Alternate Uses for Tanning Lotion

Tanning lotions are available online and in many pharmacies and beauty stores. While the main purpose of these lotions is to enhance indoor and outdoor tanning, these lotions also contain a number of ingredients that make them ideal for other uses. Tanning lotions can help soften skin through their moisturizing properties as well as enhance sunless tans and provide anti-aging care to the skin. Because of their additional ingredients, people may choose to use tanning lotions as a daily body lotion.

Sunless Tanning

• Many tanning lotions contain bronzers for enhanced color. People looking for a natural glow can use tanning lotions without going out in the sun for a sunless tanning effect. People who want a tanning lotion for sunless tanning should check the description on the bottle to see if it contains a bronzer. Different lotions contain different strengths of bronzers. Most of these products should provide a sun-kissed glow within four hours after use, and during this time users should avoid showering or sweating.

Moisturizing

• Most tanning lotions contain a number of oils and extracts that provide strong moisturizing effects to the skin. Because these products are designed for use with tanning, they are also designed to promote smooth skin for even tans. This means they include ingredients, such as shea butter, hemp butter, cocoa butter and similar body butters, to provide a smoothing effect to the skin. Many people enjoy the softness that tanning lotions provide, thus using them as a daily moisturizer instead of as a tanning product.

Anti-Aging and Firming

• Many tanning lotions now contain anti-aging or ski-firming ingredients in addition to bronzing and moisturizing ingredients. People may choose to use tanning lotions strictly for their anti-aging and skin-firming properties. These lotions contain items such as retinol.