You can get a dark tan both indoors and outdoors, although indoor tans have one benefit. According to the Tanning-Advisor.com website, tanning indoors allows you to control the amount of UV exposure you get. This means you can choose the type of bed based on your skin tone and whether you tan easily or turn red. Some tanning booths are stronger than others, and employees at tanning salons should be able to advise you on what to use and for how long in regard to their specific tanning beds.
Step 1
Take a shower and scrub well before your tanning session. Getting rid of dead and loose cells will ensure that fresh new skin is tanned, rather than flaky skin about to fall off.
Step 2
Use a good-quality tanning lotion. Tanning lotions will accelerate the tanning process, but will also keep your skin moisturized. Hydrated skin tans better and faster. Look for a lotion that contains ingredients such as Tyrosine, which increases the production of melanin. If you want to look darker right away, rather than waiting for the tan to develop, choose a lotion with bronzers.
Step 3
Build a base tan. Figure out your skin type based on how easily you tan and whether you have fair or darker skin. Based on that, start tanning a few minutes at a time. The lighter your skin, the less time you have to spend under the sun or in a tanning booth at the beginning.
Step 4
Increase your tanning time once you have a base tan. Most tanning booths have a maximum allowed time, such as 20 minutes. If your goal is to get a dark tan, you will need to eventually work your way up to the maximum time.
Step 5
Wait at least 24 hours between indoor tanning sessions. According to the retailer UT Lotions' website, 48 to 72 hours is best. You can spend time outdoors every day, but build up slowly, starting with just a few minutes if you have sensitive or fair skin.
Step 6
Keep tanning at least once a week once you’ve achieved your desired color. This will help you maintain the tan you already have.
Things You'll Need
- Tanning lotion
