The Best Self Tanning Lotions Offer Great Tans Without Harming Your Skin

By Haywood Hunter


While most everyone wants to have a gorgeous, bronze tan in the summer, the sun's powerful UV rays can be very destructive to the skin, causing age spots and wrinkles as well as increasing the risk of skin cancer. The best self tanning lotions for sale on the market today offer those who long for a tan a safer alternative than lying in the sun.

Many different manufacturers offer consumers a line of self tanners and all claim to be the best, so it can be a bit of work to identify the one that works best. Reading online product reviews can useful to give one some idea as to which tanners are rated the highest by other users and which ones are better to avoid. It's always best to opt for a natural formula that won't dry out the skin and produces a natural skin tone that isn't too orange.

Although sunless tanners come in different forms such as lotions, mousses, and sprays, the former are the old stand-by and continue to be the most popular as they are easiest to apply and less likely to look streaky. Those who are new to using these products should start with the lotions as they will give better results. After applying any of these formulas, it's advisable to not put on light colored clothing as sometimes it may get stained.

Most formulations contain the active ingredient dihydroxyacetone or DHA. This sugar-derived substance reacts with the upper layer of skin cell to create a darker pigmentation that will last for up to one week. The deeper the tan the product claims to produce, the higher the concentration of DHA it contains.

Before applying the tanner, doing a full-body exfoliation is recommended for several days. Any areas of tough, dry skin should be given extra attention, sloughing them off will prevent darker patches from forming when the tanning lotion is applied. This will ensure an even, natural-looking coat of color throughout the entire body.

A darker tint is added to many of these lotions to allow for more precise application. It is easier for the user to see if he or she has too much or too little tanner by the presence or absence of the lotion's bronze tint. The tinting effect fades however, usually washing away after one showers, the actual tan is produced from the reaction of the skin cells to the DHA.

It looks strange if the color is absorbed by the palms of the hands, so either use plastic gloves or to wipe off and wash the hands promptly afterwards. One will likely need another person to assist when it comes to applying tanner to the back, and the face should either be avoided or a special tanner made for facial use applied with care.

The aroma of sunless tanners does not appeal to some users, and this tends to be more of an issue with those formulas which are largely artificial. Choosing product lines that are primarily formulated from natural ingredients generally smell less strongly and the typically pleasant scent they do have, will usually fade in minutes.




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