Understanding Bronzing Tanning Lotions

Finding the right tanning lotion for keeping your tan going can be hassle, especially since there are so many on the market that claim to be the best. Many are decent, a few excel, but many fall to the wayside, not giving the results you want or need, often because they are missing the key ingredients that are necessary for a good, lasting tan.

If you are looking for a good strong tan from an indoor tanning bed, then you are mostly likely going to need a bronzing lotion. With a bronzing lotion, you are able to get a natural looking tan, similar to what you get when you are spending time out on the beach. Bronzing lotions also give you faster results for a tan than other styles of tanning lotions because they contain ingredients such as DHZ or tyrosine to improve the effect of your tanning session. With the right bronzing lotion, you’ll get the moisturizing you need for an effective tan that will keep your skin looking healthy.

Bronzing Lotions with DHA

The most common type of bronzing lotion for indoor tanning beds are ones that contain dihydroxyacetone, or DHA. DHA is effective as a bronzing agent because, at its base, it is a carbohydrate that reacts with the amino acids in your skin to produce brown-colored melaninoids, thus appearing to darken the tone of your skin. DHA, however, does not assist in the production of melanin, so it only creates the look of tanned skin in the dead outer layer of your skin. Because of this property of DHA, and since there is no increased production of melanin, it is often called “fake tanning.” DHA bronzing lotion will often create a good quality, even tan; however, since it is only in the dead layer of the skin, any exfoliation you do will reduce your tan greatly, and the tan will only last around 10 days as your skin naturally sheds.

Additionally, the DHA in a DHA based bronzing lotion takes time to develop the melaninoids, so while the initial results of the bronzing lotion session in the tanning bed will appear after about 4 hours, it could take up to 12 hours to get the full tan.

Depending on your starting skin tone, you’ll need a different percentage of DHA in the bronzer.

Ï  5-8% – pale and fair skin (skin types I and II)

Ï  10% – light medium and medium skin (skin types III and IV)

Ï  12% – brownish skin (skin type V)

Bronzing Lotions with Natural Ingredients

For those wishing to avoid DHA, you can find a selection of bronzing lotions that contain only herbal extracts to assist the skin in the tanning process. Most common ingredients include riboflavin and caramel that can help give an instant tan and boost the skin tone. Higher quality natural bronzing lotions will include vitamins and extracts that boost the skin’s natural melanin production, as well as increase blood flow and oxygenation of the outer layer of skin. Because of the use of all-natural ingredients, you should only expect your tan to last about 4 days, so you will require reapplication more often. As well, because no chemical bronzers are used, there is a much lower likelihood of streaks or blotches occurring due to poor application.

Quick Tips for Bronzing Lotions

Ï  Always give enough time for the bronzing lotion to take effect; read the bottle for instructions as they can take 4-12 hours to develop fully.

Ï  Developing a base tan before using a bronzing lotion can give better results.

Ï  Don’t use too high % of DHT if you have pale or light skin, otherwise the result will look unnatural.

Ï  Always used a bronzing lotion with a good moisturizer base. Tanning works better on hydrated skin, and it reduces the effects of aging.