposure to UVA and UVB rays.

However, historically, sales of sunless tanning products have been unpredictable, following a distinctly erratic pattern since 2002, when sales first started to be tracked.

Sales of sunless tanning products at US food, drug and mass stores fell 20.8 per cent to reach $66.6m in 2006, compared to sales of $84.1m in 2005, which according to ACNielsen Strategic Planner figures is the biggest drop in the past five years.

In 2002, sales stood at $72.1m, dropped back 8.8 per cent to $65.8m in 2003, then bounced back up a further 3.1 per cent to $67.8m in 2004, before hitting the all-time high figure of 2005.

Likewise, the dollar sales trend has been followed by the trend in volume sales, so the figures are not being distorted by heavy discounting.

ACNielsen reported that the main reason for these erratic sales was the fact that consumers were often confused by sunless tanning products, underlined by some consumers' concerns over the inclusion of potential dangerous dihdroyxacetene as the main coloring agent.