How to Tan Faster in a Tanning Bed – 5 Proven Tips

woman in tanning bed

If you are wanting to tan more quickly in a tanning bed there are a selection of things you should be doing.

If you want to tan faster in a tanning bed keeping skin moisturized is important, considering the tanning bed level you are using and exfoliating before using the tanning bed are a few things that can help.

We will break down all our recommendations and explain about them in more detail.

1. Consider Tanning Bed Levels

One of the most important things you can do to tan faster in a tanning bed is to consider what level is the tanning beds that you are using. Levels on tanning beds usually range from Level 1 all the way up to Level 6. The lower levels such as level 1 and level 2 offer low pressure bulbs and as the level increases the higher the pressure the bulbs used are.

Higher pressure bulbs output more UVA rays when compared with lower pressure bulbs. UVA are the rays that are responsible for tanning the skin. So, when you are using the higher-level tanning beds not only will you tan more quickly but you will usually get a darker and more intense tan.

Of course, if you are using lower-level tanning beds you shouldn’t just jump to Level 6 immediately but instead look to increase the level by 1-2 to ease into using it, to make sure your skin can tolerate it.

Also, if you have more fair skin it’s usually better to stick with the lower-level tanning beds as to not overly expose your skin to burning or irritation. We recommend if using are using a higher-level tanning bed than usual to lower your time spent in it by 50% for the first 2 sessions. That’s to make sure that your skin can tolerate it without increasing the amount of time you needed on the tanning bed like you had used before.

Also, because you will tan more quickly on these tanning beds, typically less time is needed.

2. Use a Tanning Lotion

If you didn’t already know tanning lotions are usually applied just before getting into the tanning bed. What they are designed to do is to increase the effect of the tanning beds UV light.

The lotions help attract more light to the skin which increase and speed up the tanning process.

The lotions also typically help keep the skin more moist which in turn also helps with the tanning process as we will cover in the next section. For more information on tanning lotion check our article here – What Does Tanning Lotion Do?

3. Keep Skin Moisturized

Keeping your skin moist before using a tanning bed should help make the tanning faster and also more effective.

When your skin is more dry it will not tan as effectively as more soft and moist skin will. Also, when dry skin does tan it will fade much more quickly than skin that is well moisturized.

In the 2-3 days leading up to your tanning bed session we recommend moisturizing 2 times per day. This will keep the skin moist and subtle which will make your skin tan more quickly and more effectively. Keeping your skin moist will also help make your tan last for longer.

4. Exfoliate Before Using Tanning Bed

Exfoliating before using a tanning bed will allow your skin to tan more easily. Exfoliating helps remove any old surface level skin cells. Once these are removed along with any build up in the pores tanning will become more effective and faster too.

It’s important to note that exfoliating immediately before using a tanning bed is not a good idea. Ideally you should look to exfoliate 2 days before your tanning session or at least 1 day beforehand.

When you exfoliate your skin it will be more sensitive and prone to irritation. Also, your pores will be open. Therefore, exfoliating is recommended 2 days before going for your tanning session. This will be the ideal time for the pores to close and for your skin to return to normal. This allows time to calm down any sensitivity that may have occurred because of the exfoliation.

5. Shave Before Tanning

One final tip we want to cover is to make sure that you shave before your tanning session. If you have hairs on your legs before tanning there is a chance that they might cause some imperfections to your tan. While this won’t happen all the time it can happen.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to shave any hair before tanning to prevent this from happening. Ideally we suggest shaving at least 1 day before your tanning session or ideally 2 days before.

Just like the exfoliation shaving will cause some surface level skin to be removed which can make the skin more sensitive. Therefore, it’s a good idea to let the skin settle down before going for your tanning session. Ideally you should look to do the exfoliation and shaving at the same time to save time.

When your hairs are removed this will make sure your skin tans as it should without any obstructions, and this will help speed up the tanning process even more.

Shaving before your session like this also means you won’t have to shave soon after your session. This helps because shaving can cause a tan to fade because it removes some of the surface level of skin. So doing it before means you shouldn’t have to shave soon after your tan has developed.

Interesting Related Questions

How Can I Increase My Tanning Speed?

The best things to do to increase your tanning speed is to use a higher-level tanning bed and to apply a tanning lotion to increase the tanning speed.

How Long Does It Take to Get Tan in a Tanning Bed?

Usually, it will take 3-5 sessions in the tanning bed to start to build up a base tan. This will vary depending on your skin type, tanning bed level you use and how long you spend in the tanning bed.

What Level Tanning Bed Gets You Tan the Fastest?

Usually, the higher the level the tanning bed the faster you will tan. Though you should build up to the higher levels and not start with them to make sure your skin can properly tolerate the higher level of exposure. For more on this check our article – Tanning Bed Time Chart.

How to Get Super Dark in a Tanning Bed?

Sometimes using a higher-pressure tanning bed will help with the skin getting darker and using a tanning bed lotion beforehand.

Though keep in mind that each person has a limit to how dark their skin will be able to get. If you notice yourself not getting any darker even after following these tips chances are that you have reached your tanning limit.

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