All About Spray Tan Solutions

Have you ever wondered how spray tan solutions work to tan your skin? Or questioned whether the process is safe and the active ingredients are ok for your health?  If you’re interested in knowing how sunless tanning solutions work and what they are made from, here is an explanation to help put your mind at ease!

The active ingredients

Tanning solutions generally contain either Erythrulose or Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), or a combination of the two.  These active ingredients are alike in composition, both reacting with the amino acids in the outer layer of dead skin cells.  Through a non-toxic reaction, a brown colour change is produced, giving the appearance of suntanned skin. Since the skin cells that are affected are only the very outer layer, there are no long-term effects to the skin from these ingredients.

Where do they come from?

Erythrulose is a tanning agent extracted from plants such as lichens, raspberries and beets. This natural ketone based sugar is a yellowish-red, sour liquid produced by the fermentation of bacterium Gluconobacter. DHA is a simple carbohydrate derived from plant sources such as sugar cane and by the fermentation of glycerin. As you can see, both these products are derived from natural plant sources.

Why do some spray tan solutions use both active ingredients?

Erythrulose takes longer to react with skin than DHA, taking between 24 and 48 hours for a tan to finish developing. The tan it produces is also lighter and quicker to fade than that produced by DHA. So why not just use DHA? Because Erythrulose has a less drying effect on the skin’s surface and gives a smooth, even tint to the skin. The combination of the two active ingredients creates a sunless tan that lasts longer, looks more natural and fades more evenly than either product used alone. Tanning solutions such as Black by mine use Erythrulose to help hydrate the skin during the spray tan process.

We hope this information has helped you to understand how spray tan solutions work, and the active ingredients used in these products. As you have read, the reactions that are created from sunless tanning products are non-toxic and the ingredients are naturally derived from plants and fruits. Approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), there are no harmful effects associated with these tanning ingredients. So why not enjoy a summer glow without sitting in the sun’s damaging UV rays?