Tanning is a process of darkening your skin through timely bathing under the sun. Though it’s a simple method to achieve a natural sun-kissed look, it can also make you prone to harmful UV ray exposure.

Worse comes to worst, if you have a sensitive skin type, this may trigger  flares, rashes, acne, or redness to your skin. Luckily, there are two ways to prevent this from happening while getting the tan you desire.

Scroll on to know how!

1. Wearing High SPF Sunscreen

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), wearing sunscreen with high SPF is needed in order to protect your skin from getting damaged under the sun. Not only can it shield sensitive skin from potential triggers, but applying a sunscreen can also help prevent other conditions such as skin cancer or premature aging.

Assuredly, you can feel much safer having a sunscreen on as it can effectively reduce your chances of dealing with any sort of skin discomfort or irritation. The only downside to wearing high SPF sunscreens is that it can make a perfect tan more challenging to achieve (BUT it does remain possible).

You can consider this as your safe option while going for a nice warm skin color. For further guidance regarding skin health and protection, you can freely visit the AAD website anytime!

2. Go for a Sunless Tan!

Self tanners are a great alternative to traditional tanning and are done by using lotions, sprays, or gels to achieve a golden summer glow. Note that most self tanners are harmless, but having sensitive skin can be a different story.

Using ordinary tanning products may cause sensitive skin to react, and thus, choosing a self tanner that purposely contains gentler ingredients is advised. The good news is that hypoallergenic self tanners are highly accessible and come at fair prices.

Applying Self Tanners: A Step-by-Step Process

There are different ways to achieve a tan artificially, and whichever you go for, they all require a proper way to get you that fake bake successfully.

Shower & Exfoliate

Whether you have sensitive skin or not, this will always be one of the most important steps to getting a smooth and even color — skip this step and you’ll probably end up with a streaky tan!

Showering and exfoliating your skin beforehand can also help clean out dead skin cells and clogged dirt in your pores. With that being said, failing to do so would typically lead to dirt accumulation and breakouts after getting a tan.

Shave Your Body Hair

Before you get a tan, you want to make sure that your skin is completely supple and hair-free so you can’t miss out on this part!

Quick tip: You can shave while you’re in the shower since hair is said to turn softer when hydrated, and thus, it becomes easier to remove. Be mindful that you should shave 24 hours before you apply your false tan since you want your hair follicles to be closed back up by then.

Doing it right before may leave your pores open during your tanning session which would result in an unappealing speckled look. For those who have sensitive skin, tanning just right after you shave can also lead to skin irritation, so make sure you set the right gap to your shaving and tanning time.