Picture a Friday at the beach. Oil on, music up, not a care in the world. By evening you check the mirror and your knees are two shades darker than your thighs. Your elbows? A whole different story.
Annoying, right? And most of us blame the oil.
But nine times out of ten, oil isn't the problem. The skin underneath is. Dry flakes, a razor you used that morning, last night's lotion, a quick spritz of perfume, they all change how your skin picks up colour.
At SunKiss, we talk about tanning oil all day, but we'll say it straight: prep matters just as much as whatever is in the bottle. So here's how to prepare skin for tanning, in the order you'd actually do it.
Why Does Skin Prep Matter So Much for an Even Tan?
Tanning is the process whereby the skin gets darker in pigment using melanin from its outer layer. The inner layer of the skin is damaged by UV rays, producing a lot of melanin, and resulting in a skin tan.
The outer layer also contains dead skin that creates the roughness of certain spots on the skin. Certain areas of skin will flake off some days after the tanning process is done. A lot of guides talk about the same thing: to get a long-lasting tan, it is good to tan over freshly exfoliated skin, that skin will peel away before the cells you were tanning are dead.
So if you're looking for tips on how to develop an even tan, you've come to the right place. In fact, before you start applying tanning oil, gathering the essentials or anything else.
What Is the Best Way to Prepare Skin for Tanning?
Here’s the good news: it won’t take a lot of time and effort. No matter the preparation process mentioned, the bottom line is the same: just exfoliate, shave or moisturise and show up showered and ready to go. Sure, some preparation advice is written specifically for applying self-tanner, though the main steps ought to work for anyone who wants to learn how to get prepared for applying tanning oil.
Let's go through it.
Exfoliate Before Tanning (But Not on the Day)
This step is the one everyone bypasses; this is the turn-on that will make all the difference. In the event you are going to take just a single step from this list, make sure that this step is applying the oil.
When you apply the oil, start with dry areas like elbows, knees, ankles, and feet. This is because all these places are where your skin is bound to become almost black during the process. It is really sufficient to wash these places with a soft mitt or using a sugar scrub making circular movements. You don't have to clean them like they're dishes.
According to most guidelines, the best time to do this is 24-72 hours in advance. So doing it a day or two before is enough. You shouldn't exfoliate right on the day, because freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive. Also, HHR states that exfoliating makes the skin more prone to burns, so it's better to limit this process to 2-3 times a week. Also, stay away from strong chemical exfoliation before sunbathing.
Shave or Wax a Day Before
Shaving is exfoliating too, just by accident. This leaves the skin somewhat raw with the pores open, and nobody likes saltwater or sweat finding its way in on freshly shaved skin. More often than not, it's best to wait at least 24 hours.
If you are going to shave, do this after the process of exfoliation, apply special shaving cream instead of using dry foam, and wash off your skin completely after shaving.
Moisturise, but Keep It Light
Dry skin tends to look dull and peel sooner. Hydrated skin takes colour more evenly. So in the days before, moisturise every day, especially if you spend most of yours in air-conditioning.
On the day, go light. It's best to avoid heavy things like mineral oil or petroleum jelly right before tanning, unless they're made for it.
Start With Clean Skin
Make sure to take a shower on the day since perfume, deodorant, makeup, and other leftover lotions may hinder the effectiveness of the process.
Pause Anything That Makes Skin Sensitive
If you apply retinol make sure that you do not do it for at least a week before tanning, as the skin becomes more sensitive in this case. The use of benzoyl peroxide too will make your skin dry. If you want to test a new product you’ve never tried before, do it on a small patch of skin.
So What Do You Do, and When?
If you prefer checklists, here’s how to prepare your skin for tanning:
- Two to three days earlier: cleanse and moisturise the skin;
- The day before: shave or wax the hair and drink enough water;
- The day of: shower, do not apply scent or use thick cream.
- Right before: Sunscreen first, a short wait, then the oil.
How to Use Tanning Oil for Even Results
Okay, skin's ready. Now for the part most people think is the whole job.
As a first step, remember that the process of tanning oil application involves increasing the absorption of UV light into the skin, but does not serve as a barrier to the light. For this reason, the SunKiss brand believes that one must first put on sunscreen, wait for 15-20 minutes, and only afterwards apply the tanning oil.
Then, start applying tanning oil to the body section by section, first to the arms, then to the legs, then to the stomach and chest, so you are sure that you do not leave any area untreated. Make sure to apply enough oil and to rub it in until the oil is evenly distributed; otherwise, you may end up getting a streaky tan. Next, pay attention to the areas often missed, for example, the back of the knees, ankles, sides of the neck, and tops of feet.
As far as your back is concerned, ask for help from a friend; otherwise, you may end up having a big, white spot on your back.
Change position every now and then so one side isn't doing all the work, and reapply as the directions on your bottle say.
Still deciding on a formula? Not many realize how important it is to know the right tanning oil for your skin type because dry skin and oily skin do not need the same things. The best tanning oil for you basically depends on if you want more glow or bronze in your look.
Which Is the Best Tanning Oil for an Even Tan?
Short answer: the one that suits your skin and the colour you're after. But if even colour is the goal, a good tanning oil for even tan results should spread easily and soak in fast, so you're not chasing streaks. Here are two from SunKiss.
GLOW Sun & Body Tanning Oil
GLOW Sun & Body Tanning Oil is light, smells like coconut and soaks in quickly without that greasy feel, which really helps when you're working section by section. Inside you'll find carrot seed, raspberry seed and jojoba oils with vitamin E, and the brand says it's vegan, cruelty-free and reef-friendly. The bottle is refillable too.
You can use it before sun, or after a shower as an everyday body oil. One thing to keep in mind: it has no SPF and won't protect you from burning, so sunscreen still goes on first.
The SunKissed Tanning Duo
Can't pick between a soft glow and a deeper bronze? The SunKissed Tanning Duo puts both in one pouch. GLOW is the everyday golden one. BEACH Ultra Deep Tan gives a deeper bronze with a little shimmer. It's an easy way to try both, and the pouch is simple to toss in a beach bag.
Want to see everything else? The full SunKiss tanning collection is right there.
A Quick Reality Check About the UAE Sun
Okay, one serious bit, then we'll move on. The Skin Cancer Foundation says there's no such thing as a safe or healthy tan, because a tan is a sign your skin has been damaged. Prep makes colour look even. It doesn't make UV harmless.
And the sun here is strong. Clear skies, high UV and long days add up fast, even when it doesn't feel that hot. So:
- Wear SPF under your oil, and top it up.
- Keep sessions short, and get into the shade as soon as your skin feels hot or looks pink.
- Skip the middle of the day, when the sun is at its harshest.
Final Takeaway
As we finish up, here's the short version. The first step towards a successful tan is preparation. Make sure to exfoliate the day before or a couple of days before the tan. Then sunscreen first, and your oil after, in sections.
Do that and you'll get far better results from whichever oil you pick. Ready to find yours? Have a look at the SunKiss tanning collection.
