Thanks to the internet, having access to updated beauty and wellness info has never been easier. We’ll take this opportunity to update some of the sun tanning myths passed on for generations (and hopefully keep the old ones out), and make a case for why we believe self-tanners are superior over our good ol’ friend, the sun.
1. You decrease your exposure to UV rays
No matter how much SPF you slather onto your skin, any tanning session that involves sun exposure will still be harmful at varying degrees. The safest tan is still a sunless tan (as long as the ingredients in it check out).
The belief that darkening of the skin is a sign of health has to be put away and filed under “beauty myths”. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the darkening of the skin is the body’s way of announcing skin damage due to sun exposure. This takes place because exposure to UV rays triggers the body’s natural defense and sets its protective mechanism into action: melanin production to shield the skin from even more UV ray damage.
Take our word for it: sunless self-tanners are your skin’s best friends. Not only will they give you a natural glow, but they also moisturise and dramatically decrease the suntan lover’s exposure to harmful UV rays, keeping your skin healthy and younger looking for much longer.
2. You’ll get a more even tan without doing the flip over
No matter how systematic you are in timing your rotations to get an even suntan, a rotisserie chicken almost always does it better than you. Even if you flip over precisely after every 15 minutes, the sky is always changing and clouds are always passing, so it is nearly impossible to get an even amount of sun in those intervals.
Fail-proof, quality sun-tanners and mitts will always get the job done much better. If you’re a self-tanning newbie, we’re here to reassure you that the learning curve isn’t even that steep. Our self-tanning mousse makes it as easy as applying your daily moisturiser.
Bonus: you can lounge under a parasol in swimsuits of every shape and out-of-this-world design without worrying about weird tan lines.
3. It keeps your skin looking youthful
Anti-ageing is still a beauty buzzword, and dermatologists band together to declare that the best anti-ageing tip is to stay clear of the sun. If you’re not convinced, let the statistics speak for itself: the sun is responsible for 90% of visible skin changes such as pigmentation, skin laxity, wrinkles, textural changes, and uneven skin tone.
For the Vitamin D enthusiasts, you’ll be surprised to know that you don’t need as much Vitamin D as you thought. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, you get healthy amounts of Vitamin D just from incidental UV exposure alone, regardless of whether you are wearing sunscreen or not.
4. It gives a glow that’s even better than the sun’s
Sometimes even the original can’t live up to its own standards. While you probably will never get a fake orange glow from the sun, it still doesn’t guarantee that best kind of decadent glow. Sometimes, we go from tan to red, or sometimes just downright ashy. With self-tanners, you’re guaranteed a consistent glow with each and every use.
5. It keeps your skin hydrated and supple
As with all things that are exposed to heat, an inevitable drying will occur on certain occasions. Not only will you have inconsistent skin texture all over, but dry skin can lead to even bigger problems such as breakouts due to drying of the skin’s natural oils. The heat will trigger your skin to overcompensate by producing more oil, which may trigger pimples.
Self-tanners, however, are a great way to moisturise while tanning. Our favourite moisturising hacks include mixing tanning drops to our favourite lotion or using a gradual tanning lotion such as Skinsation.