Frequently Asked Questions
What are your favorite sunless tanning products?
Just for you, there are Top Twenty Sunless Tanning Products.
Do tanning pills work?
How do I apply sunless tanners?
Take a look at the Step-By-Step Guide. You may also find Problems and Tips useful.
Where can I buy sunless tanning products?
The Shop by brand name section will help you find the product you are looking for.
How do sunless tanners work?
Sunless tanners contain dihydroxyacetone [DHA] which reacts with the amino acids in the top [or "dead"] layer of your skin. DHA combines with the amino acids to form brown-colored melaninoids. I have no idea what melaninoids are.
Tell me everything you know about dihydroxyacetone.
That won't take long. The DHA in your sunless tanner was derived by some mystical process from a vegetable source, most likely sugar beets. Some apparently sloppy German scientists in the 1920s were messing around with DHA [it's used in the X-ray process] and noticed that it turned the skin brown. Then World War II occurred. After that, DHA was used as a treatment for vitiligo. In 1960, Coppertone introduced QT or Quick Tanning, a product which almost singlehandedly destroyed the market for decades. In the 1970s the Food and Drug Administration added DHA to their list of approved cosmetic ingredients. Then, sometime in the 1980s, the cosmetic companies found a way to produce better results [browner, less orange] with DHA. The secret: better refining processes now produce higher quality, more predictable DHA.
Are sunless tanners safe to use during pregnancy?
The debate over whether sunless tanners are safe to use during pregnancy isn't finished yet. The concern some doctors have is over whether or not the active ingredient, dihydroxyacetone or DHA, is able to penetrate the skin. The indications are that it cannot. But some doctors ask their pregnant patients not to use sunless tanners in the first trimester to play it safe. Therefore, you should ask your doctor.
If DHA could penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream, there is no doubt that would be undesirable. Of course, it wouldn't be undesirable just during pregnancy, but at any time. DHA has been in use as a cosmetic ingredient in the U.S. since 1960 and no problems have ever been reported concerning DHA penetrating the skin, or causing problems during pregnancy. The reason concern remains is that advances have been made in the cosmetic industry in developing ingredients that help other ingredients to penetrate the skin better. This applies not only to sunless tanners but moisturizers and other products.
And what about sunless tanners and breastfeeding?
Can I use the Sunless.com message board to swap or sell sunless tanners?
Yes, you can, but if you are serious about swapping and selling products, check out www.makeupalley.com. This is the best site for makeup and self tanner swaps. If you use the Sunless.com message board for sales and swaps, exercise caution! The message board does not require registration and there is no way of verifying the identity of the person you are selling or buying from.
I have rosacea. It is safe for me to use sunless tanners?
Many people with rosacea are drawn to sunless tanners. The brownish hue of a sunless tan can disguise the redness of rosacea; tanning in the sun can cause rosacea flare ups and must be avoided.
But before applying sunless tanners to your face, consult your dermatologist. DHA can be a potent skin irritant. While you should be able to use sunless tanners on your body, for your face consider the advice of a long time sunless.com visitor who suffers from rosacea:
Find a zinc oxide sunscreen that you can use daily. It can be tinted to your natural flesh tint or even a "tanned" tint...this can be done at your local compounding pharmacy for little cost. A few dots on the face, blended in, will be invisible to the naked eye. This extra step can be well worth the effort, and dodges the risk of irritation and making the disease worse!
If I swim in a chlorinated pool, will my sunless tan go away?
Long exposure to water, with or without chlorine, will fade your sunless tan. An expert explained to me what happens: your outer skin cells will start to soak up water, and that dilutes the effect of the sunless tan. The longer you are in the water, the worse it will be. Using sunless tanners regularly over a period of time will saturate the skin better and the sunless tan will hold up longer in water, but it will still be affected. Some people report that applying a waterproof sunscreen before they get in the water prevents their sunless tan from fading as quickly. But no sunless tan can stand up to extreme conditions such as a day spent in a wet suit.
Which sunless tanners are best for men?
Here's a list of sunless tanners which won't make you smell like a girl: Origins Summer Vacation, John Abaté International Sunless Tanning Lotion, Au Courant [all products], Aveda Sun Source, Beauticontrol Sunlogics, Bain de Soleil Mega Tan with sunfilter, Au Courant lotion and spray, Jan Tana Golden Sunless Tanning Lotion, Clinique [all products], Paula's Choice Almost the Real Thing Self-Tanning Gel, and Zia Sans Sun Self Tanning Creme. You may also be able to handle Banana Boat [all products]. Men who are determined to use sprays should know this: sprays are best applied with a sponge applicator.
Neutrogena makes three sunless tanning foams which are easy to apply to areas with body hair.
Do you think it's okay for a man to use a sunless tanner with added color or bronzer in it?
No. Men should never do anything to improve their appearance. They should avoid shaving, getting haircuts, buying stylish clothing, working out, and brushing their teeth. Otherwise, dating and marriage could result.
How much sunless tanner will I need to use?
Thank you, Pale Dave, for asking that. I have to use from one to two ounces of sunless tanning lotion if I'm applying it to my entire body. With products such as Au Courant, it's about half an ounce.
I saw this show on TV where there was a booth you stood in that gave you a sunless tan. Where can I find more information?
At www.mist-on.com and www.mystictan.com.
I've shaved my head. Can I put sunless tanners on my scalp?
Yes, as long as you remember that your scalp should be exfoliated first just like the rest of you. If you have been shaving your head for some time, you are all set. If you just shaved your head for the first time twenty minutes ago, don't do it. Wait at least one day to avoid irritation of the hair follicles.
If you have a glaring white scalp and hope to tone it down somewhat, the most effective method is to apply a sunless tanner to the pale area only, wait three or more hours, and then apply the same sunless tanner to your entire head: scalp, ears, face, neck and all.
Sunless tanners can be safely applied to receding hairlines and bald spots too. Be sure to exfoliate the area gently beforehand with a mechanical scrub such as baking soda mixed with a water soluble cleanser [a trick from Paula Begoun].
You may find that you do not have to apply sunless tanners to your scalp as often as you apply them to your face. Another option is to mix the sunless tanner half and half with ordinary skin lotion before applying.
Can you recommend a salon where I can get a sunless tanner applied to me?
If you have a friend who recommends a particular salon, try it. I do not recommend any salon. I have heard too many horror stories from people who shelled out $45 to $150 just to be orange.
Salons that use Flawless Self Tanning, however, are guaranteed to give you goof proof results.
If you want to avoid the hassle of self application, I recommend using the Mist-On Tan, the Mystic Tan, or the Fantasy Tan.
I'm suffering from the sports bra syndrome — there is a white untanned X on my back. Can I use sunless tanners to get rid of it?
Into each life a strapless ball gown can fall. You can get rid of the X, but it sure would have been swell if you had worn sun screen and avoided this problem. First: you will need the help of a friend. This good friend will apply sunless tanner to the X only. Apply sunless tanner to the X every eight hours until it's the same color depth as the rest of your back. It's unlikely to match exactly. Once it's reached the same color depth, apply sunless tanner to your entire back, shoulders, arms, face, and neck to blend. Occasionally you may get a sunless tanner that matches exactly, but that's rare. By applying sunless tanner to the entire area, you blend it all in.
I have heard that sunless tanners stink. Can you explain?
There is a noticeable smell about an hour after you have applied the sunless tanner. I have read statements that the smell fades, but I haven't noticed that myself. It seems to persist until you wash the sunless tanner off. The smell isn't that terrible, but it's not how human beings normally smell. Some of the perfumes added to sunless tanners to mask the smell are far worse than the smell itself. Au Courant makes a virtually odor-free product. Nivea makes the worst-smelling.
Will the tan from a sunless tanner protect me from sunburn?
No. Well, just a little bit. A medical study showed that sunless tanners might provide up to an SPF 2 or SPF 4 degree of protection. And, unlike sun screen, this protection will not be diminished by sweat or swimming. But it's not enough to get by on. You must use sun screen.
If a sunless tanner has sun protection, can I use it for sun screen?
Heck no. Paula Begoun, whose books on cosmetics are the best I've ever seen, believes that all-in-one products such as sunless tanners with sun screen are never your best bet. As she points out, for a sun screen to be effective, you will need to reapply it frequently. This obviously won't work with sunless tanners. Paula explains everything you need to know about sun screens at her web site.
Some sunless tanners say they work "instantly," some don't. Which should I use?
Some sunless tanners contain "added color," or FD&C approved coloring agents, the same coloring agents you will find in makeup. The rest of the sunless tanners only contain dihydroxyacetone which gradually "tans" your skin over a period of several hours. The advantage of a sunless tanner with added color is that you can tell where you are applying it, eliminating mistakes. The disadvantage is that some sunless tanners with added color make you look like a TV anchorperson.
Should I use a light, medium, or dark formula?
Always start with a light or medium formula when you try a new brand. Light/medium/dark varies considerably from product to product. In general, the department store brand dark is heavier than the drugstore brand dark. And don't forget that two applications of a light or medium formula may give you better results than one application of dark.
Will sunless tanners stain my clothes?
Light colored nylon fabrics are definitely in danger, and I have the bathmat to prove it. Avoid wearing light colored nylon fabrics after applying sunless tanners. Wool is also supposed to be at risk, but I haven't confirmed this. Other light colored fabrics may stain slightly but the stains should wash out.
The arrival of Coppertone Endless Summer and Bain de Soleil Radiance Eternelle have changed the situation, however. Many people have reported that these products permanently stained fabrics, even cotton. Exercise caution when using them; put on old pajamas after applying, keep off sheets, furniture, etc. and do not get dressed in anything you value until after you have showered.
I have a sunless tanner left over from last summer. Is it okay to use?
In most cases, yes. Sunless tanners stored in air tight containers at room temperature will last two years or more. Exceptions to that are products without preservatives [Toma's Tan Perfect] and drugstore mousse products [whose containers are not as air tight as they could be].
DHA, the active ingredient in sunless tanners, degrades when exposed to air. When you store a product, make sure the cap is tightly closed.
Never purchase a sunless tanning product that has a loose or broken cap.
I am going to shave my legs before applying sunless tanners. So there.
Now listen here missy. You claim that you have to shave your legs first because otherwise you shave your sunless tan off. But the reason you are shaving your sunless tan off is because you didn't properly exfoliate the dead skin off your legs first. So now you are shaving your dead skin off, taking your sunless tan with it.
Do sunless tans look like real tans?
I don't think so, but the numerous people who have commented on my lovely tan are starting to change my mind. To me, sunless tanners produce results which are far too even to look like a real tan. The first time I met someone who used a sunless tanner, I assumed she was using a sun lamp.
Will anyone be able to tell if I'm using a sunless tanner?
Probably not, unless they use one themselves. Whenever people comment on my tan, I tell them I use a sunless tanner, and they are visibly surprised. Once I told a woman who was using sunless tanners about sunless tanners because I didn't realize she was using them herself. I thought she was committing suicide via tanning beds.
Will a sunless tanner do anything strange to my nipples/lips/moles/armpits/belly button/scars/naturally tanned skin/fingernails/toenails?
The skin on your lips and nipples is nearly unaffected by sunless tanners. Your freckles and moles may darken more than the rest of your skin. Your armpits will be okay, though admittedly most people don't have tanned armpits. Some people artistically avoid this area; those of us who are less skilled are better off putting it everywhere. Your belly button could darken too much. Rub it with a Q-tip dipped in lotion after you apply the sunless tanning lotion. Scars are a bit unpredictable. Mostly, they darken very little or not at all. Naturally tanned skin will be darker than untanned skin [which is not a bad thing]. If you get any on your fingernails or toenails and don't wash it off, your nails will be a lovely yellow-orange color for a long, long time. [Thanks to this question sunless.com is now indexed as a porn site].
Is there any difference between sunless tanners, self tanners, and tanning extenders?
These are all FDA approved names which cosmetic companies can use to describe products which contain DHA or dihydroxyacetone. The FDA frowns upon all other means of producing a tan without the sun, including tanning pills, which contain carotenoid color additives, and tanning "accelerators" which contain tyrosine or tyrosine derivatives.
If you could have only one sunless tanning product, what would it be?
I couldn't survive with just one product. But if I had to cut the list down to a bare minimum, it would be Au Courant Bronze Face Gel, Au Courant Sunless Tanning Spray or Mousse, Beach by Strong Products [Coconut Rum], and Paula's Choice Almost the Real Thing Self-Tanning Gel.
Are you trying to sell sunless tanning products?
Sunless.com does not make them, sell them, or distribute them. The shopping guide provides a comprehensive list of sites that sell sunless tanners.
