Last Updated on August 1, 2023 by Janie Wilson
Can you use baby oil and iodine for tanning?
Is tanning with baby oil and iodine permissible? Can you do it without doing any damage to your skin while tanning? These are the questions that hover in one’s mind if he or she is contemplating using baby oil and iodine for tanning. Let us check facts about it to see if we can really do this before we run into the beach for a tanning session.
So, let me being asking a question: what is your best-kept beauty secret? Is it castor oil that makes your lashes long, thick and shiny? Perhaps you use a thick layer of petroleum jelly on your face every night to prevent cavities and trap moisture.
Maybe you use a blend of baby oil and iodine to get that gorgeous summer tan every year? This baby oil and iodine tanning blend has been popular for many years, perhaps as early as the 1940s.
But what is the value of this method? Does it work? Will it cause more skin damage along the way? Read on to find out.
Is using baby oil and iodine for tanning useful?
The oil in baby oil moisturizes the skin. It also provides sunlight, which explains why many women in the 1940s and 1950s used it in the past to tan. It works as a reflector and intensifies the UV rays that penetrate the skin.
This blend of baby oils also allows the sun’s rays to penetrate deeper into the skin, giving the skin an even darker and richer tan than it can achieve on its own.
So, is this method a success?
Yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe when there are many safer alternatives on the market today.
Is this mixture of baby oil and iodine bad for your skin?
Spending a lot of time in the sun without safety is really bad for your skin. It can lead to premature aging, wrinkles and has even been linked to skin cancer.
Therefore, you should limit the amount of time you spend outdoors, if possible. Spraying the baby oil and iodine mixture may make your skin worse. If you must go outside, wear a hat and sunscreen to limit these harmful effects.
When intentionally sunbathing by the pool, avoid products that attract the sun. However, if you wish to use them for tanning, use sunscreen in combination with an oil specially designed for tanning.
Tanned skin has been sought after throughout the last century. There was a time in history when people looked down on you because a tan meant that you spent most of your time working outdoors and in the fields.
However, when wealthier people started buying vacation homes in places like Florida, it had the same connotation.
A current study showed that more people on dating sites found that a tan was attractive. The research published photos of different women – one of them could be taken with their normal complexion. The other photo contained an image of them using a tan.
The researchers found that the doctored photos produced better results. The tanned skin implied that the girl had been healthier and more energetic.
Other safe ways to get a tan
The mixture of baby oil and iodine is a very old concoction. Don’t take the risk of coating your skin. If you want a darker shade, here are other ways to get that golden brown tint without burning your skin.
Spray Tanning
Spray tanning can give you the most natural result without the sun. Get one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone for the best results.
Self-Tanning
You can also get a better tan in the comfort of your own home. Buy a foam product because it is easy to spread it evenly over the skin surface.
Apply this product at home using a glove. Then wait 8 to 10 hours for the product to develop and reveal the final color.
Makeup
If you are looking to give your face a natural glow, use a bronzer instead. Buy a flake-free color for best results. Use this item on your cheekbones and bridge of the nose.
Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer, 0.38 Ounce
LIKE BUTTER, BABY: With a sumptuous multi-dimensional powder cream formula, their Chicken product line includes bronzers, highlighters and blushes produced with the nutrient-rich butters Murumuru, Cupuaçu and Tucuma.
Prefer sun care over tanning
This is not only a cosmetic question. When you are exposed to intense UV rays, it is also a question of general health! So if you want to have a skin you are proud of in ten, fifteen or even twenty years, you should use the following skin care before tanning.
Use Sun Protection Lotion
Apply this Sun Protection Lotion when you leave the house
It is not necessary to spend much time camping or swimming in the sun to wear sunscreen. You should wear sunscreen every day, even when it is cloudy outside! Look for a face lotion with an SPF of more than 30.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch sunscreen, water-resistant and non-greasy
2 liquid ounce bottles of Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch non-greasy sunscreen with SPF 45, which, when used as directed, helps repel the signs of the sun and reduce the risk of skin cancer.
This lightweight sunscreen is quickly absorbed thanks to Dry-Touch technology for a matte, non-greasy surface. It is formulated with Helioplex and provides excellent sun protection for your skin.
This dermatologically recommended sunscreen is also available in spray and stick form and can be made waterproof in the pool or ocean for up to 80 minutes.
Use a formula adapted to your skin type. For example, if your skin is oily, use a matte formulation to avoid looking like an oil stain!
If your skin is dry, use a nourishing formula infused with skin-friendly oils such as rose hip or jojoba.
Your body’s skin is not as sensitive, so you don’t have to be so strict when choosing a lotion.
Use touch-ups
Keep a mineralized SPF powder in your pocket in case your sunscreen wears off during the day. Be sure to wash it off at night so that it does not clog your pores.
How to use baby oil safely
Just because baby oil cannot be used on the skin in the sun does not mean that it cannot be used in other ways. Since it is an oil-based product, you can also use it to make up your eyes.
Use it for shaving or waxing. You can also use it as cuticle oil to nourish the skin around your nails after a manicure.
As you can see, there is no need to throw away baby oil, you just have to find some new ways of using it instead of just using it for a tanning session.
Wrapping up – Tanning with baby oil an iodine
I am sure you have now got your answer as to whether tanning with baby oil and iodine is effective and can be practiced on a regular basis. The answer is obviously no. For one thing, you have now a lot of good products available on the market and hence you should do well to avoid an age-old process of tanning with baby oil and iodine.
