5 tips for the perfect all-over tan as well as staying safe in the sun
SUMMER is officially here and while holidays and tanning are first on our minds, it’s important to remember to stay protected.
Getting that glow needn’t mean making your skin suffer... here's the main ways you can avoid skin damage but still achieve a quick tan boost.
What are the benefits of tanning?
Although there’s often lots said about the damaging qualities of sun exposure, we need to remember the positive qualities too.
The which is a necessity for healthy bones but makes it clear that you need to be safe while getting exposed to the sun at all times.
Tip 1: Apply the correct sunscreen
suggests that you have to go for a cream with SPF 30 or higher but while most of us know this, we may not know that it's the "broad spectrum" and "UVA high" labels that are the important ones to look for.
While choosing your sunscreen, it's always good to opt for water-resistant and to make sure you reapply every half an hour – yes, really - not just once like most of us do.
And yep, if you abide by these sun cream rules you'll avoid burning which will prolong your tan.
Tip 2: Wear protective clothing
Protecting your eyes from sun damage is as easy as a good quality pair of ultraviolet (UV) blocking sunglasses.
Another helping hand is a wide brimmed hat - not only will it look chic on the beach, it'll also create shade for your eyes and sensitive areas like your scalp and neck.
So how does this help you tan? If you’re squinting in the sun or getting a sore head from the strong sunlight then you’re more likely not to spend any time in the sun.
Although breaks from extreme sunlight is recommended, while you’re in and out of the sun it’s always good to have protective clothing and accessories.
Tip 3: Always avoid sunbeds
It may seem tempting to pop in to a sunbed before your holiday for a kick-start to your tan and to avoid getting burnt – but this is a myth.
says "sunbeds give out harmful rays and do not affect the damage you can get from actual sun rays".
A study also found that the average skin cancer risk from sunbeds can be more than double that of an afternoon in the Mediterranean sun, meaning they're even more dangerous and will not prolong your tan.
Tip 4: Know your tanning time
Although lounging around in the sun all day may sound appealing, has said "binge tanning won’t increase your tan, not only will your tan last longer if you do little and often - it’ll also allow it time to build up gradually".
Extra tip: set an alarm so you don’t fall asleep in the sun and so you know how long you’ve been out in it depending on your natural skin tone.
Tip 5: Fake the glow and no one will know
With so many amazing fake tan creams, foams, lotions and gels you can get a tan all year round AND this will mean you can build up to how tanned you would like to be without having to waste hours in the sun.
Fake tan also means you can go on holiday with a tan already so you’ll end up not feeling so pressured to lie out in the sun.
Opt for a spray tan before you go if you want a long-lasting glow.
Our Dying For A Tan campaign
Instead of waiting for the sun to come out, around one in ten young Brits, including children as young as eight, visit one of the UK's 7,000 tanning salons to use sunbeds.
But using sunbeds before you’re 35 increases your chance of developing melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer - by a horrific 87 per cent.
That's why the Sun's Fabulous has launched the Dying For A Tan campaign to raise awareness of the dangers associated with the use of sunbeds.
Sunbeds pelt skin with ultraviolet UV rays with an intensity often stronger than the midday Mediterranean sun - 20 minutes on a sunbed is equivalent to four hours in the sun.
The radiation causes melanin to be released in the body, which gives skin a tan, but also causes skin cancer.
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Cancer Research has revealed that rates of melanoma have soared by 45 per cent since 2004, with skin cancer now the fifth most common cancer in the UK.
Every year, 2,500 Britons die from the disease and 100,000 people are diagnosed with it.
During the campaign, we'll be telling stories of women who have lost an eye to cancer, had huge holes gauged out of their skin, and been left looking decades older than their age - all because of sunbeds.