Tanning: what’s the best dietary supplement for achieving that sun-kissed look?

What to expect from a tanning supplement

Depending on the dose and formulation, tanning supplements have two primary functions: to boost a suntan by ‘prepping’ the skin for exposure to the sun (preparatory capsules), or to colour the skin without necessarily requiring UV exposure to do so (self-tanning capsules).

By directly influencing the mechanisms responsible for skin pigmentation, these supplements help to enhance the complexion by producing a gradual, natural, and lasting tan.  A genuine ‘just back from holiday’ look!

Take care though: while some manufacturers might suggest otherwise, these tanning supplements do not protect the skin against UV damage such as sunburn. They do not, therefore, provide appropriate sun protection.

Carotenoids: key assets for a healthy, summer glow

What do bright orange carrots, sunshine yellow corn and vibrant red tomatoes have in common? In each case, the radiance they bring to our supermarket shelves comes from their carotenoids, coloured pigments involved in photosynthesis. In plants, the role of carotenoids is primarily to harvest light energy from the sun, while at the same time exerting a photoprotective effect (1). There are more than 600 known carotenoids, including beta-carotene, astaxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Consumed regularly, these substances give the skin an attractive golden glow (2). Supplementing with carotenoids (such as the powerful product Carottol, which combines alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene and astaxanthin) will thus help to restore colour to your skin.

Two other plant-based foods that help prep the skin for tanning

To prepare for and stimulate the tanning process, add grapefruit to your shopping list, its pinky-red flesh reflecting the fruit’s lycopene content. It’s also popular for its skin-purifying and skin-regenerating properties. Positive effects on individual sensitivity to UV have been observed from a combination of grapefruit and rosemary (3).

While it does not in itself initiate tanning, borage is great for preparing dry skin for the sun, mainly because of the richness of its oil in omega-6 fatty acids (4).

Vitamin C to combat photoageing

Though UV rays might bring a welcome golden shimmer to our skin, they also generate free radicals which damage cell integrity. Over time, this manifests in the skin as the much-dreaded signs of photoageing like liver (ageing) spots and wrinkles (5).

In helping to protect cells against oxidative stress and maintain normal skin, vitamin C acts like a a natural parasol (6). An excellent reason to load up your shopping trolley with citrus fruit, peppers, kiwi fruit and broccoli in the months before you head off to the sun-lounger!

And to supercharge your intake, it’s worth considering supplementing with vitamin C (protected from gastric juices by a phospholipid layer, the vitamin C in the supplement Liposomal Vitamin C offers optimal uptake).

The best tanning supplement: keratin hydrolysate, rich in melanin

If you want to accelerate or intensify your tan, choose keratin hydrolysate, the most effective tanning supplement around. Obtained from black sheep wool, this complex combines exceptional nutrients with tanning precursors (7). It’s notable for its high content of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin colour.

As you know, melanin, ultraviolet rays and tanning are all intrinsically linked. In deeply penetrating the dermis, UVA rays activate the melanin already present in the skin, producing an immediate tanning effect. Meanwhile, a small amount of UVB rays cross the epidermal barrier, stimulating the production of new melanin by melanocytes, and this produces a subsequent tanning effect (which generally appears 24 to 72 hours after exposure) (8).

A number of studies have highlighted keratin hydrolysate’s efficacy in relation to both immediate and subsequent pigmentation, and it thus helps you achieve a deeper, longer-lasting tan with each exposure to the sun. To get the most out of your sunbathing sessions, try taking supplements that contain keratin hydrolysate (such as Tan-Aid, based on the patented ingredient Melaline®, supported by several clinical studies).

Good habits for risk-free tanning

As we’ve said, tanning accelerators are not designed to protect your skin from the sun. So if you want to go brown safely (without peeling or burning), adopt the following common-sense measures:

• avoid the sun between 11am and 4pm, the ‘window’ in which solar radiation (called the ‘UV index’) reaches its peak;
• apply sun protection every two hours, using the right UV index (or SPF) for the sun’s intensity and your skin type. An SPF of between 30 and 50 is strongly recommended for those with fair or sensitive skin (9);
• don’t abandon the sunscreen once your skin’s gone brown: even when tanned, your skin will not filter out stealthy UVA rays effectively. Even if they don’t cause sunburn or other visible damage, they can still adversely and irreversibly affect cellular DNA (10);
• after a sunbathing session, re-hydrate your skin with a moisturising cream or nourishing plant oil (argan, shea, jojoba, carrot ...) to soothe and deeply regenerate the skin.