How To Get Tan Without Sun

While we usually like to fake (not bake) our tans, there are plenty of valid reasons why we all love to spend some time in the sun.

First of all, sunlight boosts our levels of serotonin (nature's own Valium, proven to alleviate anxiety). Not only that, but it produces vitamin D which is good for bones, teeth, skin, hair and nails. Which is why you always come back from your 2 weeks in Spain desperate for a hair and nail appointment due to all that extra growth.

However, all those benefits cannot outweigh the premature ageing and skin cancer risks that come hand in hand with sun exposure.

So while we all love to get that sun-kissed glow, it's important to remember that a tan is in fact a sign of skin damage and that extra melanin production is your bodies natural reaction to protect you from further sun exposure.

Which is why no beauty editor or dermatologist is ever going to recommend getting a tan, but as we know the lure of a tan line is all too much, here are our tips for making your sun exposure as safe as possible.

1. Always, always avoid sunbeds

Don't fall for the myth peddled by some salons that they can give you a 'healthy' tan with a sunbed. "It's the wrong UV – tanning beds pump out huge amounts of UVA and virtually no UVB (which stimulates vitamin D), and can increase your risk of skin cancer by 75%" says Dr. Nick Lowe of The Cranley Clinic in London.

Sorry, but while we'll let many things slide, sunbeds are not one of them. If you want a tan all year round without the risk of skin cancer, fake tan should be your best friend.

Don't like fake tan? Things have changed, we promise. Modern day formulas are a lot easier to use and don't come with that horrible Rich Tea scent.

Bronze Base Face Tan

Sculpted by Aimee Connolly sculptedbyaimee.com

€22.99

Body Mousse - Natural Olive

Amanda Harrington net-a-porter.com.uk

£36.00

Pure Gradual Tanning Lotion

Bondi Sands lookfantastic.com

£12.99

Click and Glow Drops

James Read lookfantastic.com

£25.00

2. Apply the right sunscreen

Don't just rely on SPF; on the bottle you need to look for the term 'broad spectrum', which means it will protect you from both UVA (ageing) and UVB (burning) rays.

Also flip the bottle round to look at the UVA star rating. These indicate the SPF rating and can range from 1 star (minimum protection) to 5 stars (ultra protection).

Needless to say we don't want to see any 1 stars going in your shopping basket...

Go for SPF30 over SPF50. "It filters 97% of UVB rays, while SPF50 filters 98%. The latter can give a false sense of security and can be so chalky you may not reapply it every two hours like you should. If you have very dark skin (south Indian or black), SPF15 is sufficient." Explains Dr. Lowe.

Sun Bum

Original SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray

Sun Bum cultbeauty.co.uk

£17.99

3. Know your tanning time

In case you didn't know, your skin reaches a tanning cut-off point when it physically can't produce any more melanin (the tanning pigment), so it's pointless to lounge by the pool all day.

"Everyone has their own melanin cut-off, typically two to three hours or much less if you have fair skin" says Dr Lowe. "After this you're just subjecting your skin to the risk of UV damage."

"Taking breaks from the sun will reduce UV intensity and your sunburn risk and means your tan will be healthier and longer-lasting" says Dr. Frank Schwanke, Head of Suncare R&D for Beiersdorf.

As well as taking breaks and seeking shade, don't forget to cover up with clothing, especially if you have any burnt areas. Plus it means you finally have a use for that giant straw hat you bought from ASOS.

Natural straw easy boater with size adjuster

Milky SPF50 Sun Spray

Caudalie lookfantastic.com

£10.50

Printed Bardot Midi Beach Dress

M&S marksandspencer.com

£28.00

Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Skinscreen SPF 50+

Ultra Violette net-a-porter.com.uk

£34.00

6. Swap 'tan-accelerating' creams for supplements

If you don't believe us when it comes to 'tan accelerating creams', listen to skin cancer authority, Dr. Marko Lens."Nothing you apply to your skin can improve the production of melanin, skin's protective dark pigment. But taking a daily 25g beta-caretone supplement can. It doesn't mean you need less sunscreen, but it boosts skin's natural defence against UV by improving its ability to tan."

Try Imedeen Tan Optimizer tablets which prepare the skin for the sun and protect cells from UV induced oxidative stress using a duo of antioxidants.

Courtesy of brand

Imedeen Tan Optimizer (60 Tablets)

Imedeen lookfantastic.com

£26.80

7. Eat sun-friendly foods

Certain foods are known to increase lycopene, the skin's own SPF. An antioxidant found in tomatoes, and other red and orange fruit and veg, it can boost your sun protection by a whopping 33%.

Fun fact, one of the best sources to get this from is tomato paste – did someone say spag bol?

Dermatologist Dr. Samantha Bunting meanwhile favours ones with an anti-inflammatory effect to help calm the skin after sun exposure. "I'm a big fan of a group of antioxidants called polyphenols," she explains. "Green tea is a great example, sip it after a sushi lunch."

Why the sushi lunch instead of some poolside chips? Oily fish is rich in omega-3 and has anti-inflammatory powers too, that's why.

Last but not least, dark chocolate is packed with flavonoids that can help protect against sunburn, while caffeine is thought to help cut your skin cancer risk. "It's best taken in an espresso shot right before you hit the beach" Dr. Bunting says.

MStudioImages Getty Images

8. Don't mix fake tan with SPF

It may seem like a great idea combining your fake tan and SPF in one, but word of warning; the ingredient in fake tan (DHA) causes the SPF to breakdown.

By the time that product has shipped from it's warehouse and made it's way to your suitcase, it's highly likely that all of the protective SPF will have broken down completely.

This is also why you should ensure you've tanned at least 24 hours before sun exposure as applying SPF over a fresh tan can also cause the formula to break down.

The sun is at it's hottest between 10am and 4pm, so make sure you are extra cautious during those times and take regular breaks along with covering up and seeking shade.

You also need to reapply you sunscreen every two hours, regardless of whether you've been swimming or not, especially during these hours.

This is particularly important in terms of your water intake, but in this case we are actually referring to the hydration of your skin.

If you have burnt your skin, you want to soothe it to prevent blistering and further inflammation. Hydrated skin will also mean that tan you lusted after for so long will stick around.

While it can be tempting to slap on an after sun, a lot of these formulas have a high percentage of alcohol, which means they will dry your skin out even further, causing irritation, thus loosing your tan quicker.

Add your hydration back in with one of these instead.

Lancaster Sun Tan Maximiser After Sun Lotion

Lancaster lookfantastic.com

£35.00

Aloe 99% Soothing Gel

Holika Holika beautybay.com

US$8.25

Ambre Solaire Hydrating Soothing After Sun Lotion

Garnier lookfantastic.com

£6.00

After Sun Skin Soothing Aloe Mist

Herbivore Botanicals lookfantastic.com

£18.00

Now go out there and slather on your SPF50.

Laura Capon Senior Fashion & Beauty Writer Laura writes about everything beauty and fashion related for Cosmopolitan UK and specialises in makeup, plus-size fashion and the world of YouTube.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io