Can Baby Oil Help you Tan Faster?

Ladies, stop envying the bronze bodies of Kate Hudson or Jennifer Lopez, as there is so much you can do to get that dream tan you want to flaunt. Tanning lotions and creams are the secret behind the tanned bodies of celebrities. And what can you do to get a tan yourself, naturally and also safely? There are dangers involved, if you are wishing to spend some time under the sun, darkening your skin. If precautions are not followed, you may end up with those dirty sun burns and spots on your skin.

Worshiping the sun God for tanning can prove dangerous, and if you regularly expose your skin, there are increased chances of developing skin cancer. Gosh! This is something you don't want even in your dream. Let us understand how tanning works. UV rays from the sun are harmful for the skin and to protect the skin from the UV damage, the body produces melanin leading to a dark skin tone. The production of melanin darkens the skin tone, or in other words, tans the skin. A thing to remember is - tanning is a gradual process, that is, you cannot get it if you spend a whole day out in the sun. Because the body cannot produce enough melanin in a day to protect the skin; and you would end up with sun burns, spoiling the whole thing. The melanin production of the body can be increased through regularly exposing the body to sun, for short periods of time. This would help you get a long term tan. What about the idea of using tanning oils to fasten the process? Let's discuss it in the next paragraph.

How Tanning Oil Works
There are two popular ways by which you can protect your skin while exposing it to the sun - tanning lotions and oils. You would see many people at the beach applying oils liberally on their bodies. Application of tanning oil protects the skin from damage as some (read very few) oils are said to possess sun protection properties. But the SPF properties of these oils are negligible and they are thus said to give a quicker tan as the skin is left exposed to the sun's rays. In fact, oil attracts more sun's rays, supporting the production of melanin and thus giving you a tan. You can either buy these oils or make them at home, and they are rich in vitamins and contain fruit and vegetable extracts, that is, they also have nourishing effects. Baby oil, among the various uses that it has, is also well-known as a supplement in the process of tanning. So, can baby oil help you tan? Let's find out.

Should You Use Baby Oil for Tanning?
You would feel tempted to use baby oil on your skin, as it gives the effect of a quick tanner. But is it really aiding the process? May be not, it is just the effect you can see. Oils nourish you, definitely, but they are not endowed with sun protection properties. They attract UV rays, burning your skin surface giving it the brown shade. The use of baby oil for tanning has the same effect as using tanning oil or lotions, i.e., it helps you tan faster. The tan you get through baby oil, or say any other oil, will not last longer than two weeks. They leave your skin damaged. So, the general opinion is that you should avoid using it, be it under the sun or even in a tanning bed. What if you apply a SPF before you soak yourself in the oil? Well, it doesn't work, application of oil would leave your sun protection cream useless. The use of oil for tanning is recommended if you badly want a tan and cannot wait longer. Hydrate yourself with lots of water before proceeding to the tan bed, and liberally spread the oil on your body. But do remember you are using this procedure because you want a quick tan. Apply and moisturize your skin with a quality moisturizer when you are not in between the tanning process. Use protection in the form of sunglasses to protect your eyes from sun. Also, avoid tanning at the peak hours of sun.

In summation, we do not recommend the use of baby oil for tanning. Reason being, it is an open invitation to hordes of skin problems, through UV rays, and it will leave your gentle skin with a burnt look. So, you may wish to use it for its fast effects, but you should avoid it. Tanning requires effort and is a long term process if you want it to be safe. Exposing the skin without any SPF protection is in itself wrong and so should be avoided for the best. Have a safe tan!