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The sun-kissed glow of tanned skin has been always considered healthy and attractive to people. Tanning is a natural reaction of your body when it gets exposed to the ultraviolet (UV) radiation of the sun to protect itself, still, the dark and glowing complexion of tanned skin has always been admired by people. Especially, if some sun-kissed warm glow can be added to our skin in the cold and blue winter, how awesome that would be!
But can you tan in winter? The summer tan can go back to pale white after several weeks. Then what would be the solution if tanning in winter is not possible? Well, although certain factors work behind that, if you properly follow the before and aftercare, getting tanned in the winter is possible. In this article, I am going to cover how you can get a tan, what steps you should follow to get the desired tan, how to maintain your tan, and multiple alternatives for getting your desired tanning glow in winter.
How Long Does It Take To Tan in Winter?
Although the sharpness of the sun can be very low in winter, tanning in the winter is indeed very possible. However, if you live in a minus temperature where there is always super cold wind and snow outside, the probability of getting tanned naturally decreases tenfold times or minus just like your weather.
If the temperature is very low, it is obvious that you cannot expose most of the parts of your body. The weather will be cloudy and cold and there will be less sun exposure. In these scenarios, it will be tough for you to get tan. But if there is sunny weather in the winter, it can take up to 2 and a half hours or 150 minutes to tan in winter.
But the sun is always not an option for everyone, especially if you want to avoid the harmful UV rays of the sun. You can always go for the self-tanning option if you want to have the tanning glow without going out in the cold weather or exposing yourself to the sun.
Also, if it is too freezing outside, you can have severe effects like frostbite on your body due to the extreme coldness. It is not possible to go outside for most of the people. Moreover, when they go outside, they stay covered with heavy clothes. It also makes it hard to get tans in winter.
Remember that whether it is too cold or too hot, it is never a good idea to stay under the sun for too long without protecting your skin with a sun protector. It can damage your skin with the harmful UV rays of the sun.
How Can You Do Self-Tan In Winter?
If you do not want to get tan sitting in the cold winter sun but still want the same tanning effect on your skin, you will be glad to know that there are many ways that you can opt for getting the same result.
- Tanning Lotion: Tanning lotions serve the dual purpose of giving you a tanning glow with hydrating skin. With tanning lotion, you can gradually get the tanning effect while moisturizing the skin. For tanning lotion, you can go for Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Moisturizer. Although it is not a long-term solution since the tan only sits in the top layer of your skin, it still works if you want to get the tan time without exposure to harmful UV rays.
- Sunless Tan Towelettes: You might have not heard about the tan towelettes or the tan wipes that much before, but they really work great for tanning your skin. It is just like a wet tissue with a tanning solution in it. You can easily apply it to the body, but wipe out your palm with a wet cloth to remove the stain from your palm. Orange pals are never trendy or look good on you.
- Spray Tan: Spray tan is a great alternative to avoid sun exposure. Spray tan also stays longer on your skin. There are many spray tan products available in the market such as St. Tropez that you can use to do the spray tanning yourself. Spray tanning can be a little bit tricky since if you are not an expert, the layers can be uneven on your skin. Sometimes you do not understand the best shade for you as well. But the good news is many salons offer spray tan services nowadays which can give you a very good result.
- Tan Mist, Serums, Or Gels: tan mists or tan serums are great if you want a very lightweight and clear formula that also has a super buildable quality. They normally have a nicer smell and are infused with vitamins C and D sometimes. They give your skin a natural finish with a subtle shimmer. They may take some more time to develop. But they are surely worth a try.
- Tanning Mousse And Foam: These things have a lighter foamier texture than heavy creams or moisturizers. They easily get absorbed into your skin and give your skin a tanning effect. Tanning mousses or foams also stay longer on your skin.
- Bronzing Powder: Bronzing powder is the quickest and easiest way to get the summer glow on your skin. You can easily add the bronzing powder to your makeup routine and blend it well in your face, neck, arms and anywhere you want to show them off. Do not forget to apply a highlighter to add additional shimmer to your skin.
- Tanning Pills: Tanning pills are another way you can get a sunless tan on your skin. However, they are not proven to be completely safe since they contain color additives such as canthaxanthin. If you take them too much, they can leave you with various side effects. So, this is the least recommended item on the list.
How To Make Your Tan Last Longer In Winter?
For the cold temperature in winter, it is not always easy to go out and have a tan in the sun. To make your tan last longer in winter, here are some tips for you.
- Do Not Exfoliate After Tan: As I said earlier, exfoliation will remove the dead cells and the top layer of your skin. So, it will help to remove the sun tan faster. Exfoliation can get many benefits, but maintaining your tan is not a very good idea.
- Use A Tanning Lotion: Tanning lotion can be a good option if you want to maintain the tan for a longer time. It will slowly and gradually build up the tan on your skin. With tanning lotion, you can hydrate and moisturize your skin at the same while having a gorgeous tanning glow.
- Stay Hydrated And Eat Healthy: If you do not hydrate your skin properly, it will dry up your skin pretty fast, and again the dead cells will fall off. Also, your body will need minerals, vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients to stay healthy and keep your skin healthy and nourished. So, eat nutritious food and drink water whenever you feel thirsty to maintain the natural tan of your skin.
- Avoid Products With Alcohol: Alcohol will break down the tan on your body faster than any other thing. It will create patchiness on your skin. If your skin care products have alcohol in them, avoid using those products. Also, alcohol makes the skin super dry which will fasten the process of breaking the tan.
Is Winter Sun Good For Tanning?
Sun is overall not good for tanning despite which season it is. Exposure to UV rays can cause serious skin issues and even cause cancer. Tanning is basically your skin reacting to the UV radiation from the sun. Our skin creates additional pigmentation to protect it from the UV rays and we get tans.
Although it seems like the winter sun has less energy than the summer, the sun can still damage your skin if you are not protected by sunscreen. It takes about 2 hours to get a tan in the winter which is very harmful to your skin since you might develop sunburns!
If you have a very cold or minus temperature in your country, the UV rays can be less. But they do not completely disappear. Also, the ice and snow reflect the sun’s rays which can potentially damage your skin. So, whatever your situation or weather is, you never miss out on your sunscreen to protect your skin for a longer time.
FAQs
1. Why is it hard to get tanned in winter?
Many things contribute to the question of why it is hard to get tanned in winter such as very dry weather, lack of sunlight, flaky skin, and low absorption of your skin.
2. How many hours should I wait to get tanned in winter?
If you want to go outside to get tanned, you might need 2-3 hours to spend under the sun. If you decide to do indoor tanning with the UV tanning bed, it just takes 10-15 minutes to tan yourself. You might need to wait several weeks to get the tanning effect you want.
3. What is the best time to tan in winter?
The best time to tan in winter is between 10 am to 2 pm when the sun is at its highest peak in the sky. Other times of the day are not going to be as effective as these hours. And if the weather is too cold, wait for the sun to come out to tan naturally.
Final Thoughts
Even the thought of going to get a tan in the sun in winter is so warm and cozy. But getting actually tanned in winter is not as easy as it seems. It will take more time to get tanned than in the summer and your skin will be more exposed to the UV rays of the sun. How long will the tanning process take, depends on several things, like the temperature of your area, your skin type, etc. But you can follow some rules before and after getting tanned to get the tan faster and maintain your tan for longer. You can also go for the self-tanning option for a safer and faster result. Although the formulas are temporary, they will give the same tanning effect faster without exposure to harmful UV rays.
Key Points
- Getting tanned in the winter is possible but not easy.
- Before getting tanned, exfoliate, moisturize, and protect your skin with sunscreen to get a faster result.
- Avoid exfoliating your skin and use products with alcohol after getting tanned to maintain it for longer.
- Eat healthy and drink plenty in winter to keep your skin away from dryness and flakiness which can remove the tan faster.
- It can take 30-150 minutes in winter to get tanned depending on your skin type and temperature and how sunny the weather is.
- You can also use self-tanning products to have a safe, sun-free tanning glow on your skin.
