Tanning Oil Buyers Guide

Are you looking to get tanned for the season? Then tanning oil could be the best option you could ask for. Unlike artificial products, you don't have a high risk of skin problems. More importantly, tanning oil does a great job of providing a good tan for your body.

But how can you choose the right tanning oil for you? This is the ultimate guide that breaks down how you can select the best tanning oil for yourself. Additionally, you will learn about tanning oil to understand whether these products are for you or not.

Make sure to read carefully, because there are some tips hidden in the guide as you go through it. According to your skin type and tanning requirement, this is your one-stop solution to get the best tanning oil.

So, break the wall of confusion that brands have created. Let's cut to the chase and learn about the things that matter in tanning oils!

What is tanning oil? Why should you use it?

It is a type of oil that usually contains natural ingredients to nourish the skin. The oil qualities allow the sun rays to focus on the skin better and provide more evenly distributed tanning. Most of the tanning oils have sun protection to safeguard people from sunburns and other sun's adverse effects.

Often, tanning oils have extra tanning materials to provide better results. Even if that's not your choice, if you don't prefer artificial tanners like lotion and moisturizers, then a tanning oil is a far better choice. How is it different from tanning lotions or moisturizers?

Well, for starters, lotions and moisturizers are easier to wipe. Thus, if you move around too much, you may wear it off. More importantly, your skin will absorb it faster, and you'll have to reapply it more frequently.

Even the most typical tanning oil requires reapplication after 30 minutes at the least. There are countless benefits of getting tanning oil. Let's take a better look at these advantages of tanning oils.

Reasons to buy tanning oil

Extending the tanning duration

Of all the other options available for tanning, this happens to be one of the safest methods. Not only that, but you can have tanning for more extended periods. It's because of the natural sunlight process instead of artificial tanning machines, lotions, or spray tan.

Hence, using tanning oils is one of the cheapest methods. It also lasts much longer than any other tanning method. It is highly cost-effective in the long run, and if you live in an area with rich sunlight, it's a big win for you in this department.

Get faster tanning

While you get an extended tan, tanning oil significantly lowers the time, you need to be out in the sun. Compared to lotions and moisturizers, tanning oil is more focused. It can focus the sun rays on striking your skin better without burning or damaging it. Hence, you get faster tanning.

You don't have to apply tanning oil as frequently as other options. Within the first use, you will start witnessing a remarkable difference in your skin tan. That's how efficient these tanning oils can be.

Enhancing the tan appeal

As you've learned, tanning oils focus the sun rays. More importantly, it is faster. At the same time, it doesn't damage your skin. Now, you can also evenly spread the tanning oil. There' no 'focused area or an area with too much oil. As long as you evenly apply it, your skin will hold adequate oil.

What does it mean? You will have better tan quality and shade that you could've hoped for. It is also because of the natural ingredients. The nourishment these ingredients provide will enhance the quality of your skin. So, it's a win-win situation.

Lower health risks

As you spend less time under the sun, you are not consistently exposed to the UV rays from the sun. While tanning oil and other products can protect you from these rays, nothing is absolute. The best way to safeguard yourself from skin problems is not to spend too much time under the sun.

Many tanning lotions and creams will extend your stay in the sun. Thus, elevating your risk factor. However, with tanning oil, you need to be less present under direct sunlight. It will save your skin from free radicals, among many other problems that UV rays could pose in the long run.

In the end, tanning oil is a safer, healthier option.

Safeguard your skin

Tanning oil isn't just great to get rich tanning. As you can see, lesser time decreases the risks. Apart from that, tanning oils have essential oils or other natural ingredients. These provide better protection and recovery for your skin without much danger.

When you're exposed to the sun, your skin may get dry or dehydrated. This leads to damage to skin that can lead to blisters or pimples, among other similar problems. What's more? You may develop early signs of aging.

Apart from these, if your skin is delicate or sensitive, then you will end up with sunburn under the sun. However, using tanning oil drastically reduces all of these adverse effects. More importantly, it protects your skin better and provides proper nourishment.

Perfect nourishment

Oil spreads around your body and skin better. It can even reach the areas where you usually wouldn't be able to apply the oil through its smooth flow. You might agree that oil is the best moisturizer that you can get in any season. It seals your body's natural moisture and provides proper nourishment.

There's nothing as 'thorough' as a tanning oil. Many tanning oils have several moisturizing agents and essential oils. These are great to help you with the nourishment. Therefore, you will get naturally supple and plump skin.

Factors to consider when buying tanning oil

So you are finally ready to purchase your tanning oil? Well then, it’s time for you to consider these essential factors to make a rewarding purchase.

Quality of the product

The first most consideration to make for tanning oil is the quality of the product. Inevitably, the higher grade means that the cost will be higher. However, in some cases, brands often reap the rewards of their prestige.

In simple words, these brands tend to become so great that their quality of ingredients is not as excellent as the price they are charging. Therefore, when determining the quality of the product, pay attention to these points:

Brand and price

Bran prestige is when a brand grows so popular that it becomes a symbol of status or class. In this case, the company starts charging extra for the 'luxury' of using its products. They don't necessarily improve the quality of their product.

For this, it's better to check out lesser-known brands that still have a higher cost. It would most likely mean that they have a better quality of ingredients. Most of the lesser-known brands offer premium-grade tanning oils that don't get popular because of their cost, which brings us to the next point.

Ingredients

None of the two ingredients is the same. You might have noticed that two similar products with the same ingredients end up being different, feeling different. Some companies have high-end tanning oils, and others have a low end. It all breaks down to the quality of ingredients.

There are several determining factors for the quality of ingredients. The region from which the component was imported, and the quality. For example, whether the ingredients are organic or not would significantly impact, among other things.

There's no surefire way for you to check for the 'quality' of the tanning oil ingredients. For that, you will have to check for any mark, symbol, or certification that claims that they have organic ingredients. Alternatively, you can try and read up on the company and see the clearances they have.

It surely could be a time-consuming process, but if you care about what you put on your skin, it wouldn't be too challenging. Once you have a better understanding of its history, its ingredient quality, you will make a better decision.

Natural ingredients

Organic ingredients are one way to look at tanning oil. Another way is to look for tanning oil that uses natural ingredients. Most of the tanning oils available in the market indeed contain a large number of natural ingredients.

However, some are entirely natural, and you may search for them. The more natural ingredients a tanning oil has, the better it is. That's the general rule of thumb, and you can't ever go wrong with natural ingredients. They prove to be beneficial in one way or another.

Tanning material

Despite being completely natural, your tanning oil may have some tanning material. Now, this could be a good or bad thing, depending on whether it's natural or not. Secondly, some tanning material is too stubborn that it will leave marks on your clothes, towels, and other areas.

Most of the time, these tanning materials are some form of coloring. Some people are allergic to them, and you may end up getting a skin irritation. There are more adverse effects like boils, acne, and much more.

In general, it is better to get tanning oils that don't have extra tanning material. If there is, it could be something natural, like cocoa or butter. A tanning oil shouldn't have material that 'provides tanning or enhances color,' but 'enrich' the tanning you get from the sun.

Sun protection factor

Now, this is where you have the most important considerations to make regarding the tanning oil you will use. SPF or sun protection factor is a common term you will find in several products. It is essentially a quality of the product that allows some form of sun protection.

Sun protection factor protects your skin from the harmful UV rays. Often, some intense SPF even protects you from tanning. Therefore, it becomes an important consideration to determine the level of SPF you require for proper tanning.

SPF in tanning oil

It is vital to look for SPF in tanning oil for two reasons. First of all, you shouldn't mix other products such as cream or lotion while applying oil to your body. Those cream and lotions won't work as the oil has an individual layer, making it harder for the body to absorb anything else.

Next, you're going to expose yourself to the sun without any protection against it. Sunburn and other skin problems are very common among people who don't use SPF products. Ergo, your oil should have SPF. It is a tanning oil where you will lay in the sun for extended hours. This will lead to inevitable damage if you don't have proper sun protection.

Proper SPF rating

This is a critical contemplation and often very daunting. It is difficult to determine the right range of SPF. Some offer 10-20, and some go up to 50 or 60. You don't have to consider too high of the option to hinder the efficient tanning process.

Therefore, if you think about tanning on the beach, then a perfect SPF rating would be 30. It is well-versed, provides apt protection, and doesn't affect the tanning process negatively. Overall, this is an excellent range to look for. However, it might also depend on your skin and the climatic conditions.

Skin nourishment options

If you're looking for tanning, you should get healthy tanning. For that, you need proper nourishment. After all, exposing yourself to the scorching heat of the sun will take a toll on your skin. You will lose oils, hydration, and moisture of the skin.

If we don't consider the negative aspects, then for positive results, nourishment is vital. It will help with providing rich and more defining tanning that settles naturally on your skin. For nourishment requirements, there are two qualities in tanning oil to look for.

Moisturizing

A moisturizing tanning oil will provide more moisture that could be great in dry heat. It will revitalize your skin and help with a supple complexion that will look healthy. Aloe vera is a great ingredient to look for in moisturizing tanning oil.

It will relieve you from heat and provide a soothing sensation while you lay down for tanning.

Hydrating

In a humid or tropical climate, a hydrating tanning oil would be better. For this, you can look for coconut oil as one of the ingredients. Often, there isn't much difference between hydrating and moisturizing tanning oil.

Many tanning oils come with both of these qualities for well-versed nourishment.

Vitamins and minerals

Apart from proper nourishment, vitamins and mineral content is a must-have in tanning oils. Mainly because this will help you enhance your skin's quality. Some tanning oils have vitamins E, A, and C that improves your skin health.

Other minerals could also be great for the production of melanin. It is the compound in your skin that is responsible for the tanning of your skin. The healthier its production, the better tanning you will heave. To refrain from sunburn, you must produce enough melanin.

Essential oils

Most of the tanning oils have essential oils. These are great for your overall health, and you can conduct so many therapies with it. You can even have a complete massage with essential oils, and there are countless benefits to these.

Apart from rich mineral and vitamin contents, these oils have other properties like antibacterial. Some even have cleansing properties. So this is an excellent sector to explore while aiming to buy a tanning oil.

The ease of use

This has more to do with the design of the container of tanning oil. There are glass bottles, spray bottles, and squeezing bottles available for tanning oils. You might come across an utterly bizarre design.

Most tanning oils are easy to use. You can apply directly without any problem. However, some require you to moisturize first properly or wash your skin. Others may ask you to warm them or keep them exposed to the sun lightly. Look past these claims. Look at these two things when considering the ease of use:

Method

The spray bottle will have an easier time applying oil to the area you can't naturally reach, like your back. It spreads evenly and gets absorbed quickly. However, oil spray may be less efficient and may cause some problems.

On the other hand, the conventional application method would be better, but you would need someone to reach for your back.

Time under sun

The next thing you need to consider is the ease of use is time under the sun. In other words, how frequently would you have to apply the tanning oil? Some require you to apply oil every 30 minutes. Others may work up to 2-3 hours. So, this is an excellent department to look for.

The duration of applying oil can determine your break from the sun. Consistently exposing yourself to the sun is not healthy. Generally, people tend to take shade when they have to reapply the tanning oil. So, if you have to reapply the tanning oil frequently, you will take more breaks.

However, it could also mean that you will consume your tanning oil faster. There are perks and drawbacks to everything.

Your skin type

Your skin type inevitably will play a huge role in determining the right tanning oil for you. If you have dry skin, then you need a moisturizing tanning oil with aloe vera and such. However, if you have skin that's more sensitive to skin, you might need higher SPF with aloe vera content.

There is a misconception that having naturally tan or dark skin means less impact from the sun rays. It's not true. While your skin may be more adaptive, it still requires proper care. If you want to tan yourself, always make sure to have proper supplies, especially the right tanning oil.

Check your allergies

Products like tanning oil tend to have a mixture of various kinds of ingredients. Some people may be allergic to one or some of these ingredients. Therefore, you should always read the label for the ingredients. Always cross-check to avoid any potential mishap.

Always test them out

You should always test the tanning oil out before purchasing it. For this, you can ask for a sample or try a little drop around your skin. It will help you check how your skin will react to it. You will learn whether you're comfortable with it on your skin or not. Testing is a surefire way to find a tanning oil that perfectly suits you.

FAQs: Best Tanning Oil

Q: How much sun exposure is safe for tanning?

A: Around 20 minutes are sufficient to receive your daily dose of Vitamin D and get moderate tanning. However, if you're looking to tan yourself considerably, then you'd have to undergo a tanning process.

After 20 to 30 minutes, take a break from the sunlight into the shade. During the break, reapply the tanning oil properly across your body. It would prevent your skin from getting sunburn and provide safer tanning.

Q: How to properly apply tanning oil on the body?

A: It's relatively easy to apply the tanning oil on the body. All you have to do is take it in your palms and rub it across the body or part where you require tanning to be proper. Of course, you shouldn't leave your other body parts unprotected in the sun.

Similarly, make sure that more sensitive areas of your skin have proper sun protection.

Q: Are tanning oils safe?

A: Most of the tanning oils have a large portion of natural ingredients. Hence, they are much safer than any other artificial method available for tanning. If you're wondering about 'tanning' in general, these oils are one of the safest options available.

Conclusion

You can probably understand that if you go out in the sun, tanning oil is a must-have. Apart from helping you get the desired tanning, you have optimum protection for your skin! With all of these factors, you will hopefully find the one that fits you best.

It is vital to understand your body, the skin type, and how it reacts to the sun. So as long as you know yourself the best, you will always get the best. Don't fall for advertisements or marketing schemes. Let your body and experience decide the best for you. With this information, you will undoubtedly find the best tanning oil!