There’s no reason not to keep a golden glow year-round with today’s tanning accelerators. Formulated mainly for use with indoor tanning sunbeds (although some are suitable for outdoor use), tanning lotions are designed to rapidly decrease the amount of time it takes to achieve a sun-kissed tan. You may be asking yourself what kind of tanning lotion should I use as there are a diverse selection of tanning optimisers and enhancers available, so we’ve compiled this short guide to help you select the product perfect for you. Tip: Be careful as tanning accelerators do not contain sunscreen, therefore, will not protect you from sunburn!

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1. Accelerator & Maximiser Lotions

If you’re new to tanning or have pale/sensitive skin, we would recommend beginning with an accelerator/maximiser lotion. Most beginner accelerators contain great anti-aging elements such as CoQ-10. Ideal for building up a base tan, beginner accelerators are non-tingle and don’t contain bronzers. A great example of a tanning accelerator perfect for beginners would be the ProTan Radically Hemp. For extremely dry skin, we would advise you use a moisturiser formulated with hemp seed oil such as ProTan Perfectly Pink.

 

2. Bronzer Lotions

The next step up and most popular type of tanning accelerator is the bronzer. There are two types of bronzer; the immediate and delayed. The great advantage of bronzers is that they combine DHA and active ingredients to give instant dark results and long-lasting colour, yet continue to develop after a tanning session to continually improve your tan. With bronzers, you need to ensure you apply the lotion evenly or you can end up with a patchy tan. Our favourite bronzing lotions are Australian Gold Hardcore Black & ProTan Incredibly Black (which is also a best-seller!) Tip – Ensure you wipe your hands thoroughly after applying a bronzing lotion to ensure you don’t end up with hands darker than the rest of your body!

 

3. Tingle Lotions

Tingle lotions do what they say on the tin – they give your skin a tingling sensation after applying the lotion. Why do they do this? Basically, the lotion brings the blood to the surface of your skin to boost the effect that UV rays have, thus allowing you to achieve a deeper, darker tan much quicker. Tingle lotions are perfect for people who are looking to achieve an extremely deep tan and are not at all suitable for beginners. Be careful – as tingle lotions should not be used by people with sensitive skin. Our favourite tingle lotion is ProTan Seriously Hot. Tip – Don’t be shocked if your skin is red after application, as it will be for roughly an hour. It may look like you’re sunburnt, but the redness will fade quickly.

 

Key Terminologies:

With a diverse selection of lotions available, carefully reading each product’s label and understanding the terminology can give you a great advantage when picking the lotion perfect for you.

 

Hemp Seed Oil: Nourishes and moisturises your skin leaving it smooth and flawless.
Body Blush: For those who want a tingling effect, but have sensitive skin.
Anti-Aging: These lotions contain added vitamins help combat ageing skin.
Shimmer: These lotions contain glimmering additives to give your skin reflective properties for added glow.
Caffeine: Caffeine reduces puffiness and will also energise your skin.
Silicon: A moisturising mineral that will help condition skin.
Beta Carotene: AKA Vitamin A. It enhances pigment colouration in your skin.
DHA: A chemical ingredient that produces a brown colour when it comes into contact with skin. The higher the DHA, the darker the tan.
Vitamin E: Makes skin softer and will also reduce the visibility of lines and wrinkles.
Aloe Vera: Soothes and calms the skin.
Monoi De Tahiti Oil: Makes the skin softer and naturally protects it from the harmful effects of the sun and the sea salt.
Coconut Oil: Hydrates the skin to make it silky smooth.

 

To conclude:

Finding the perfect lotion for you can be tricky but if you follow our guide you’ll find the accelerator perfect for you in no time! We stock one of the largest ranges of tanning accelerators on the internet – with products from leading brands such as ProTan, Fiesta Sun, Emerald Bay, Australian Gold and more.

If you have any questions or would like us to recommend a tanning accelerator for your specific skin type, please contact us, we’d be more than happy to help!