The Evolution of Tanning Lotions

Tanning lotions are a multi-million dollar industry these days, but this wasn’t always the case. In fact, tanning lotions are relative newcomers to the skin care industry that have exploded in popularity in just a few decades.

Less than a century ago, people actively avoided the sun in an effort to protect their pale skin. The main reason was that having a tan meant you were either a laborer or a member of the lower class. After all, if you were wealthy you could stay indoors where it was comfortable instead of slaving away under the sun all day. The paler your skin was, the less likely it was you had to work for a living.

The earliest turn-around in this attitude was in the 1920’s when a few members of the leisure class, CoCo Channel included, began sporting tans after returning from the South of France and the Riviera. A nice golden glow was soon desired by many European young ladies who wanted to look like they were vacationing somewhere exotic. The trend toward tanning didn’t take off in the United States, however, until after World War II.

Tanning Lotions are Invented

During the second World War, American soldiers were stationed in the Pacific and spent lots of time on aircraft carriers, where many of them were getting painful sunburns. The army began researching possible ways to minimize burning, and inventor Ben Green soon came up with a lotion that minimized burning while promoting a tan. His creation was the precursor of today’s tanning lotions and remains popular under its post-war name, Coppertone.

Tanning lotions were first introduced in the U.S. right after the war, and people loved them. The post-war economy was booming. People were able to afford weekend trips to the beach and spend time on golf courses and in swimming pools. Soon Coppertone was joined on the shelves by other brands and the quest for the perfect tan began.

Some women in the 1950’s tried to improvise and began making their own tanning lotions, usually based on mineral oil. The most popular was baby oil with a bit of iodine added. The problem with these tanning lotions was that without other ingredients to balance the mineral oil, you were essentially baking your skin and there were no protective ingredients to prevent burning. The iodine acted as a dye, staining the skin while you were tanning to give you the appearance of a darker, richer tan. Unfortunately, this often masked a sunburn that could be quite painful.

Tanning Lotions Evolve

As the seventies rolled in, tanning lotions began to contain higher levels of SPF (sun protection factor) in order to allow safer, gentler tanning. Most lotions combined protection from the burning UV rays with ingredients that allowed a darker tan in a shorter amount of time. Eventually, sun blocks also entered the market. Rather than filtering the sun and allowing you to tan, sun blocks completely shield you from all of the sun’s rays. You won’t burn, but you won’t tan either.

Today’s best tanning lotions combine ingredients that filter out the most damaging sun rays while promoting a rich, golden tan. Many of them also contain moisturizing ingredients that help prevent peeling and keep your suntan darker for longer periods of time. When comparing suntan lotions, look for ingredients like aloe for soothing, mineral oil for moisturizing and all natural ingredients that will enhance your tan while protecting your skin. Fortunately, today’s tanning lotions are safer than ever and will help you gain a beautiful, rich tan and soft, smooth skin in no time.

About the Author:
Do you need a glowing skin? Then protect your skin from sun using natural tanning. Best tanning lotion acts as a barrier and protects your skin from harmful rays.