How to Get a Tan With White Skin

Tan your skin safely with sunless tanning products.

People with white skin often want to tan to appear thinner or healthier, but ultraviolet rays -- either from the sun or tanning beds -- can damage eyes and skin. If you have fair skin, tanning will be difficult if not impossible. Skin experts agree that the safest way to bronze your skin is using artificial tanning products. These products are available in drug stores and supermarkets, but there is more to applying a sunless tanning product than rubbing it on your skin and forgetting it.

Instructions

1. Clean and exfoliate your skin. Wash skin with a clean washcloth or use an exfoliating product to slough away dead skin cells during your shower. Renee Osborne of East Tennessee State University recommends an oil-free exfoliating product for an even tan. Rinse your skin well to remove all traces of dead skin and exfoliator. Exfoliate during each shower for at least a week before you apply the self-tanning product.

2. Moisturize with body lotion while your skin is still damp from the shower. This will trap moisture in your skin, allowing a smooth application.

3. Choose a tanning product. There are dozens of choices and methods such as sprays, lotions, gels and mousses; pick one that promises a light tan. You can always reapply if the resulting color is not dark enough to suit you.

4. Apply the tanning product to your skin evenly and sparingly, following the product's instructions. Use a lighter application around ankles, knees and elbows, where skin tends to be dry or thick; the produce will produce a darker tan in these areas. Remember to apply the product to the tops of your feet and the backs of your hands.

5. Wash your palms and under your fingernails thoroughly with soap and warm water to remove the product or you could end up with orange palms and nails. Alternately, wear household gloves as you apply the product to protect your hands from staining.

6. Wait for the sunless tanner to dry completely on your skin before dressing. Your tan will reach its full color in 8 to 24 hours.

7. Reapply the tanning product every other day until you reach the desired color.

8. Moisturize your skin daily to extend the life of your tan. Reapply the self-tanning product when the color starts to fade.

Tips & Warnings

• Stay away from tanning products that advertise a deep or dark tan. They tend to look unnatural on fair skin.

• Ask a friend to help apply the product to your back and other hard-to-reach areas.

• There are sunless tanning products made specifically for the face. They protect sensitive skin from harsh oils and chemicals.

• Ask your salon if they offer sunless tanning. Professional spray booths provide even, all-over color.

• Most sunless tanners don't provide protection from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher, year-round, to protect skin.

References

• East Tennessee State University; Can't Tan?: The How-To of Sunless Tanners, for Fair-Skinned Women; Renee Osborne; April 2009
• Mayo Clinic: Sunless Tanning, A Safe Alternative to Sunbathing
• American Academy of Dermatology: Sunscreens
• Ohio State University; Sun Exposure: Precautions and Protection; Pat Brinkman; February 2007

Resources

• Harvard University: In Search of the Safe Suntan; June 2007