I, unfortunately, spent my youth basking in the sun's rays smothered in the best tanning oils of yesteryear, and I'm convinced the teeny-tiny crow's feet forming around my eyes at 27 are my penance. (In my defense, it was the early aughts, and being tan felt like a rite of passage. I mean, I proudly wore a T-shirt from Abercrombie in fifth grade that said "Blonde & Perfectly Tan.")
Now that I'm not only a sun-safe beauty editor with a <3 for sunscreen, I've been a bit wary of the new tanning oils with SPF on the market. Are tanning oils actually even safe, even if they're filled with SPF? Dw, I asked experts.
What does tanning oil do?
"Tanning oil attracts UV rays to your skin and increases melanin production, the pigment responsible for skin color," says dermatologist Purvisha Patel, MD. Usually, it can contain different oils like coconut oil, mineral oil, shea butter, and jojoba oil, and more, which create a shiny coating on your skin that attract and absorb sunlight, thus making your skin get darker faster. But some also contain bronzers or dyes that can give you a darker tint from the jump.
Top-rated tanning oils, right this way:
Vacation Chardonnay Oil SPF 30 Sunscreen
Supergoop! Supergoop! Glow Oil SPF 50 PA++++
Australian Gold Gold Continuous Spray Sunscreen SPF 15
Sun Bum Original SPF 30 Sunscreen Oil
"Some tanning oils also contain ingredients that help the UV rays penetrate the skin more effectively, promoting a deeper tan," says dermatologist Morgan Rabach, MD. And typically, these oils are used in conjunction with sunbathing, whether outside or inside a tanning bed.
However, you can *also* find tanning oils that have built-in SPF, giving them some protection against UV rays. But they're not exactly foolproof—more on that in a sec.
My go-to glowy products for summer:
Bondi Sands Liquid Gold Self-Tanning Dry Oil
Kopari Sun Shield Body Glow SPF 50 Sheer Sunscreen
Vacation Orange Gelee SPF 30 Sunscreen Gel
Do tanning oils actually work?
Tanning oils, with SPF or without, will always attract the sun's rays and encourage a tan. So, yes, they definitely do "work"...but some opposing forces are at play here, according to Dr. Rabach. "The idea is that the oil increases UV penetration to enhance tanning, but the SPF ingredients are intended to mitigate the harmful effects from being as harmful as they would be without any SPF," she says. So, the balance still leaves skin more vulnerable to UV radiation than it would if you wore a traditional, high-SPF sunscreen lotion or cream sans shine.
The best-selling tanning oils at Sephora:
Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance SPF 50 Shimmering Body Oil Sunscreen
Cay Skin Isle Body Oil SPF 30
Supergoop! Glow Stick SPF 50 Sunscreen
Is tanning oil safe?
Nope, tanning oil, even with SPF, isn't safe, says dermatologist Jeannette Graf, MD. "The idea of using a tanning oil with SPF to protect the skin while intensifying one’s tan is a contradiction," she says, because the "very fact that your skin has a tan means that the skin has experienced entry of UV rays and damage."
Lemme remind you what that damage entails, people: skin cancer, which causes more than two deaths every hour in the U.S., as well as fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, sagging skin, and skin barrier damage, says Dr. Patel.
With that said, Dr. Graf, Dr. Patel, Dr. Rabach, and dermatologist Rachel Westbay, MD, all agree that tanning oil isn't safe, since tanning in any capacity isn't great for your skin. Bottom line: "Accelerating the tanning process also accelerates DNA damage," says Dr. Patel, potentially causing skin cancer and wrinkles.
Is it better to use tanning oil or nothing?
If tanning oil has SPF, then it would be slightly better than using nothing on your skin before going in the sun. But ideally, before sun exposure, you'd be slathering your entire body in SPF 30 or higher, says Dr. Westbay. Personally, I love a glowy body product (like the above tanning oils) at nighttime to give my skin a sheen without the potential sun exposure.
Plus, "the oils in the product help to moisturize the skin, which can prevent dryness and peeling," says Dr. Graf. But during the day when the sun can hurt my skin? Not a chance. SPF 30 lotions, sun hats, and shade, all the way, bb.
Amazon reviewers *love* these tanning oils:
Hawaiian Tropic Weightless Hydration Dry Oil Sunscreen Mist SPF 30
Everyday Humans SPF30 Sheer Body Glow Oil
Undefined R&R Sun Elixir Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Glow Oil
What is the safest way to tan?
There isn't really a safe way to tan, since tanning at all can damage your skin. However, to be the safest person out in the sun, massage in a real sunscreen that offers UVA and UVB protection with an SPF of at least 30 all over your body and face, and frequently reapply (usually every two hours or so, depending on if you're swimming or sweating), says Dr. Westbay.
Here are my favorite sunscreens:
Hero Cosmetics Force Shield Superbeam Sunscreen
Dune Suncare The Bod Guard Gel Body Sunscreen SPF 30
EltaMD UV Sport Body Sunscreen SPF 50
"I recommend using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, which blocks 97 percent of the sun's UVB rays," says Dr. Westbay. "Higher-number SPFs block slightly more of the sun's UVB rays, but no sunscreen can block 100 percent of the sun's UVB rays," she adds.
FYI: Make sure you're applying enough sunscreen, which is usually about 1 ounce—enough to fill a shot glass—to cover your entire body. Then, let it dry on your skin for at least 15 minutes before going outdoors.
And if after all of this, you still insist on using tanning oils, "do so judiciously, reapply them frequently, and consider additional protective measures—such as seeking shade and wearing protective clothing, to minimize the risks associated with UV exposure," says Dr. Westbay.
Final verdict:
TBH, just skip the tanning oil and go for a glowy self-tanner instead. It's way better for your skin in the long run (who tf wants wrinkles, sun spots, and saggy skin?), since having five or more sunburns in your lifetime doubles your risk for melanoma.
Every single dermatologist I spoke to warned against tanning oil, even those that contain SPF, since they still can encourage UV absorption and skin damage. But if you're hell-bent on using one (or going outside and basking in the sun ever for that matter), make for certain you're reapplying at least an SPF 30 formula all over your body and face every two hours to protect yourself. Then, just buff on some self-tanner at the end of the day and fake it 'til ya make it.
Meet the experts:
- Purvisha Patel, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist, MOHS and cosmetic surgeon, and the owner of Advanced Dermatology and Skin Cancer Associates. Dr. Patel is also the founder of Visha Skincare.
- Jeannette Graf, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
- Morgan Rabach, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and cofounder of LM Medical in New York, NY.
- Rachel Westbay, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York, NY.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with six years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories that range from bronzing drops to skin-tightening creams to sunburned lips. She's an authority in all skincare categories, but is an expert when it comes to the best tanning oils (and the safety of tanning oils, for that matter) after discussing it with four dermatologists.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
