Everyone wants to get tanned in the summer – it protects you from the UV rays and, more importantly, it simply looks good! It’s almost a must when going out to the club with friends.
However, not everyone is blessed with skin that can get the perfect look after one or two days out in the sun without sunscreen. People with lighter skin tones can have a particularly hard time trying to achieve that perfect look.
This article is for you, the ones that have a hard time getting their skin to go from milky-white to richly dark – you’re not alone. Here you’ll find a collection of the best tanning lotions for fair skin on the market today, and you’ll be able to get a head start before summer even starts!
How do I Find Out What My Skin Tone is?
Your skin tone is the color of your skin – the natural color of your skin, to be more specific. There are pretty much as many varieties as there are people on the planet, but they can be roughly placed in a few different categories.
There are a couple of different ways to classify skin tone. For a start, there’s the Fitzpatrick scale, which has 6 different types:
- Type I – palest always burns and never tans
- Type II – tans minimally but usually burns
- Type III – tans uniformly and sometimes has mild burns
- Type IV – has only minimal burns and tans well
- Type V – tans easily and almost never burns
- Type VI – never burns
The first two types can be considered ‘fair skin’ in most cases. Your skin will look white or yellowish, and you might have freckles.
If you want to be sure, take a look at your jawline, which is usually not as affected by skin color changes as the rest of your skin might be and determine the color there. You can also take a look at areas like the skin near your armpits or other places where your skin is less likely to be tanned or damaged.
There’s also an older, von Luschan scale that has 36 different skin types on it – it’s more detailed but mostly made redundant by the Fitzpatrick scale.
Top Indoor Tanning Lotions of Fair Skin
While all of these tanning lotions are great for people with fair skin, some of them have other benefits that might suit you. The variety on offer is huge, and you can get just the thing you want. Dive into the reviews and find the best tanning lotion for your fair skin.
1. Australian Gold, Cheeky Brown Accelerator
This tanning lotion from the land down under is both an accelerator and a bronzer, all in one! It contains a formula rich in vitamins A and E that protect your skin, stimulate better blood flow and allow you to tan safely and naturally.
You can use it both indoors and outdoors, so you’re covered no matter what type of tanning you prefer. It’s even got a great coco dreams fragrance to go along with your tanning experience.
2. Ed Hardy Coconut Kisses Golden Tanning Lotion
You probably have no idea who Ed Hardy is but you don’t need to – you just need to know that this lotion is outstanding. It features a formula that stimulates the production of melanin in your skin, accelerating the tanning process.
It also has a melanin synthesizer called Melactive that ensures your skin will stay dark for longer and a component that makes your skin firmer and reduces cellulite. It’s all you need to ensure that you’ll be beach-ready this summer.
3. Maui Babe Browning Lotion
This amazing formula comes straight from Hawaii, and it helped a man save himself and his family from bankruptcy.
It’s still family owned and made with the same great ingredients, including Kona coffee extract that stimulates the blood flow as well as Kukui nut oil which has been used as a sunburn remedy in Hawaii for ages.
The formula is simple but ingenious, and it’s safe for all skin types as well as use in tanning beds. Try it and see how great it is for yourself.
Another lotion from kangaroo-land, this tanning lotion is a mix of a few different things, including the traditional sunburn medicine, Kukui Nut oil.
More important, however, is Black Currant oil which is simply a treasure trove of beneficial effects – filled with vitamins A, B, and E, boasting high anti-inflammatory effects and soothing the skin, it just can’t be replaced.
This tanning lotion will moisturize and protect your skin while helping you darken faster and it will give you a nice berry fragrance on top of that.
5. Designer Skin Luminary Bronzer
If you’ve ever gotten an expensive tanning lotion at a tanning salon, then you’re familiar with lotions like this one – the difference is that this one is actually affordable.
It contains solar silicone which can accelerate the tanning process while protecting and deeply hydrating your sensitive skin. Even better – it prolongs the effects of bronzing, so your skin stays nice and dark for a longer time.
It’s suitable for all skin types for both indoor and outdoor tanning so you can use it however you like.
6. Millenium Tanning New Solid Black Bronzer Tanning Bed Lotion
With a name like ‘Solid Black,’ this tanning lotion surely sounds like it’s made for people who spend most of their time in the dark and it’s got the packaging to prove it. It’s an extremely strong, 100x tanning lotion as well as a silicone bronzer.
It will work to protect your skin and enhance the tanning process all while wrapping you in an amazing orchid blush fragrance. It’s also mixed with an ultra-moisturizer so your skin will stay safe and won’t dry out in the sun.
7. Designer Skin Black
Do you have a problem with paying extra for high quality? If you don’t, you’ll simply love this tanning lotion from Designer Skin.
It features their trademark silicone formula that protects your skin while enhancing and speeding up the tanning process at the same time. Your skin will also feel better than ever due to the moisturizing effect, and you can enjoy the cooling lime fragrance of the lotion while relaxing on the beach.
8. Ocean Potion Dark Tanning Intensifier Lotion
This lotion is simply filled to the brim with fatty oils that will protect and moisturize your skin at the same time, allowing you to achieve a natural tan even if you’ve got light skin.
You can use it both outside in the sun or in a tanning bed, and it will help shorten the time needed to achieve the perfect tan for the summer break. It intensifies the effect that UV rays have on your skin and protects you from sunburns.
9. Millennium Tanning Paint It Black 50X
If you’re extremely pale (maybe even on purpose) and want to turn that around, this is a tanning lotion which will love up to its name. It’s both an accelerator and a bronzer while boasting skin-firming and moisturizing effects.
It’s all due to the silicone emulsion blend which will make your skin soft and smooth while painting it black, just like the label says. You can use it both indoors and outdoors, and you’ll be ready for the summer when it comes.
10. Somewhere on a Beach Indoor Outdoor Tanning Lotion
If you’re looking for a tanning lotion that’s something more than just that, you might want to try out this one. The formula features Advanced Matrixyl Synthe 6, a powerful agent that can reduce the signs of aging and smooth out lines and wrinkles on your skin.
This is a great tanning lotion for your face and for everyday use when you need to move out in the strong sun, but it’s also good for indoor use. It seems like it can do everything – even moisturizing.
Does Fair Skin = Sensitive Skin?
There’s a long-held idea that your skin will be sensitive and burn easily if you’re fair-skinned. If you’re ginger, you’ve probably heard it a lot, along with warnings that you shouldn’t even go outside on a particularly sunny day.
However, fair skin is not the same as sensitive skin, and it’s important to separate the two. Any skin type can be sensitive, not just fair skin and it is mostly determined by genetics. It does occur more often in people who have fair skin, though.
This distinction is important because tanning lotions for fair skin can be bad for sensitive skin and sensitive skin lotions can be ill-suited for people with fair skin. Don’t confuse the two.
Conclusion
There are tons of different products available for fair skinned people today, and you have more options than ever if you want to get a good tan. It’s not difficult anymore and you should take advantage of that!
Just make sure to stay careful – none of these lotions is a magic potion that will make your skin instantly tan. Follow the instructions and don’t over-do it and you should get that great, bronzed look with ease.
