Homemade Self-Tanning Recipes

As more people learn about the cancer-causing effects of sunburn, some are turning to self-tanning products as a safer alternative. The first commercial self-tanning products to enter the market were appropriately called "fake tan" products. Today, although more natural-looking self-tanning formulations are available, people are increasingly using homemade tanning recipes to formulate their own. Here are a few:

Tea

Unlike a tan that you can get from the sun, this homemade self-tanning recipe made from tea darkens your skin naturally without causing damage to your skin cells' DNA.
Pour ¾ cup of boiling, pure water over 3 teabags and steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the teabags and put ¼ cup of the tea, ¼ cup lanolin and ¼ cup sesame oil into a blender. Blend these ingredients together at slow speed, adding the rest of the tea slowly. Apply this sparingly to your skin.

DHA

This homemade self-tanning recipe contains DHA (dihydroxyacetone), a common ingredient in many self-tanning formulations. It takes a few hours to work, and then fades away after a few days.
Mix together a teaspoon of water with a pinch of hyaluronic acid and 10 to 12 granules of DHA. Stir until the DHA powder is dissolved, and then spread the blend evenly over your skin, massaging it in. This amount is enough for the face. You can substitute the teaspoon of water with a teaspoon of a water-based moisturizing lotion.

Cocoa

One of the simplest homemade self-tanning recipes makes use of regular baking cocoa. Simply mix ¼ cup of cocoa with a natural white lotion, and spread it evenly over your face. When you apply this lotion it does feel rather sticky. While you won't see the results as quickly as you would with a store-bought self tanning lotions, the final result will be smooth, natural looking and not at all "orange-y."

Pre-tanning

To make your self tan last longer, prepare this homemade recipe for a pre-tanning scrub. Blend two tablespoons each of baking soda and manuka honey with one tablespoon of organic virgin oil. Scrub your skin with this formulation before you apply a commercial or homemade self-tanning product. Inexpensive, natural and gentle, this pre-tanning formulation removes dead and damaged skin cells without damaging to your skin. The antibacterial property of the honey also helps the lotion to keep well.

Considerations

As with any tanning lotion, when you prepare a homemade self-tanning recipe, you should spot check a patch of your skin first to check for color and for any allergic reaction. Wear plastic gloves or wash hands every few minutes to avoid stains on your hands. Be sparing with the self-tanner around the knees, elbows, feet and ankles, where skin soaks up more color, or apply a little moisturizer there first.