Leading up to the tanning bed session, moisturise your skin daily. Right before your session, exfoliate your skin thoroughly. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Check with your doctor first if you are on medication, as certain medications can react with UV.
Moisturize or Not to Moisturize
If you're using a spray tan, forego the moisturizer right before your session. It can actually create a barrier and will keep the color from getting to your skin, just like hair will. With a tanning bed, use a moisturizer the night before and after your session.
Then, cleanse the skin and apply an oil-free moisturizer to lock in hydration, focusing on the chin, nose, behind the ears and the back of the neck. Top Tip: Oil can prevent the face tanner from absorbing properly, so avoid using any oil-based skincare products 24 hours prior to tanning.
Apply Moisturizer Before Tanner
After exfoliating your body, continue the prepping process by applying a moisturizer. You shouldn't apply self-tanner without moisturizing first, because skipping out on this prep step could potentially leave you with patchy color — this goes for your face and the rest of your body.
Moisturizing creates a smooth, hydrated base that helps your self-tanner glide on evenly. Without it, dry areas of your body—like elbows, knees, and ankles—soak up more product, leaving you with darker, blotchy areas.
Why Moisturizing at Night is Crucial. Do you feel a moisturizer is an unnecessary step in your night routine? Trust us, it's critical. While you sleep, your skin naturally loses moisture, leading to a dull, rough, and dry appearance, so applying an extra effort or reinforcing the humidity before going to bed is key.
Skin Type and Sensitivity
Not all skin reacts to UV the same way, and understanding your skin type is key to setting realistic tanning goals. For example, if you are a red head and have very light skin, you'll more likely struggle to tan due to low melanin.
Always wear FDA-approved protective goggles when using a tanning bed. Regular sunglasses are not sufficient as they do not provide the necessary protection against intense UV rays emitted by tanning beds.
How quickly will I tan on a sunbed? The speed of tanning varies by skin type. Fair skin (Type I) shouldn't use a sunbed and (Type II) may take 5-7 sessions, while medium skin (Types III and IV) often see results in 3-5 sessions.
The short answer: be sure to moisturise 24/48 hours before you plan to fake tan. This ensures that your skin is in the very best condition it can be before a fresh layer of fake tan, as well as exfoliating and removing any unwanted hair of course. Any later than this could mean an uneven final result.
Using a lotion moisturises your skin increasing tanning results by 60%. Dry skin reflects UV rays making the tanning process longer if you do not have hydrated skin. Healthy glowing skin A lotion will help increase skin hydration which will prevent a dry and dull complexion.
☀️Tanning Tip Tuesday☀️ How to avoid the “bunny tail” or white spots on lower back or under your arms or sides: ✅ when using a lay down bed always reposition your body every few minutes to achieve an even tan. Switch from side to side and rest your arms behind your head .
Depending on your skin color, in general the average person can develop a base tan in 3-5 sessions which then can be maintained with regular sunbed use. Two sessions a week should be enough to further deepen your tan in a safe and gentle manner.
Shower, exfoliate, and shave before your session. Use our Exfoliating Mitt for smooth, soft skin. Follow with an oil-free moisturizer, like our Moisturizing Body Lotion right after showering to lock in moisture. Come to your session with a fresh face and no makeup.
The professional indoor tanning industry promotes and teaches what we refer to as The Golden Rule of Smart Tanning: Don't ever sunburn. The indoor tanning industry has been more effective at teaching sunburn prevention than those who promote complete sun avoidance.
Leading up to the tanning bed session, moisturise your skin daily. Right before your session, exfoliate your skin thoroughly.
Recommended Frequency of Tanning Bed Use
Each session should be brief, around 3-10 minutes, depending on your skin type. After the initial week, if your skin is responding well (no burns or excessive redness), you can gradually increase your sessions to three to four times per week.
No, you don't need to flip over in a tanning bed. In fact, many people tan stomach-down because it's more comfortable that way. However, if you want an evenly distributed tan, then you should flip over halfway through your session so that both sides of your body get equal exposure to the UV rays.
Hydrated skin not only looks healthier but also retains a tan more effectively. Avoid hot showers, which can strip the skin of its natural oils, and refrain from activities that cause excessive sweating immediately after tanning.
Ans) The rule states that you should apply your moisturizer within 3 minutes of bathing. This helps seal maximum moisture into your skin.
Hyaluronic acid is often considered a gold standard for skin hydration. This remarkable ingredient can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, providing intense hydration and plumping to the skin.