Last Updated on August 1, 2023 by Janie Wilson
Does tanning oil really work? This is a question that haunts many sun bathers and tanners who spend many hours lounging on the beach to give their skin an attractive tan. The answer is that tanning oil definitely works, and there’s no doubt about it. I suggest you read this article carefully, where I have tried to explain how tanning oil works and how far it succeeds in doing what it intends to.
You can check this Sun Bum moisturizing tanning oil with SPF15 at Amazon, which works very well for me!
How does tanning oil work?
Tanning oils work by attracting the sun’s ultraviolet rays on the skin. Although in most sunny climates the skin receives more than enough UV rays to produce a tan, the properties of tanning oils expedite this process by intensifying the sunrays. When UV rays penetrate the skin, they enhance the ability of melanocytes to produce melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives color to our skin. The more melanin in our skin, the darker it will appear.
Tanning Oils with Bronzers
Tanning oils can also use bronzers to speed up the tanning process. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is a common tanning agent used in tanning oils which is a colorless natural sugar that chemically reacts with the natural amino acids in the outer layer of the skin. This reaction produces the tanning color effect, which fades as the affected layer of skin cells dies and falls off naturally.
Tanning Oils with Moisturizers
Another important component of tanning oils are moisturizers, which are often contained as active ingredients. The tanning process can quickly dry out the skin. The addition of moisturizing agents such as vitamin E and glycerin helps protect the skin by retaining moisture in the skin or drawing moisture from the air to moisturize the skin as well as protect it.
The risks of tanning
Although more and more tanning oils are using SPF protection, most of them still do not provide a sufficient barrier against the harmful effects of UV rays, especially UVB rays. In fact, few tanning oils offer more than the SPF 4 level of protection, which is not enough. Ultraviolet radiation has the ability to damage skin cells, which can cause changes in cell structure. These mutations can cause the development of a cancer cell, which can lead to skin cancer.
It is highly recommended, therefore, to know what kind of tanning oil you are using and how to correctly use tanning oil products, especially for those who are trying to achieve the perfect tanning color of their tanned skin. Whether you are working on your natural tan skin by sunbathing or using sunless tanning methods, using tanning oils will do the following trick:
- give you a perfect complexion
- Offering you extra sun protection
- help you can get a tan faster
- Make sure you get an even tan
What effect does the tanning oil have on your skin?
When tanning oils are applied to the skin, the skin will attract more of the sun’s ultraviolet rays and concentrate them on the skin. With greater exposure to UV rays, melanin is produced faster in the skin, accelerating and intensifying the process of achieving a perfect tan in areas treated with tanning oils.
How to use tanning oil products correctly?
High sun protection factor is important
Attracting higher amounts of UV rays not only means an acceleration of the tanning effects, but also means that the skin needs more sun protection. When buying tanning products, make sure you choose one with a high SPF. Ideally, an SPF of 15 or slightly higher will prevent dryness and redness of the skin.
Obviously, SPF-enriched products regulate the intensity of the sun’s rays absorbed by your skin, so using a product with a high SPF is counterproductive. For this reason, choosing a product with 15 SPF is an optimal combination with your tanning oil, as it prevents you from getting sunburned, while the oil acts as a catalyst for your natural tanning efforts and does not cancel out each other.
Note: If your tanning oil product is not offering a sun protection factor, it is strongly recommended that you purchase a sunscreen or gel separately to protect your skin.
How to apply tanning oils
Pour the desired amount of tanning oil into the palms of your hands, spread the oil and rub it evenly over the areas of the body to be tanned. If you are using it on more sensitive areas of skin such as your face, make sure you apply it gently and evenly.
How often should you reapply tanning oil?
Those of you who really want to speed things up should reapply the tanning oil every two hours, especially if you are active, that is if you sweat a lot or if you swim and go into the water frequently. However, if you do not want to risk tanning too quickly, I suggest that you should apply the tanning oil every 3 to 5 hours. In general, this depends on your personal choice and skin type.
If you exceed the frequency and quantity of tanning oil, you may develop allergies, acne or unpleasant sunburns, which can even lead to serious skin ailments.
Wrapping up
Hopefully, we answered the questions throughout this post.
Now I would like to know what you think about the use of tanning oil and sun protection. Do you prefer the use of using tanning and sunscreens or like using a product that has an ideal combination of both? Also, how often do you apply the oil to achieve maximum benefits from it? Feel free to leave a comment and don’t forget to put your finger on the social sharing button to let others know about this post.
