Do you want to give a little more color to your skin, and are you, therefore, looking for a tanning lotion? I guess you’ll want to find out what features it offers, compared to traditional sunscreen. Perhaps you do not know, for example, that these types of products are not exactly designed to protect from the sun, but only to intensify the tan.
It is also true, however, that today the market offers products that also shield the sun’s rays. Some self-tanners are also tanning, to achieve the color you want even faster. Be careful, though, and not all products are created equal.
Here we had selected the best tanning lotions for you that are listed below.
- SELF TANNER BODY LOTION - Create a flawless light bronze tan with gradual, natural-looking color while nourishing and hydrating...
- GRADUAL SUNLESS TANNING - Our Jergens Natural Glow & FIRMING moisturizer will gradually enhance and deepen your natural skin tone...
- CELLULITE REMOVER - Infused with collagen, elastin, and green tea infusions, our fast-acting, anti cellulite formula will help...
- FIRMING TAN LOTION - Infused with antioxidants and Coconut Water, Jergens & FIRMING Moisturizer’s hydrating blend of nutrients...
- FRESH SCENTED SUNLESS TANNING - Jergens Natural Glow sunless tanning daily moisturizers will keep you feeling fresh with a light...
- Ultra-Darkening Skin Hydrating Intensifier: Contains coconut milk, coconut oil, and cocoa butter to improve skin hydration....
- Tattoo Fade Protecting Formula: Helps prolong the life and radiance of your tattoos and tanning results.
- Quad Tyrosine Blend & Melano Bronze: Stimulates and increases melanin formation to accelerate the tanning process.
- Coconut Paradise Fragrance: An intoxicating light coconut fragrance with a faint scent of vanilla will make you dream of a day in...
- Ed Hardy tanning products are part of the Tanovations company. The Ed Hardy logo was replaced by the Tanovations logo, which has a...
- GIVE YOUR SKIN A NATURAL, BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN GLOW without applying any bronzers or skin darkening products. Australian Gold's Rapid...
- BE SUMMER READY - Formulated with Biosine Complex, a proprietary blend of premium ingredients, it prepares your skin for dark...
- BLESSED WITH AUSTRALIAN NATURALS - Enriched with Tea Tree Oil and the goodness of Vitamin E, both of which are powerful...
- ULTIMATE HYDRATION - The exotic combination of native oils, vital nutrients and Aloe Vera provide naturally soothing and deeply...
- SPECIALLY FORMULATED - Australian Gold's time-tested formula is designed to be Vegan, Gluten Free, and Cruelty Free, while being...
- Deep & Flawless Tan
- Immediate Sun Kissed Glow
- Ultra Moisturizing
- Advanced intensive tanning system (Infinite Tan System: Carrot + Coconut Oils), that enhances tan acceleration, providing a deep,...
- L'Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Lotion in Medium: Get a streak-free tan and subtle shimmer with this sunless tanning...
- Sunless tanner: formulated with Vitamin E, this self-tanner has a quick-dry and streak-free formula that provides natural-looking...
- L'Oreal Paris Self-Tanners: Our self tanners allow you to get a gorgeous, sun-kissed glow right at home; L'Oréal Paris sunless...
- Sun-kissed look: No need to expose skin to potentially harmful UV rays to get a gorgeous sun-kissed look; Achieve the look of...
- Pair it with: Try with Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Towelettes, convenient and easy to use towelettes for a streak-free,...
- FAKE TAN. REAL YOU. NO FILTER: Meet our best-seller, N°32 self tanning lotion, that's now available in a Santal luxury fragrance!...
- HOW TO USE: Easy to apply, no funky smells, no build-up, and no sticky residue. This sunless tanner, coming in the scent Santal,...
- SKINCARE HERO: N°32 hydrating self tanning cream will leave you with bronze, summer skin all year round. Are you ready for the...
- FIVE STARS CAN’T BE WRONG: A real customer review - "The absolute best! The perfect thing to work into your regular rotation to...
- SEAL OF APPROVAL FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS: + Lux Unfiltered products have been featured in: Forbes, W Magazine, Byrdie, POPSUGAR,...
- A NATURAL, SUN-KISSED GLOW: Goodbye to orange hues and hello to a natural-looking tan. Our bronzing tanning lotion comes in fair...
- CLEAN BEAUTY: Trust Beauty by Earth for a natural self tanner organic made with organic aloe vera, shea butter, and botanical...
- SUITABLE FOR FACE & BODY: Our organic tanning lotion can be used on both face and body for a seamless, all-over tan. For...
- OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE: We offer a variety of USA-made best self tanning lotions and formats, including mousse, spray tan, tanning...
- EASY APPLICATION, NO STREAKS: Our best self tanner for body is easy to apply & goes on clear, without leaving any streaks or...
- Easy to Use - Rub the tanning lotion evenly & step into a tanning bed to have that beautiful glow!
- Quick Results - Show-off your already tanned skin 1 hour after application of this bronzing lotion!
- Long-lasting Color - Flaunt your skin for weeks when you use Millennium 100X indoor tanning lotion.
- Painless Tanning - No need to endure painful tingling sensations with our tanning bed lotion.
- Moisturizes Skin - Let your skin breathe even while using an indoor tanning lotion with bronzer!
- i'm perfect for when you want your tan dark but don’t want to lay out
- tan accelerating actives speed up the tanning process, which means less time in the sun for deeper, darker tanning results
- i’m packed full of ultra moisturizing oils to keep your skin hydrated too
- i'm 100% vegan, free of nasties like parabens and i love animals so am 100% cruelty free
- ✅ BLACK BRONZER TANNING LOTION: The world's first 100% natural tanning lotion self tanner treatment with full skin care...
- ✅ ANTI-WRINKLE & ANTI-AGING: This lightweight tanning lotion delivers an instant bronze glow that is fast drying and develops in...
- ✅ ALL NATURAL: Dark self tanner is formulated with only the highest quality natural ingredients. Our natural bronzing tanning...
- ✅ TATTOO & COLOR FADE: Dolce Black tanning lotion is antioxidant-rich to fight free radical damage. Infused Tattoo & Color Fade...
- ✅ ANTI-ORANGE FORMULA: Dolce Black natural tanning lotion transforms your skin without any of those nasty streaks or blotches...
- PAMPER YOUR SKIN - Tan Physics replenishes and hydrates your skin with proven natural ingredients including Argan Oil, Coconut...
- STREAK-FREE, STICKY-FREE, DRAMA-FREE - This bronzing tanning lotion gives you a natural-looking tan without the stress and mess.
- FLAWLESS SELF TANNER - Create a flawless tan for gradual, natural-looking color before, or after, the beach.
- ENHANCE YOUR SKIN TONE - Formulated with a blend of coconut oil, vitamin E and tinted bronzers, our bronzing tanning lotion...
- FRESH SCENTED SUNLESS TANNING - Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Moisturizer + Bronzer will keep you feeling fresh...
- PARABEN FREE, CRUELTY FREE - Jergens bronzing tanning lotion is dermatologist tested, paraben free and not tested on animals, a...
Buyer Guide to Choose Tanning Lotions
What Is a Tanning Product?
In short, a bronzer, as its name already indicates, is a cosmetic product designed to stimulate the tan of the skin. It is an ideal solution for those who have difficulty getting tanned or simply for those who do not have many days to take a tan.
On the market, there are tanning and tanning accelerators in different formats and textures, but the most common ones are presented as oil in a bottle with spray or drop applicator. Even if we will tackle this topic later, it is essential to buy a tanning product that has an SPF factor or, if you don’t have it, it is good to combine it with another product with sunscreen.
What Are the Strengths and Weaknesses of A Tanning Product?
In reality, all products have strengths and weaknesses that can depend on both the composition and the particular reaction of each person. What is positive for some can be negative for others. Bronzers, of course, is no exception. However, if used correctly and wisely, they have many more pros than cons.
Advantages
- They accelerate tanning.
- The results are also more lasting.
- They hydrate the skin that loses fluids during sun exposure.
- The skin becomes softer.
- Many have antibacterial properties that eliminate the bad smell of sweat.
Disadvantages
- They can cause acne or skin reactions in case of sensitive skin.
- If they are without SPF, they can damage the epidermis.
- If they are without SPF, they can accelerate aging.
- If they don’t have SPF, they can cause melanomas or tumors.
How Do Tanners Work?
Tanning salons are designed for sunbathing. That is, they do not act on their own, as self-tanners do. A tanning accelerator stimulates the production of melanin, which is a pigment in the skin, which is synthesized when exposed to the sun and protects us from ultraviolet rays.
The more melanin you produce, the more intense your tan will be. However, even if you use a bronzer, there will always be people who tan more quickly than others, or who keep the dark complexion longer.
This depends on everyone’s natural melanin levels, which cannot be altered. A person with a light complexion will always get different results than someone with a darker complexion.
How Should a Tanning Agent Be Applied?
At this point, you should understand that it is very important to know how to apply a bronzer to avoid damage to the skin. The primary advice we can give you, just to start, is to sunbathe only in the recommended hours, cover the sensitive parts of your body, and do not skimp with sunscreen. Moreover:
- Apply the tan to all areas of the body that you want to color faster. Do this before leaving home.
- After ten or fifteen minutes, or when the tanning has completely absorbed, apply a cream with an SPF sunscreen. You can skip this step if your tanning accelerator has a factor of 30 or higher.
- When you are finished sunbathing, wash the skin to remove any residue from the product and apply an after sun or a moisturizing and calming lotion.
Are Tanners Safe?
Many people ask themselves this question, so it is right to give a sincere answer and consider different aspects. To begin with, some people have very fair skin, for whom sunbathing is always dangerous because they burn easily, and sunburn exponentially increases the chance of having skin cancer.
Can the Tanning Agent Be Combined with A Protective Cream?
Of course, and that’s exactly what you should always do. Don’t make the terrible mistake of believing that sunscreen will keep you from getting tanned.
Sunscreens protect against UV rays, but do not block melanin production.
This means that the skin of the body will take on a golden color even if you use sunscreen. If your tanning agent has SPF 30 or higher, then you can ignore all of the above. All the products we reviewed in this article do not have sunscreen, so you should use them together with a protective cream.
Purchase Criteria
There is so much misinformation, and often fear of this type of product, that sometimes we happen to buy them straight away, and then we forget them in a drawer, with the idea “they should hurt.”
You have already learned that, if used correctly, they have no reason to be harmful. Now we show you five criteria to consider in order not to make mistakes when buying:
- Sun protection factor (SPF)
- Skin type
- Composition
- Format type
Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
At this point in the article, this aspect will already be very clear to you. SPF is one of the most important criteria before buying a tanning or tanning accelerator.
The market offers us products that already have a protection filter in their formula, but others do not have it (like the ones we have indicated in the selection) or where it is very low. The choice of one product over another depends only on you and your preferences.
But you should know that, if you choose a tanning product without protection or with a filter lower than 30, you will have to combine it with a protective cream. First, you will have to apply the tan, then you will have to wait until it absorbs well, and then you can apply the cream, as you would normally do.
Skin Type
The characteristics of the skin play a fundamental role in the choice of a tanning lotion. Dermatologists recognize six different phototypes – from I to VI -. The medium-dark phototypes tan easily, while those with a lighter complexion will use solar to accelerate the tanning process and to maintain the golden color over time.
On the market, there are tanning products suitable for fair skin with a higher SPF. In any case, even if your skin is dark, don’t make the mistake of not combining the accelerator with protection. As we have already told you, protective creams do not block the production of melanin but shield the harmful rays.
Composition
Of course, the quality of each tanning product can be measured by its composition. The most sought after ingredients in this type of product are tyrosine and riboflavin, which stimulate the production of melanin.
In practice, all bronzers have one of these two elements in their formula and are combined with other ingredients, such as:
- Shea butter, whose functions are moisturizing.
- Argan oil, whose functions are moisturizing and antioxidants.
- Allantoin, which acts as a regenerator and accelerates the natural healing of the skin.
- Carrot, coconut, and Australian acacia oils, which nourish the skin and accelerate tanning.
- Walnut husk oil, which helps to achieve a longer-lasting tan.
- Vitamin A, C, and E, which promote pigmentation, give elasticity and slow down aging.
Format Type
Although, in general, the most common tanning products are presented in bottles with spray or drip applicators, this is not always the case. Tanning accelerators are available in different formats, such as oils, dry oils, serums, lotions, or gels. Choosing one or the other depends a lot on your personal preferences.
Some people don’t like oils because they consider them too oily, and prefer dry oil, which absorbs much faster. Spray dispensers are certainly very practical because they don’t dirty your hands so much. Lotions are often associated with self-tanning elements, which we will discuss below.
