10 Practical Tips to Help You Tan Safer and Faster

If you're reading this, it's probably because you, (like many of us), enjoy being tan. In addition to looking healthier and having more muscle definition, a tan equals more sun, meaning higher levels of vitamin D, a powerful nutrient that helps prevent cancer and is essential for everyday health.

But when tanning under the sun, you also increase your risk of burning, giving you wrinkles, skin discoloration, and even skin cancer. Double edged-sword, are we right?

While some people like to risk the health of their skin for a tan, we recommend you play it safe and achieve your glow using the most healthy methods. Here are ten practical tips to help you tan safer and faster:

1. Be Realistic With Your Tanning Goals

The first thing we want to note before getting into the actually healthy methods to get a tan is to make sure you're being realistic with your goals. If you have an event or vacation coming up that you'd like to be tan for, we'd recommend setting aside a few days in the weeks before to build up your tan. We'll touch on this more later in the article but don't expect to be dark from one session in the sun. And we NEVER suggest you burn your skin, in hopes that it will "turn into a tan." **Insert eye roll emoji here.

2. Skip the Self Tanner

While Self Tanner may be an easy way to get a tan quickly, if you also plan on spending time in the sun, we recommend starting clear or self-tanning products. This is because you'll need to monitor your skin while spending time outside, which includes looking for hyperpigmentation spots or sunburns. Because self-tanner is like makeup for your skin, these subtle hints can sometimes be hidden underneath and can lead to long-term damage if not evaluated correctly. So just skip the streaky self-tanner-- we're sure your sheets will thank you anyway!

3. Exfoliate Your Skin First

Exfoliating the skin unclogs the pores, cleanses the skin, and reduces breakouts from forming. By exfoliating before you go outside to tan, your dead skin cells are removed and your skin is prepared as an excellent base, to absorb lotions and SPF better. It ensures that your tan will be more even and the surface of the skin will remain tanned for longer. Who doesn't want that!

4. Apply A Tan Boosting Lotion Before Sun Exposure

Before even stepping foot outside, consider using a tan-accelerating body lotion. Let's get into the science of the skin for a brief second!

Melanin is your body’s built-in way of protecting you from sunburn and gives your skin its color. So, the darker your skin, the more melanin you naturally have.

Tan Boosting body lotions like Base Tan helps to equip your skin with the nutrition it needs to maximize melanin production. Base Tan prepares your skin for the sun by supercharging it with everything it needs to hit its maximum tanning potential. When you use Base Tan in the days leading up to your fun in the sun, you’re feeding your skin the essential amino acids that support melanin production (i.e. the stuff that turns into tan).

5. Use SPF

While it might sound counterproductive, you definitely should still use an SPF while trying to get a tan. The skin only needs a small amount of UV Light to kick off the tanning process, so it is still possible to achieve a tan while wearing sunscreen. Tropic Lab’s Smart Screen was meant to bridge the gap between dangerous tanning habits and smelly sunscreen.

Effective for all skin tones, Smart Screen is a specially-formulated amino-acid blend that works by boosting melanin production and helps rapidly accelerate the tanning process, so you can spend less time in the sun, all without sacrificing sun protection.

6. Start Slow

It takes time to get a good tan, and you need to have patience. If you want a dark tan, consider starting slow. Allow yourself to get used to the sunlight exposure, and then slowly increase the amount of time you spend in the sun. If this is your first time tanning of the season, try spending 10-15 minutes in the sun, slowly increasing this amount by 5-10 minutes, each time you lay out, to avoid overdoing it.

7. Tan Every Other Day

Getting a tan should be fun, but not at the expense of your health. Expect to spend a week or two building a tan. We recommend tanning every other day to give your skin time to recover, in between.

8. Avoid Burning

We totally understand that after a long winter, the sun just feels so damn good on your skin! It may be tempting to spend as much time as possible outside, but if you notice your skin is starting to burn, it's time to turn back in. Keep an eye on the UV Index in your area, and if your skin is starting to feel hot, stiff or tingly, keep track of this and take a day off from tanning, for your skin to repair itself.

9. Keep Your Skin Hydrated

There are few things we can think of that feels better than a nice shower after spending the day in the sun. By using hydrating lotions after a shower, you're virtually 'locking in' your tan.

10. Soothe Any Burns, Redness, Soreness, or Drying

UV rays cause free-radical damage to your skin, making it weak and vulnerable, so it's no surprise that you may be a little sunburned. There are three major problems to solve when you’re sunburnt: redness, soreness, and dryness. Your parched skin may be calling out for a cooling, calming sigh of relief. That's where Over Exposed, Soothing After Sun Concentrate comes in.

Fast-acting peptides instantly relieve soreness or sensitivity from too much sun and Tasmanian pepper extract reduces the appearance of redness. One application starts working in just 30 minutes and will keep working for up to 24 hours. Your skin will begin to feel more comfortable, less tight, and instantly refreshed.

Conclusion

It is not a secret that getting a tan will boost your confidence. If you want to tan, you need to make sure that you do it safely. Consider following the tips we've given you in this article, and you won't have to worry about burning