As with all skin concerns, tanning is no exception: forget miracle cures and last-minute tips; the longevity and radiance of your tan depend on a meticulous synergy of skincare, beauty, and nutrition. In other words, if you haven't taken care of your skin beforehand and hope to make up for lost time by basking in the sun as soon as summer arrives, you risk simply diminishing your youthful appearance. As is often the case with skincare, tanning is a long-term process that requires regular routines.
Golden rule : eliminate UV tanning beds from the outset, relics of another era. While their proponents have long claimed they prepare the skin for tanning, many dermatologists have spoken out against these marketing claims. Not only do they weaken the skin and accelerate aging with an unflattering orange tan, but UV tanning beds may even increase the risk of skin cancer. Looking good doesn't necessarily mean changing your skin color!
Food: Let's add some color to our plates
The first resolution to prepare your skin for the sun? Consume as many foods as possible rich in beta-carotene, also called provitamin A, a powerful antioxidant and the best ally for our pre-summer glow.
Carrots, pumpkins, oranges and clementines, sweet potatoes, mangoes, melons, apricots, spinach or lettuce: recognizable by their flashy colours ranging from yellow to orange via green, fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of these should be urgently included in our spring menus.
We also have a light hand when it comes to foods rich in essential fatty acids . Besides helping with the assimilation of beta-carotene, they play a key role in the proper functioning of the cell regeneration process, provided they are of good quality: We therefore use and overuse oily fish (from salmon to tuna including mackerel), avocado, oilseeds, but especially vegetable oils packed with omega 3 and 6 (rapeseed, soybean or walnut, sunflower, grapeseed, evening primrose and borage oils).
We hydrate both indoors and outdoors
Hydration is key, both inside and out. So, more than ever, make sure you drink at least 2 liters of water a day, while also adopting a comprehensive skincare routine for your entire body. Those who skip body cream often experience dry, flaky skin as the warmer weather approaches and lighter dresses become more common. Exfoliate from head to toe with gentle formulas that will remove accumulated dead skin cells and reveal a radiant tan. And if you're feeling adventurous, whip up your own homemade scrub with vegetable oil or liquid honey, mixed with brown sugar or semolina grains for more sensitive skin.
Another 100% green beauty tip:
Fifteen days before sun exposure, apply carrot macerate daily. This elixir is obtained by macerating carrots in a small amount of vegetable oil. It's a blend of active ingredients that nourishes the skin and evens out the complexion, preparing it for a radiant tan.
Protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays from the very first rays
It can't be stressed enough: protected skin tans better and for longer. Let's dispel some myths: SPF 50 doesn't prevent you from getting a tan, as it still triggers melanin production. However, it allows for a more gradual tan, while protecting our skin from premature aging caused by the sun's harmful rays. This is an essential step to avoid sun allergies and other skin intolerances, as dermatologist Dr. Elisabeth Berrissoul explains:
" It is now accepted that overexposure can be very harmful to patients' health. But few of them worry about the sun before July and August and their holiday departures. However, spring sun allergies exist and also need to be treated and diagnosed!"
When it comes to creams, we opt for a texture with mineral UV filters (most often made from zinc dioxide), which is as good for our skin as it is for the planet and the ocean, ravaged by chemical filters.
Another golden rule : only expose yourself to the sun when it boosts your Vitamin D levels without depleting your youthful vitality, i.e., in the morning before 11:00 and after 17:00 . Between noon and 16:00, when the sun is most harmful, you absolutely must stay in the shade (or take a nap!).
We are focusing on appropriate dietary supplements
While numerous sun-related dietary supplements have proliferated on the market in recent years, it's important to remain vigilant regarding their composition. Opt for natural and organic formulations, favoring pills or powders enriched with Vitamin E, a true shield against sunburn that helps prevent melanomas. Other beneficial active ingredients include the yellow and orange pigments found in many plants, called carotenoids, which protect skin cells from the damaging effects of sunlight.
Summer is also the perfect time to give your hair a little makeover. The sun stimulates the scalp and promotes keratin production. We want a growth booster. (Also rich in beta-carotene thanks to spirulina) is the hair supplement to choose this summer. Just like with skin, a little sun is beneficial for hair, but be sure to protect it well too (especially from the salt/chlorine/sun equation). Apply an oil in the evening (as a pre-shampoo treatment) and wear scarves and hats at the beach and by the pool. Two in one, they protect both skin and hair.
The allies for a radiant tan
- We want the summer complexion routine Two complementary products that work together to protect the skin, maintain its hydration, and activate a long-lasting tan. The promise? Plumped, protected, and naturally tanned skin.
- We want a gorgeous tan : its antioxidant formula protects your skin for a healthy and long-lasting tan.
- We want a doll-like complexion : a 100% berry and plant powder (raspberry, blackcurrant, baobab, acerola, ginger, redcurrant) rich in vitamins C and E.
- We want the ultimate glow : melon SOD boosts the skin's antioxidant production and increases the skin's resistance to UV rays.
- Bone broth : ultra-rich collagen broth, it plumps the skin and reduces skin damage due to skin exposure to UV rays.
