There's no denying it: getting that perfect sunkissed tan can go a long way to making you feel and look a little fresher and glowier.
Most of the time, we're happy to hit the bottle (of fake tan) and opt for a faux glow in place of spending hours baking in the sun, but when you're by the pool in St. Tropez or on the sandy beaches of Dorset, there's nothing better than reading a good book and soaking up the sunshine.
However, the sun's UV rays can be seriously damaging for your skin. From painful sunburn to hyperpigmentation (not to mention the obvious skin cancer risks), which means it's incredibly important to be vigilant about being safe in the sun.
We caught up with the skincare pros to find out the best way to avoid the dreaded post-tan peel, exactly how often you need to apply SPF to keep yourself protected plus a cheat sheet on self-tanning.
How does tanning work?
We all know that if you sit in the sun for long enough your skin will either burn or tan, but what actually makes your skin change colour? 'Tanned skin is caused by UV radiation,' says Dr. Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist at SELF London on Harley Street.
When sun rays or artificial UV rays (such as the ones emitted by sunbeds) beam down on your skin, melanin production is triggered as part of a protective mechanism process to prevent further damage. 'UV radiation affects different skin types due to the amount of melanin already present in some skin tones. The darker your skin is, the more melanin you have present in your skin,' explains Dr. Mahto.
What are the risks of tanning?
As much as a bronzed glow looks attractive on the surface, the risks of skin damage associated with sitting in the sun for too long are serious.
'Prolonged UV-radiation rapidly ages the skin much faster than we realise. It does this by causing DNA-damage which leads to wrinkles, sunspots and sagging skin. It also contributes to hyper pigmentation,' says skin-focused doctor, Dr Kemi Roni.
Is there such thing as tanning safely?
Experts collectively agree that staying in the shade is the best course of action for skin health. 'But from a personal standpoint and as someone who loves the hot weather, I think there are measures one can take to ensure they’re staying safe in the sun,' says Dr. Mahto.
While she does prefer patients to use a self-tanner as it is safer than basking out in sunshine, she notes that even with religious application of sunscreen, you can still achieve a subtle tan - just follow the easy guidelines below to stay safe.
How To Protect Your Skin In The Sun
- Always Re-Apply Your SPF
If there's one step to getting a tan you SHOULD NOT skip, it's applying sun protection. As tempting as it is to whack on a bottle of the nearest cooking oil, the best and safest way to get a super even tan is by applying SPF and taking your time.
Heed Dr. Mahto's advice and re-apply your sunscreen every two to three hours. Make sure to top up your SPF after every swim sesh too (or if you've sweated it off). Generally, derms recommend using a shot glass amount of product for your whole body and a teaspoon for neck and face; adjust accordingly to your stature. 'You want to create an even layer across your entire skin surface and ensure it is properly rubbed in before you head out in the sun,' says Dr. Mahto.
ELLE Edit: 13 Of The Best Sunscreens For 2024
CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF 50
I've lost count of the number of times I've recommended this facial sunscreen over the years. There's truly nothing I don't love about the lightweight yet nourishing cream; for starters, it's a steal at £16.50, every dermatologist loves it, and it's packed with ceramides and niacinamide to support the skin barrier, omitting the need for a daytime moisturiser.
Caudalie Vinosun Very High Protection Water SPF50
Caudalie's super smart bi-phase sun screen combines the skin-nourishing properties of an oil with the skin-protecting powers of an SPF50 water. Non-sticky or greasy with zero white cast or residue, simply shake and spritz for sun protection.
There's a reason why dermatologists and beauty editors all rave about this SPF. Usually the sunscreen that accompanies me on holiday, it's perfect to squeeze into an airport bag and ticks all the boxes for 50+ UVA and UVB protection. But the real selling point is the lightweight texture, which leaves an invisible and glow-y veil and sits perfectly under make-up: it's even a great SPF for acne-prone skin.
Supergoop Glowscreen SPF30
Founder Holly Thaggard has been part of a movement making sunscreen cool again. This glow screen is perfect for no make-up days on holidays, offering necessary UV protection, all while lending skin a luminous glow. It's a firm favourite of mine for summer when the weather calls for nothing more than a lightweight primer, a dab of concealer and a lip tint.
Sun Bum Original SPF30 Sunscreen Spray
This super fine invisible spray makes the boring task of applying sun cream seriously quick and easy. The mist applicator means applying sun cream to even the most tricky to get to areas is a breeze, while the dry touch, vegan formula means sticky, sand-covered limbs are a thing of the past.
Ultra Violette Preen Screen SPF50 Reapplication Mist Skinscreen
It's fair to say I've never been quite so impressed with an SPF spray. Leave it to sun protection experts, Ultra Violette, to develop an invisible, ultra-lightweight SPF 50 spray that makes reapplying your sun cream almost too easy. Designed specifically with those regular top-ups in mind, this vitamin C and E-infused formula is ideal for taking on-the-go and for protecting those bits we tend to forget about - think hands, scalp and anywhere else that's enjoying a hit of sunshine.
111SKIN Repair Sunscreen SPF 50+
I wouldn't usually advocate for such a pricey sunscreen when there are so many winning affordable formulas out there - but the texture of 111 Skin's Repair Sunscreen, much like the Repair Day Cream, is unlike anything I've tried before. It's powered by the same skin-boosting complex and turns SPF application into a complete joy rather than a daily chore.
Lancaster Sun Sport Cooling Invisible Mist SPF50
If there's something about sun protection Lancaster don't know, I'm yet to discover it. The cult sunscreen brand have developed a genius sun screen spray that packs in SPF50, si water-resistant, ocean-friendly and even cools my hot and flustered skin on contact. That's before mentioning its super fine mist texture and the totally transparent finish which is perfect for all skin tones.
From the Take-Out One Sun Stick to SPF-packed hand creams, Hello Sunday is changing the game when it comes to sunscreen. This SPF 30 body lotion is a true sunscreen essential for the body - it sinks into skin instantly (no white casts or marks in sight) and feels hydrating but never greasy.
It might be called 'Extreme' sun lotion but trust me - this factor 50 sun cream is a total essential. Ideal for even the most sensitive skin, regular applications of this water-resistant lotion will leave you feeling safe in the knowledge that sun burn is fully off the cards.
Garnier Ambre Solaire Over Makeup Super UV Protection Mist SPF50
An SPF50 spray you can wear over your make-up? Sign me up. Garnier's genius hyaluronic acid-infused sun cream mist is the ultimate way to top up your sun protection on the go.
Vichy Capital Soleil Solar Protective Water Hydrating SPF50
If heavy, paint-like white creams aren't your bag (are they anyone's??) then this super lightweight spray is for you. Formulated with hero ingredient hyaluronic acid, this keeps parched skin hydrated and protected.
Institut Esthederm Adaptasun Body Lotion Strong Sun
Based around the concept of using melanin to train your skin to protect itself against the sun, this SPF-free lotion lets me tan the safe way whilst still protecting against photo-ageing and free radical skin damage.
2. Shield your face
Now that you've got your SPF sorted, give your complexion extra protection with wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses to shield your scalp (a scalp SPF is a useful addition) and delicate under eyes. It's worth keeping a lip SPF in your tote too, because the last thing you need on holiday is painful sunburnt lips.
3. Avoid peak hours
The sun is at its most intense from 12-2PM, so take that margarita under the shade during those hours if possible.
4. Apply After-Care
Avoid the dreaded post-tan peel with generously applied after care. 'The most essential aftercare for tanned skin is moisturiser or after sun,' says tanning expert James Harknett. 'The beach and the pool will dehydrate your skin and the combination of those with the sun can leave the skin taught and feeling dry.
'After a warm or cool rinse, pat dry the skin and apply tan enhancing after sun. Drink a good litre or more of Evian too.'
Our top tip? Put your go-to hydrating body serum in the fridge to cool and moisturise post-sun limbs.
ELLE Edit: Tan After-Care
Caudalie Vinosun Protect
Lancaster Sun Tan Maximiser After Sun Lotion
Shiseido After Sun - Intensive Damage SOS Emulsion
5. Avoid tanning beds
This is the single-most harmful thing that you can do to your skin. The effects of the high intensity UV radiation directed straight onto your skin greatly accelerates your skin's ageing process and puts you at a high risk for developing melanoma.
How To Treat Sunburn
Sunburn can manifest in various ways. Redness, tenderness, pain or discomfort, warmth, blisters, peeling and itching are the most common tell-tale signs. 'It's important to note that the symptoms of sunburn may not appear immediately. It can take a few hours for redness and discomfort to become noticeable after sun exposure,' says consultant dermatologist Dr. Magnus Lynch.
'The full extent of sunburn's effects may not be evident until 24-48 hours after sun exposure, and peeling may occur a few days later as the body attempts to repair the damaged skin.'
The best way to heal sunburn:
- Seek shade from the sun immediately
- Take a cool (not warm or cold) shower and apply a cool compress on the affected area to take down inflammation.
- Drink plenty of water as sunburns can cause dehydration.
- Moisturise with products containing aloe vera or calming ingredients such as camomile and cucumber. Avoid products with high levels of alcohol.
- Avoid friction and irritants by wearing loose clothing, steering clear of harsh detergents and not spraying perfume on the affected area.
- Don't pop blisters as it can lead to infections.
- Reach for over the counter hydrocortisone cream to reduce inflammation if the burn is causing significant discomfort. Ibuprofen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help too.
And The Safest Way To Tan? A Faux Glow.
Modern day self-tanners offer not only a natural-looking, two-weeks in the Riviera tan, but also boast skin-loving formulas.
For absolute beginners, gradual tanning lotions such as Dove DermaSpa Summer Revived and Garnier Summer Body go on like your everyday body cream but imparts a sunkissed finish over time. If you're using a self tanner with a 'guide colour' - a tinted formula so you can see where you're applying it - make sure the guide colour overlaps on your skin so you don't see visible skin whatsoever.
Top Self-Tanning Tips According To Jules Von Hep, Founder Of Isle Of Paradise
- Select your tan like you select make-up; light skins should go for lighter formulas. Medium to olive should try green-based golden tans and darker skins should lean towards darker ranges. One coat of a medium tan will roughly equal two coats of a light tan, and one coat of a dark tan will roughly equal two coats of a medium tan.
- Shave or wax at least 24 hours prior to application and exfoliate with a dry brush or scrub. This means your skin will have a clean surface for an even tan and more importantly, it will fade nicely like a natural tan would.
- Remove any make up and deodorant prior to application but don’t use a cleansing oil to remove make up as this will act as a barrier to the tan’s penetration.
Matteo Valle/launchmetrics.com/spotlight//LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT - A mitt protects the tan from absorbing into the hands but also helps evenly distribute the product. If you’re using tanning drops or waters you can rub in using your hands, just wash your palms with micellar water afterwards. Knuckles, wrists, neck, hairline, ears, knees, ankles and feet can all be perfected by using a kabuki brush to blend the tan out.
- Always sweep your tan in lengthways motions on the body, never circular motions as the pressure is uneven on the skin and will result in an uneven tan. Apply one light layer of tan to your face and take a clean kabuki make up brush to blend the tan up onto the ears, underneath the nose and lightly over the eyelids.
- For smaller areas: Take a clean facecloth and fold into quarters, roll up and sweep over the hairline to buff any excess tan, remember to do this around the back of your neck too. For hands, lightly sweep a tiny amount of tan over at the end of your routine. Wipe your palms and nails and re-moisturise your hands to blend the tan. Place a towel on the back of a door and rub your wrists on the towel to blend and stop the appearance of a self tan sleeve.
- Maintain an everlasting glow by applying self-tan to the entire body, following with two consecutive days of rich moisturiser. Then, use a hit of Isle of Paradise Happy Tan (it's currently out of stock, so try the Self-Tanning Butter instead) on body to lift the colour back up. Two days after, start lightly exfoliating the top coat of tan off ready for the next round of tanning.
The 11 Best Fake Tans For A Head-To-Toe Glow
Tan-Luxe The Gradual Tan Lotion
If you've seen this cropping up on your feed, that's because it really is as good as the TikTokers say. Unlike the gradual tans of old (too streaky; not glow-y enough), this next-gen formula by Tan-Luxe is lightweight, failsafe when it comes to application and develops in just one hour. If you consider yourself to be somewhat of a lazy self-tanner, this is your best bet.
Isle of Paradise Medium Self-Tanning Oil Mist
By now you're probably familiar with Isle Of Paradise's brilliant body-positive, colour-coded fake tan family. One of the latest innovations joining Jules Von Hep's tanning line-up is this high-tech oil mist: it's nourishing, fast-absorbing and enriched with a hydrating powerhouse of hyaluronic acid, glycerin and squalane.
Clarins Self-Tanning Tinted Gel
If you're looking for an instant glow boost, this is it. Particularly formulated for those with oilier or combination skin types, this gel-like texture adds an immediate gleam that's not too shimmery nor too matte and dries within seconds without leaving dreaded patches.
Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse Ultra Dark
Aussie-born brand Loving Tan is the name on everyone's lips right now, and it's easy to see why. Inspired by the results of a professional spray tan, this impressive mousse could easily be mistaken as the work of a pro. There's also impressive staying power and a 'colour guide technology' which make it well worth the investment.
St. Tropez St. Tropez Luxe Whipped Crème Mousse
There's a reason - or reasons - why this formula keeps selling out. For starters, you can find all your beloved skincare ingredients in the bottle, from niacinamide to hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. Then there's the high-tech lotion-to-mousse formula which, if you're notoriously impatient like us, is a game-changer as it dries almost instantly.
Sisley Paris Self Tanning Hydrating Body Skin Care
This velvety cream is formulated with skin-nourishing ingredients including sesame extract and macadamia oil and delivers a luminous tan that begins to develop after just two hours, leaving you just enough time to get started on your hair and make-up before a night out.
Dior Solar The Self-Tanning Gel
If you're in the market for a high-fashion tan that wouldn't look out of place backstage at PFW, Dior's self-tanning water is for you. The super-fine mist diffuses evenly for a non-streaky application, ensuring a result that's more weekend in St. Tropez than summer season on Ibiza.
Tan Luxe Super Glow Hyaluronic Self-Tan Serum
There are plenty of facial tanning drops on the market now, but this is the bottle that started the stampede, and it still hasn't been matched.
The silky formula inside is a skin hydrator first and a fake tanner second: what you get is essentially a hyaluronic-acid serum that happens to bronze your complexion as it plumps and smooths.
Apply it every day until you've reached your desired level of glow, then pare back to bi-weekly top-ups.
Garnier Summer Body Lotion Deep Sun-Kissed
It's not new, buzzy or famous on social media, but sometimes the old classics just can't be beaten. Garnier's gradual fake tan is the gradual fake tan: it's lightweight, moisturises properly, and smells genuinely pleasant. For a light but buildable everyday bronze, stop the search here.
St.Tropez Self Tan Purity Vitamins Bronzing Water Body Mist
Ignore all the 'purity' spiel on the front of this one: you're not here for the vitamins it purportedly contains. You're here because this watery mist applies evenly, dries without stickiness, and develops over the course of a day into a beautifully believable glow. For anyone after a beginners bronze, this is your best choice.
Bondi Sands Pure Self Tan Foaming Water
There are plenty of buzzy new tanning formulas out there, but many don't stand up to their promises. Bondi Sands' unique 'foaming water', however, delivers the glowiest, most believable tan after one quick application.
There's a bit of a knack to getting the best results: use a mitt, and be quick to blend the product, as it dries quicker than most. But trust us: you'll be left with the most even, radiant tan that never turns orangey and fades on its own accord without those dreaded scaly patches.
Medina Azaldin is the beauty editor of ELLE and Harper's Bazaar UK, working across print and digital features. She has more than seven years journalism experience and has previously written for Red and Good Hoousekeeping. When she's not demystifying the latest skincare ingredient, sniffing out the next big perfume trend or uncovering the science behind wellness practices, you'll most likely find her in Hatchards Piccadilly or watching a crime series with her cats. Oh, and she's a competitive cheerleader, too.
