It’s on your hands to extend the longevity of sun tan after vacation! Ideally, you’ve prepared your skin before the (hopefully responsible!) sun exposure. In addition, skincare after sunny days plays an important role in prolonging the tan. Keeping a beautiful tan depends on a combination of daily gestures and care, that you may follow to get the most out of your skin looks. If you focus on keeping your skin healthy, nourished and hydrated, you’re halfway there already. It’s so easy to learn how to make tan last longer!
How to keep a natural tan from fading
First of all, let’s clarify how long does sun tan last. Typically, a vacation tan lasts up to 10 days before starting to fade, if no more sun exposure occurs in that period. This number can be manipulated in your favor, as long as you learn what actually makes sun tan last longer. Of course, your skin type and natural tone play a big role and there’s nothing you can do on that front. Where you can make a difference is with your daily skin routines as well as with your skincare. A nutritional supplement that promotes a healthy and natural tan also can be of great assistance. Check our tips and extend your tan for as much as your skin allows!
Skincare to make tan last longer
The first step for keeping your summer glow is to take proper care of your skin—and that means before, during and after sun exposure. These are our thoughts for each tan-boosting stage:
Skin preparation
You need healthy skin to build your tan into! That’s why tanning starts way before the sunny days. Before starting sun exposure, make sure to keep your skin well exfoliated (not over exfoliated) and exemplarily hydrated. When sun time comes, it’s very important to use a high sunscreen factor to prevent sunburn and keep your skin safe from the harmful effects of the sun (for which, unfortunately, no sunscreen on the planet can provide 100% protection level). While we are enjoying relaxation time on the beach or swimming pool, our skin is exposed to environmental elements such as heat, sand, salt water, chlorine, which will contribute to drying it out and harm the superficial layers. Your skin will work hard to protect you from all these aggressions, and that’s why you need healthy skin to start with. With healthy skin, your tan will last longer!
Skincare after sun exposure
To avoid adding more stress to your skin and damaging your skin barrier, choose to wash it with lukewarm water and gentle cleansers after sun exposure. It would be ideal if you opt for formulas with moisturizing agents, to replenish the skin as you cleanse it. A good idea is to go for after-sun body wash, as they’re specially formulated to care for your skin after sun exposure. In addition, those products manage to remove the residue of salt, sand, chlorine or UV filters as no other! However, if you’re not in the mood for buying such a specific item, go for a cleansing product that promises to hydrate and nourish your skin.
After shower time, you have the true opportunity of providing the skin with all the repairing it needs. While choosing the moisturizer, there are a few features that you should look out for. That would be, of course, a moisturizing action, paired with cooling and calming properties as well as repairing ingredients that restore the hydrolipidic barrier. It would be ideal if you opt for an after-sun product with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties! Properly moisturizing your skin will help avoid skin shedding—which would make you lose that beautiful tan and even lead to an uneven skin tone.
Tanning pills
As mentioned before, a good tan depends on continuous care: before, during and after the sun exposure. And what if you could add extra help to reinforce your pro-tan skincare? Tanning tablets are just the friend that you need to be up to such a responsibility. They help prepare the skin for the oxidative stress it will be subject to, helping to boost its natural defenses and making the skin more resistant. Equally important, they’ll help to avoid spots and uneven tone while maintaining hydration. They are mostly composed of antioxidants such as vitamin E, C or Selenium, and pigments such as carotenoids. For the best results, start using them at least 1 month before intense exposure and continue afterward. 3 months would be the minimum recommended time, but you can actually take them year-round.
We think that the most beautiful tan is a healthy one. Follow our sun protection tips and stay safe while getting your best time in the sun.
