What Is a Bronzing Tanning Lotion? Different Types of Tanning Lotion Explained

The winter solstice has come and gone, the days are getting longer, the sun shines longer, and the world seems to be a happier place. Then you remember that with the sun comes swimsuit season and sun burn season. There is the dread of returning to the beach still pasty white and coming home red as a lobster. This season, it can be different; this year, use a tanning lotion. There are many types of bronzing lotion to ensure that this summer you are looking great.

Step One:

If you are just beginning to tan or are looking as pale as Casper the Friendly Ghost, the best tanning lotion to begin with is a base accelerator. This lotion should hydrate and smooth your skin as it creates a base tan. This tanning lotion is used for the beginning stages of tanning and will begin a very gradual process. There are no bronzers in this style of tanning lotion, and unlike bronzing tanning lotions, it will only produce the darkness that the melanin in your skin will produce.

What comes next?

Following the use of a base accelerator tanning lotion is the use of a basic or simple bronzing tanning lotion. This is the most common type of tanning lotion. A basic bronzer tanning lotion can be applied daily to your skin to give the appearance of a bronze tan. With the lotion available today, there is little chance of streaking, and the color can be matched to your skin tone to provide you with the best look possible. At the end of the day, this lotion can be washed away and applied again the following day. There are more advanced forms of a simple bronzing tanning lotion that increase the melanin production of your skin, working with the amino acids to stain your skin and produce a bronze glow. This tanning lotion is applied every few days and is a great lotion for those who are just beginning to tan.

More advanced tanners can use a tingle tanning lotion. Unlike bronzing tanning lotions, tinglers will produce a tingling sensation to let the tanner know that it is working. The tingle lotion uses dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, which is a carbohydrate that interacts with skin cells, turning them brown. Most products have a varied amount of DHA in the tanning lotion, which results in the various levels of darkness of the tan. This reaction is used to maximize the skin’s microcirculation and oxygenation process. The reaction process adheres the melanin in skin cells to the level of DHA to produce deep, dark tanning results.

After trying the tingle tanning lotion, you can then use a combination of tingle and bronzing tanning lotions. This combination allows you to build a base with the bronzer until you achieve the level of tan that you want with the tingle tanning lotion. This combination is used by people who have knowledge of the tanning process.

Facial care

When working on a tan, it is important to take extra precaution when using bronzing tanning lotion near your face. The DHA chemical can be harmful to the eyes, nose, and mouth. This reaction can cause a burning sensation. There are bronze tanning lotions that are specific for facial use. These lotions can also be matched with the color of other bronze tanning lotions that are being used to ensure that the outcome look is smooth and parallel for the whole body.

Cooling lotions

Tanning lotions, including bronzing tanning lotions, are applied at various times, depending on the lotion that is being used. It can be applied daily or a few times a week. After removing the tanning lotion from the body, and if using a separate facial bronzing lotion, it is recommended that a cooling tanning lotion be used. This will help with any burning sensation that is created by the DHA chemicals that are reacting with your skin cells. The cooling lotion will also help with long term skin care. Applying the cooling lotion will help moisturize the skin and assist with the aging of the skin.

When summer comes and the sun is shinning be ready, begin your tanning process early and safely using bronzing tanning lotions.