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What should you put on your skin after tanning?
First, you need to cool down and rehydrate your skin.
The most pleasant way to do that is with an after tanning moisturizer.
These tan extenders are the best after tanning lotions you can put on your body.
They will soothe your skin and restore its moisture.
Next, you can help your color develop, too.
Some after tan lotions have DHA or cosmetic bronzers to enhance your appearance.
Contents
If you don’t have time to read the complete article, here are our top picks.
Moisture is crucial after you tan (1).
Drink a big glass of water and apply lotion to hydrate your skin.
Dry skin won’t tan well—it will peel and flake.
But well-moisturized skin will look healthier and younger.
Essential ingredients like vitamins, plant oils, and hyaluronic acid help repair skin damage and restore elasticity (2).
Aloe is also very refreshing.
Now let’s discover the top lotions for after tanning, whether you’re indoors or outside.
If you have tattoos that you want to protect against fading, Ink by Ed Hardy is one of the best products you can use after tanning. It has numerous benefits, starting with the fact that it’s free of oil and wheat.
Second, it’s rich in shea butter, a lightweight natural moisturizer that absorbs quickly. It won’t make you feel greasy.
Third, it’s packed with antioxidants like Lotus extract and vitamins C and E to combat wrinkles.
And fourth, the formula makes cellulite less noticeable.
The Ooh La Luxe moisturizer keeps your ink looking bright and makes your skin feel silky.
It’s based on silicone to seal in moisture. It also has wheat protein, green tea, and sugarcane to firm and tighten the skin.
The Bourbon Honey fragrance is pleasant and not overwhelming.
Australian Gold is an American company that specializes in tanning products. But even though they’re not from Down Under, they include plant extracts from Australia in this lotion.
For example, this Moisture Lock Tan Extender has tea tree oil to reduce acne. There are also aloe and panthenol to calm irritation and keep your skin youthful.
Finally, Vitamin E helps reverse skin damage caused by UV rays.
Australian Gold also makes the California Tan Extender lotion. It’s perfect if you want to stay bronzed for as long as possible.
The secret is something called Bronzextend, which is a blend of DHA and erythrulose. These two components give your skin a golden color on the surface. They will aid disguise the fact that you haven’t been outdoors or to the tanning salon for a while.
It also has natural moisturizers like sunflower seed oil and olive oil plus aloe vera and shea butter.
The Fresh & Sunny scent appeals to both men and women.
Australian Gold created the Forever After tanning lotion for three reasons. To begin with, it keeps your skin moisturized to help you retain your tan. The hydration of this tan lasts for up to 24 hours after you apply it.
After that, it fights signs of aging caused by exposure to the sun.
Then, it also makes the skin firmer and tighter.
Some of the key ingredients include ceramide, grape seed extract, shea butter, hemp seed oil, and caffeine.
Maui Babe keeps it simple with their After Browning Lotion. It has aloe vera, macadamia nut oil, and vitamins A, C, and E.
The formula softens the skin, soothes redness, and keeps your tan from fading.
If you love tropical fragrances, you’ll adore the Maui Island After Sun lotion. It contains Hawaiian ginger, rosehip oil, passionflower, aloe, Maui coffee, and green tea.
It has everything you need to condition your tanned skin after a day at the beach.
Designer Skin’s Angel moisturizer smells like kiwis and pears. It’s made for frequent tanners who want to keep their skin gorgeous.
The tanning lotion is based on hemp seed and avocado oils plus vitamins. These vitamins (A, C, and E) defend against wrinkles and discoloration caused by too much sun. It also has white birch extract, copper, alpha-lipoic acid, and Phytoage.
The Juicy Moisturizer has a white peach fragrance that eliminates the after-tanning odor. This tan extender is free of gluten to protect sensitive skin. It also lacks nuts, aloe vera, and hemp as those may cause allergic reactions for some people.
Instead, it has chamomile to calm irritation. Safflower oil seals in moisture, while antioxidants from passion fruit keep your skin firm and healthy.
European Gold taps the power of argan oil and açai berry to nourish your skin. It also has a sunless tanner to create a perfect golden tone.
You’ll fall in love with Platinum Indulgence because it leaves your skin incredibly smooth and soft. It’s based on silicone, which never feels greasy as it locks in moisture. Moreover, the silky feeling lasts all day.
Developed especially for people who tan often, the formula has ALA Technology that fights signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles.
It also has shea and cocoa butter that melts into the skin and prevent peeling.
Have you ever wished you had a BB cream for your body, not just your face? Then try this after tan body balm.
It reverses signs of aging with Dead Sea minerals and argan oil. The formula doesn’t just add moisture; it also improves your skin tone and texture. Your body will look and feel younger because cellulite and fine lines and wrinkles will be less noticeable.
We can’t help it – Americans giggle over this brand name. But Piz Buin is a high-end brand sold in European pharmacies. And this after sun lotion is just what you need to deepen your tan ASAP.
The secret ingredient is Tanimel, which is derived from plant extracts that make your skin produce pigment at twice the average speed.
As soon as the tanning lotion sinks in, it hydrates stressed skin and prevents peeling.
If you’re tired of slathering on lotions and creams, and you hate sticky aloe gels, you’ll like the Solar Recover spray. It refreshes your body with essential oils in a base of distilled water and sesame oil.
For instance, it has calendula, lavender, geranium, sandalwood, and French seaweed absolute.
Use it on sunburn to alleviate the sting.
Burt’s Bees makes an after tanning lotion that’s almost good enough to eat. It’s free of parabens, petrolatum, and phthalates, and it’s 99.6% natural.
The creamy texture comes from a blend of coconut oil, aloe vera, and honey. It also has plant extracts and other goodies to make your skin happy.
If you like Hawaiian Tropic’s sunscreen and tanning oil, you’ll enjoy this gel-like lotion. It’s reef-safe to avoid harming aquatic life.
Although it’s very lightweight and absorbs quickly, the moisture it adds to your skin lasts for up to 24 hours.
While it has an artificial fragrance and dyes, we didn’t see parabens listed on the label.
If you have extra-dry skin, you might prefer a body butter. This one has a mouth-watering coconut scent. Its effects last for up to 12 hours after you apply it.
The primary ingredients include coconut oil, avocado oil, and shea butter.
Banana Boat’s lotion has ingredients that many of us steer clear of these days. For example, it contains an artificial fragrance and dyes, mineral oil, and lanolin alongside parabens.
But on the plus side, it promises to prevent dryness and peeling by softening your skin. Since it has coconut oil, cocoa seed butter, aloe, and urea, we imagine that it does precisely that.
Sun Bum makes popular sunscreens and tanners like this after sun lotion. They suggest that you place it in the refrigerator to make it extra soothing.
Both children and adults can enjoy the benefits of this tanning moisturizer after a day outdoors. Dermatologists tested it to be allergy-free. Also, it’s vegan and reef-friendly.
Highlights include aloe, tea tree oil, cocoa butter, and Vitamin E to repair the skin.
Ocean Potion knows you want to hang onto your bronze. That’s why they packed their tanning lotion with natural emollients that prevent peeling.
It has tea tree oil, aloe, seaweed, and antioxidants to nourish the skin.
Imagine that you’re on vacation and have a chance to sunbathe every day. That’s when you need this moisturizer from Clarins. It prepares your skin overnight for tanning the next day.
Since it has self-tanning properties, it also deepens your color and protects your skin from harmful UV rays.
It also alleviates sunburn and replenishes the skin with nutrients and moisture.
Hempz makes tanning lotions as well as tanning moisturizers. Their products are based on hemp seed oil. That’s one of the best plant sources of fatty acids. The acids help the skin rebuild and stay healthy.
The tanning lotion also has jojoba oil that reduces inflammation. At the same time, honey melon and pineapple plus shea butter promote healing.
Choose from various scents like Coconut and Watermelon or Grapefruit and Raspberry.
How do you cool down after tanning? How do refreshing aloe and menthol sound?
This gel also has hemp seed oil and natural extracts that absorb quickly to calm down your skin. Happily, there are no parabens, either.
Panama Jack’s moisturizer is made for everyday use. But it’s also enjoyable after tanning because it revives your skin. It has hemp seed oil, olive oil, and aloe plus vitamin E to prevent dehydration.
The Hawaiian Kona Coffee lotion doesn’t have synthetic fragrances, phthalates, or parabens. It’s based on certified organic oils like aloe and lavender, sunflower seed oil, and Kukui nut. But of course, it also has organic coffee arabica and green tea.
What’s the point of putting coffee and tea in an after-sun lotion? Both of these ingredients have caffeine that increases circulation. They also fight the free radicals that make skin age prematurely.
In Europe, you’re likely to find Nivea’s after sun moisturizer in grocery stores. It’s harder to find in the USA, that’s why shopping online is so convenient.
This non-greasy lotion has Vitamin E, aloe vera, and avocado oil to ensure your tan lasts as long as possible.
Lancaster Tan understands that you want to maximize the time you can spend in the sun. That’s why this tanning lotion goes to work deepening your bronze after you go indoors.
It has a proprietary compound called Heli that stimulates melanin production. Not to mention, it also softens and nourishes the skin.
Clinique designed their balm to minimize peeling anywhere in your body, even your face. It’s non-acnegenic and free of oils that could clog your pores.
The lightweight lotion alleviates dryness and cools hot skin.
Mary Kay improves upon the classic aloe gel formula so that it’s not sticky and won’t trigger allergies.
The cool blue gel has botanical extracts and plenty of moisture to make you feel better. While glycerin helps water sink deep into your skin, tea leaf extract prevents wrinkles and discoloration.
If you always take the time to put on after tanning lotion, you’ll enjoy healthier skin.
The bronze you worked so hard to achieve will last much longer.
If you have a favorite after sun moisturizer, let us know in the comments below.
Resources:
1. https://www.leaf.tv/5352879/how-to-care-for-skin-after-tanning/ by Kay Ireland, accessed August 26, 2019
2. https://www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-Your-Skin-After-Using-a-Tanning-Bed by Chris M. Matsko, published March 29, 2019, accessed August 26, 2019
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