In many places, it can be difficult or potentially dangerous to develop a tan naturally out in the sun. Thus, many consumers turn to using indoor tanning machines and services to achieve their tan-based dreams. To maximize your next trip to an indoor tanning service, it’s important to select a good tanning bed lotion.
The best tanning bed lotion is the Brown Sugar Black Chocolate Coconut Cream Tanning Lotion. This is one of the strongest bronzers available at an incredible 200x power with many giving extra appreciation to the easy to apply creaminess and lucious dark tones it contains.
Tanning bed lotions come in one of the following five varieties: accelerators, bronzers, coolants, tinglers and maximizers.
Accelerator: Accelerators are the perfect tanning bed lotion for those new to tanning beds. It includes moisturizing properties to protect your skin and allow it to safely increase the body’s production of melanin. They’re also great to use for the first of several rounds of tanning that the experienced tanning bed user might have planned.
Bronzer: Bronzing tanning bed lotions are best used by those who want a deep tan done fast. They include pigments that stain your skin in addition to helping the UV rays of the tanning bed increase your melanin generation. Their strength is usually denoted starting at 10x and increasing by 10, with some tanning bed lotions reaching powers of 200x or more.
Coolant: Coolant tanning bed lotions do exactly what you might think. They impart a cooling sensation to the body when applied. If you’re a little sensitive to the tanning bed or to other tanning bed lotions, are planning a long tanning session or produce a lot of sweat in a tanning bed, then a coolant tanning bed lotion is a good suggestion.
Tingle: The opposite of coolant tanning bed lotions, tingle lotions are designed to increase your body’s circulation to force it to generate even more melanin when exposed to the UV radiation of a tanning bed. They can also cause a tingling sensation, hence the name. These are recommended only for experienced tanning bed users.
Maximizer: Another expert-only tanning bed lotion. Maximizers trigger your body to produce more melanin in sessions following your initial visit to the tanning bed. It rarely uses ingredients for moisturization, which can cause damage to your body during a tanning session. This is why they’re expert level only.
As tanning bed lotions are designed for use with tanning beds — and for very short periods of exposure to UV radiation — they typically include very little, if any, SPF protection, as it defeats the purpose of using a tanning bed. Improper use of a tanning bed can cause damage to your skin, however, which is why some tanning bed lotions include very little SPF protection (rarely more than SPF 10) just in case.
The consistency of a tanning bed lotion doesn’t alter its effectiveness, only the difficulty in properly applying it to your skin. Thin tanning bed lotions tend to dribble and run, which can cause streaks on your skin, while thick, creamy tanning bed lotions are easier to manipulate and evenly spread.
Tanning bed lotions come in a variety of types, each with their own minimum and maximum prices. Bronzers can be the most inexpensive at less than $10, while maximizers usually have the highest of the low prices at around $15. Meanwhile, accelerators tend to hit the biggest prices at around $70, with coolants being the least expensive at usual highs of $40. You can find a top-quality version of any tanning bed lotion variety between $20-$30.
A. That depends on how long you’ve been tanning in a tanning bed. For those who are new to the entire experience, most professionals would recommend you limit your tanning bed sessions to once or twice a week with each session lasting no more than 10 minutes. If you’ve been using a tanning bed for a long time, you can increase your visits to as much as three times a week for up to 20 minutes each session.
A. It turns out the secret to extending the lifespan of your hard-fought tan is simply to moisturize your skin regularly. That means at least once a day and especially after showering. Following these moisturizing guidelines can as much as double the length of time your tan stays noticeable.
Brown Sugar Black Chocolate Coconut Cream Tanning Lotion
What you need to know: This tanning bed lotion is incredibly powerful with a bronzing rating of 200x.
What you’ll love: The coconut and chocolate in this tanning bed lotion impart antioxidizing effects and an easy-to-apply creaminess.
What you should consider: This tanning bed lotion is strong enough to stain anything it contacts, so be careful when applying.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Millennium Tanning Products Solid Black Ultra Advanced Silicone Bronzer
What you need to know: This 100x strength tanning bed lotion is great for those who want mid-power option.
What you’ll love: Extra moisturizing and a flowery scent are nice touches to this tanning bed lotion.
What you should consider: Uneven application of this tanning bed lotion can easily result in unsightly streaks and spots.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Ed Hardy Coconut Kisses Golden Tanning Lotion
What you need to know: This is a great choice for a moisturizing tanning bed lotion.
What you’ll love: This tanning bed lotion doesn’t streak during the application process like other tanning bed lotion options.
What you should consider: There are some reports of allergic reactions to the contents of this tanning bed lotion, so check the ingredients carefully before purchasing.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
