The best indoor tanning lotion for sensitive skin is a topic that requires due diligence.
Are you asking why? Well, for two major reasons.
Firstly, while you are fed up with your pale white skin, the risk that a toxic tanning lotion might provide bars you from opting for one. So you are scared to choose.
Secondly, doing it indoors, all on your own means if anything goes wrong the blame is on you ALONE.
Now you get it?
But, don’t worry, we all have been there and done that!
Sensitive skin is like no other and hence needs much more care.
That is why we have consolidated a list of the best indoor tanning lotions you can find in the market.
We will discuss the 15 best indoor tanning lotions for sensitive skin throughout this article.
In order to narrow a choice, let’s first discuss the factors you need to consider beforehand and some tips to avoid calamities.
What factors do you need to consider before buying one?
Fragrance and chemical-free
Sensitive skin is prone to breakouts, acne, excessive oil, and whatnot!
So adding unwanted substances might pose a risk.
Therefore, look for products that are free of chemical fragrances. This will ensure you don’t get prone to any kind of allergies by using the product
Also, avoid other chemical substances like methylchloroisothiazolinone, parabens, and phenoxyethanol to name a few.
Hypoallergenic isn’t exactly safe
You must be feeling cheated here, right? Because this is a keyword you often looked for, whenever you chose a tanning lotion for sensitive skin.
Let me tell you this term is more of a marketing strategy.
There is little evidence to prove that hypoallergenic products don’t pose a risk of allergies to sensitive skin.
So don’t take this lightly, even if you see this tag on a product, do inspect it thoroughly before buying it.
Test before use
This one must be familiar to you.
Usually, patch tests are recommended for people with sensitive skin. This helps to avoid disasters altogether.
So, take a small amount of lotion preferably underneath your wrist or ankle, and let it stay for a day or two. You will get an idea as to how the lotion reacts to your skin.
Small is big
Ok, this one is for those who are low on patience.
You buy a product and want to apply large amounts all at once.
Sadly, if you are reading this article, you have sensitive skin.
Therefore, you need to start with small amounts and see if your skin accepts the product. If so, you can re-apply for a darker tan.
Some tips to avoid side-effects?
Shave/wax beforehand
There are times when our skin is usually more sensitive.
This is when we tease our skin while shaving or waxing. Some of the sensitive skin types might face redding in this process.
So, always remember to shave or wax before self-tanning.
Your skin needs time to rest. Don’t go about hurting it so much.
So, try to take a gap of some hours before you start your tanning process.
Exfoliate your skin
This one’s interesting.
According to allure.com exfoliating your skin before going for a tan ensures a smooth experience.
Exfoliating ensures your skin doesn’t have excessive oil that might hinder the tanning process.
After exfoliating, a small amount of moisturizes prepares your skin for a patch-free and even result.
Ok, now you are prepared to choose the best one for you.
Let’s get to the list
Best Indoor Tanning Lotions for Sensitive Skin in 2024
Hempz Dark Tan Maximizer, Hypoallergenic
Hempz Dark Tan has the best of organic ingredients and is fragrance-free.
Oatmeal with its natural calming extracts is a great addition and so is the Mango Seed Butter. Together, these act as soothing agents hence avoiding any irritation to your skin.
While the Hemp seed oil will provide intense hydration to your skin. It is what will make your skin smooth, shiny, and moisturized.
The product isn’t only calling itself hypoallergenic. It proves so with its Gluten-free, Paraben-free, Nut-free, and Vegan formula.
So, you can explore the color from golden to rich dark, as you please. And you know what? It is non-greasy too. So you can apply and let it sit for an effortless tanning experience.
Beauty by Earth Self Tanner – With Organic Aloe Vera & Shea Butter
No doubt the raving no. of customers who are in love with this product, prove how effective Beauty by Earth is to give you a natural tan.
A reason for this might be the no. of natural ingredients that went into the product itself. From aloe vera, Shea butter; organic pomegranate, organic witch hazel extract, Cranberry, Jojoba Seed Oil, Organic argan oil; and the list goes on.
While it is high on ‘organic’ it is low on ‘chemicals’. So you don’t have the much-hated parabens, phthalates, or synthetic chemicals usually found in other tanning lotions.
You might go liberal with this product and use it daily to get a natural golden tan. However, the makers recommend going slow. Use a small amount and see the results. Re-use for a dark tan.
Hempz Dark DHA Bronzer, Hypoallergenic
Much like the above-discussed Hemp product, this one too has the best of organic ingredients, including Hemp seed oil, Oatmeal, and mango seed butter.
But this one is more intense. It has DHA and some natural bronzers that help give you a nice tan. Moreover, the color tends to get bold and dark after application, over time.
Plus, the viewers love the smell of the product. And let me remind you, this smell is a result of natural ingredients because it doesn’t have artificial fragrance.
Very Dark Self Tanning Lotion by Sun Laboratories
This fast-drying and paraben-free tanning lotion is also a great choice for getting a darker tan.
Its natural ingredients help in leaving your skin smooth and shiny after every application. So you not only get a natural tan but a natural-looking skin too!
Whether you have a pale, light, or medium skin tone, this tanner will work wonders for you.
To ensure a successful application, Sun Laboratories recommend proper moisturizing, hydration, exfoliation beforehand, to ensure a seamless tanning output.
Just Nutritive Tanning Indoor Lotion
Just Nutritive stands true to its name when you read the ingredients of this lotion. It will drive you insane. They have something like 15+ organic ingredients some of which are Green Tea, Aloe vera, Cocoa Butter, Kokum Butter, Coffee, Coconut, hazelnut, etc. You might be edible too!
Though not for eating, this lotion can be used as a daily moisturizer too.
If you are looking for a long-lasting tanning solution, this one might be ‘it’. Even with fewer applications between intervals, you can expect a longer tan stay.
Added to all this is a cruelty-free, chemical-free, and fragrance-free product.
Ed Hardy The It List, Hypoallergenic and Vegan Tanning Lotion
Well, with Ed Hardy you have got a trusted product from a trusted brand.
The It List is once again devoid of gluten, paraben, nuts, wheat and is vegan too. So, all the allergy-prone substances are kept out of the product right away.
What has gone in, are ingredients such as ginger and aloe vera taking care of your skin’s hydration needs. While Caffeine extracts are responsible for tightening and energizing your skin. Moreover, the cotton and rice extract help soothe the skin.
Devoted Creations #TANLIFE Hydrating Tanning Butter
This one has butter in its name so you must have guessed how hydrating this one is. With Shea butter extract, you know you will get a smooth and hydrating experience.
Another takeaway from this one is its tattoo and fade-proof technology. Yes, your painstaking love affair with your tattoo stays, even while you put on a whole lot of tanning butter.
Moreover, this tanning butter steers away from the usual with its wrinkle-free and anti-aging formula that is hard to find in any other lotion.
Bahama Tan Self Tanning Lotion
Well, you can miss the Bahamas for a tan, but you can’t miss this product.
Apart from giving your skin the benefits of some of the best natural ingredients, the Bahama tan Lotion falls in the league of paraben, Gluten-free products.
This one is a level-2 medium shade, good for light and medium skin tones. So you can apply for 1 to 4 consecutive days to achieve the desired amount of tan shade.
A single bottle will give you a complete body tan that will last for 4-7 days, subject to care.
Neutrogena Micro mist Airbrush Sunless Tanning Spray
Neutrogena uses an air-brush technique for your tanning needs. So, forget rubbing your body endlessly, just spray and get tanned.
With medium tan intensity, it can give you a tan two shades darker than your skin tone.
The most amazing thing? It dries as fast as 5mins. So, even if you thought of adorning your favorite dress with a good tan, this one will come in handy.
Die Hard Black Ed Hardy Maximum Bronzing Indoor Tanning Lotion
The Die Hard Black tanning lotion goes a long way to keep your tan stay for a much longer duration. With the help of Melan Bronze, the lotion stimulates the melanin activity in your skin, to allow the tan to stay a bit more than usual.
Along with some natural ingredients like caffeine, green tea extracts, pomegranate; it also has some cosmetic bronzers.
Not only a darker tan, this lotion also gives a rapid drying technique.
Fake Bake Original Self-Tanning Lotion
If you are fed up with golden tan and looking for something more, the Fake Bake lotion gives you a mocha brown skin tone. Needless to say, a natural and smooth looking skin too.
With some natural tanning agents in a triple tan formula (patented), this lotion ensures a deep and natural tan and not the usual ‘fake bake’.
Even if you have dry skin, the moisturizing formulas in the lotion help your skin with moisturization.
However, the tan may need 4-5 hours to develop. So, you don’t have an ‘apply and go’ kind of a choice with this one.
Artemis Apollo Indoor Tanning Lotion with Bronzer for Indoor Tanning Beds by SunGodz
Straight from the Greek gods, the Artemis Apollo tanning solution is for the lovers of a darker tan.
This one is a silicone tanning solution, which comes with a bronzer.
Apart from giving your skin great moisturization, it helps keep your beloved tattoo intact. Also, with a no-fade technology, you won’t experience the dull color usually found a few days after application. So, you have a rich, dark tan with little to worry about.
Moreover, if you happen to go out, this lotion can serve the purpose of an outdoor tanning lotion too!
Botanic Tree Self Tanner-Organic Sunless Tanner
This self-tanner has aloe vera and shea butter for your hydration needs. While the streak-free formula wouldn’t let you worry about a hateful orange tan usually found with other tanners.
It is amazing to note, that you won’t have to sit naked after application for long. With its stain-free formula, you can grab your clothes and go about your daily chores, while it works its way to your skin tone.
Since it is paraben and cruelty-free, you can opt for this one without any guilt.
Tanceuticals Facial Self Tanner
This one is right on point. No acnes or clogging of pores because Tanceuticals is devoid of chemicals that might trigger these.
The light coconut fragrance gives you a soothing experience while you are busy tanning up.
Not many tanning solutions are capable of achieving an irritant-free tan on the face and neck. Well, this one is made especially for that. No matter, it has achieved numerous awards from magazines such as Marie Clarie and Vive.
GOLDEN STAR BEAUTY Self Tanner – Sunless Tanning Oil, Organic Spray Tan
The Golden star organic tanner is another spray tanner in this listicle. So, if you find it easy to spray tan rather than rub, this one might be a good fit.
Moreover, it has all the benefits that you look for such as streak-free, stain-free and quick drying.
All you need to do is to spray it from 1-3 consecutive days depending upon the tan shade you require. If you need a perfectly golden, the 3rd day will bring you a perfect one with a natural feel.
Conclusion
Okay, So now you know why choosing an indoor tanning lotion for sensitive skin is a problem. Not because your skin is sensitive, that is true, but also because you have so many great options in the market. So choose whatever fits your category of need, usage, price, ingredients, volume, and so on.
Happy shopping!