Basic tanners are temporary tanning or fake tanning options.  These come in powders, sprays, lotions, gels, mousses and moisturizers.  Once applied, they create a gradual tan that can be removed with soap and water.  Like make-up, these products tint your skin only until they are washed off.

A Sunless Tanner is a more recent trend of lotions or moisturisers containing a gradual tanning agent.  The increase in color is usually observable after the first use, but will darken the more the product is used.

Air Brush tanning is a spray-on-tan done by a professional normally in a booth of some kind.  It can last several days fading with every shower.  It is used for special occasions or to get a quick dark tan.  At-home airbrush tanning kits and aerosol mists are also now available and should be used with care unless you want your walls to be brown.

Sunless Tanner

The most effective sunless tanner products available are those that contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the active ingredient.  DHA is a colorless sugar that interacts with the dead cells in the skin.  As the sugar interacts with the dead cells, a color change occurs.  This normally lasts about five to seven days from the initial application.

Every day, millions of dead skin cells are sloughed off or worn away from the surface of your skin.  In fact, every 35 to 45 days, you have an entirely new epidermis.  This is why tans from sunless- or self-tanning lotions will gradually fade — as the dead cells are worn away, so is your tan.  For this reason, most of these products suggest that you reapply the sunless tanner – or self-tanner about every three days to maintain your tan.

Its also the reason why a sunless tanner (containing DHA) is also the safest to use, and in fact DHA is the only chemical approved by the FDA.

The ones we have had most success with are Joliese and Idol Tan.  Both of these are available online, and are not like products available in the shops which can turn your skin orange.