Many people love to have a tanned body. Having tan skin makes them feel better about themselves, the same way working out makes another feel better. Some people also believe tan skin looks finer on them and gets attracted to people with tan skin.
In terms of scientific benefits, adequately exposing yourself under the sun to tan your skin could also increase your body’s vitamin D, which is important for overall health and wellness.
With the plethora of benefits having a tan body brings, it’s not a surprise if you also want to achieve a perfect body tan. However, if you’ve never succeeded in getting a tan despite exposing yourself under the sun, you may wonder what you were doing wrong or what steps you missed during your sunbathing.
Before you decide to overexpose yourself under the sun (which could be dangerous), there are some ways you could do to achieve a great sun-kissed glow without putting yourself at risk for skin cancer. To begin, here are five ways to attain a perfect body tan.
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Avoid Sunbeds
Despite seeing numerous appealing commercials from different salons offering a ‘healthy and lasting’ tan with their sunbeds, it may be best to avoid them as much as possible. These tanning beds provide huge amounts of ultraviolet (UV) A with almost no UVB (the one responsible for vitamin D). They’re also said to increase one’s risk of suffering from skin cancer by 75% due to the huge amounts of UVA produced, which is responsible for skin cell damage.
If you’re looking for an instant glow without the use of tanning beds, you may go for spray tan applicators and sunless systems, which are claimed to be safer and more recommended alternatives. You could walk out of the studio and show off your body tan with peace of mind knowing your skin remains healthy.
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Use The Right Sunscreen
When buying your sunscreen, go for the bottle with the description ‘broad spectrum’ UV protection. This means the sunscreen contains sun protection factor (SPF) 30, which could protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays.
Another detail to look out for when buying sunscreen is its star rating. Star ratings may range from 1 star to 5 stars. Purchase the one with a 5-star rating, which is said to have ultra-protection. For people with dark skin, using an SPF15 sunscreen is generally recommended.
Make sure to use your sunscreen for at least 20 to 30 minutes before stepping outside. If you’re planning to expose yourself under the sun for a couple of hours or so, don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen lotion every one to two hours for optimal protection.
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Know Your Tanning Time
Every person has a different tanning time. Thus, you need to know how much tanning time your skin could handle. For instance, people with fair skin could only last two to three hours of tanning before their melanin cut-off. Going overboard with your tanning hours could put your skin at risk for UV damage.
After knowing your tanning time, you’d also need to figure out which part of the day you should do your tanning. If your goal is to achieve tan skin at the quickest time possible, the sun is at its strongest during noon hours until 2 to 3 in the afternoon. But while these hours may cause you to tan quicker, it’s also during these hours the sun rays can do the most damage to your skin. If you have fair skin, typically the best tanning time for you is during the morning or after 3 pm to avoid overexposure to the sun.
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Eat Sun-Friendly Food
Some types of food could help protect your skin from the sun, like sweet potatoes, kale, and carrots. They all contain beta carotene, which could help reduce your skin’s sun sensitivity.
Aside from these, there are other kinds of food, like oranges and tomatoes, that are known to boost the skin’s lycopene, an antioxidant that could shield the skin from the sun. Also, eating dark chocolate with flavonoids could protect your skin from within against sunburn.
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Seek Shade
Just because you’re aiming for a perfect tan doesn’t mean you should expose yourself under the sun for the entire duration. Thus, as part of achieving that ideal sun glow, you need to take breaks and seek shade to shield your skin from intense heat and sunburn risk and protect yourself from dehydration and possible heatstroke.
Taking breaks from sun exposure cold also make your tan healthier and longer lasting. Aside from taking breaks and seeking shade, you also need to wear proper protective clothing to avoid overburnt skin. Some protective clothing you could wear include wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and clothes that can cover your arms, back, chest, and legs.
Wrap Up
Before you spread your beach towel on the sand or in your backyard, don’t forget to follow these tips above to increase your chances of achieving a perfect and long-lasting body tan, especially during the summer months. After all, nothing beats that natural sun-kissed glow in your skin that you attained healthily and safely.
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