Everybody wants to get out into the sun this summer as places open up for more people, but what if you haven’t been getting out in the sun for the last year? Well, sometimes that pale, reflective skin can be a bit embarrassing for some people, especially on the first beach trip of the year, when they are looking for a way to get a base tan before hitting the sand and water. That’s where an indoor tanning bed lotion comes in.

Indoor tanning is a popular method for getting that good first base tan of the season, or for maintaining a tan during times when you can’t get to the beach. Setting up an appointment at the local salon or spa can be quite easy, but you need to make sure you are prepared before hitting the tanning bed. The number one item you are going to need for a good tanning session is indoor tanning bed lotion.

Indoor tanning bed lotion is a must for indoor tanning. Not only does it make the process easier and more convenient for you, but it also ensures your skin can remain radiant and healthy after a session with UV lights tanning your skin. These are the top five reasons you should use indoor tanning lotion for every indoor tanning bed session you have.

Deeper Toned Tan

If you go into a tanning bed session with nothing on, you can still get a tan, but it’s not going to be as easy as you would hope, and you are likely to need multiple sessions for the tone you are looking for—even for a base tan. With the use of indoor tanning bed lotion before your tanning sessions, you are going to be taking advantage of the chemicals in the lotion to help your skin get a deeper tone from your tanning sessions. Depending on the type of lotion, you’re either going to get it to help your skin naturally build up more melanin through increased blood flow to the area, or you are going to be applying an actual darkening agent, which will last a few days to keep your tone darker.

Speed Up Tanning

When you book indoor tanning sessions, you will likely be booking in half-hour segments, and if you aren’t using indoor tanning lotion, you may need two full half-hour segments a couple times in the same week to get to the tone you want. With indoor tanning bed lotion, the moisturizers will help keep your skin hydrated through the tanning process, and dry skin is the enemy of UV light tanning. This means indoor tanning bed lotion will drastically reduce the amount of time you need in the bed.

Continued Tan After Session

Many tanning lotions, such as bronzers, actually continue to work after the tanning bed sessions. With a good indoor tanning bed lotion, you can not only lower your exposure time to UV light, but you can also keep tanning after the session is done for a few hours to get that deep tone you want. Remember not to wipe off the lotion until a few hours after the session.

Moisturizes Skin

Keeping your skin moisturized while tanning is very important to keeping your skin healthy, as is reducing the amount of time that is needed in the UV light to get tanned. All the best indoor tanning bed lotions have a good percentage of moisturizer in them, reducing tanning times, the appearance of wrinkles, and giving your skin a healthy glow after the session.

Protects the Skin

While the moisturizers in indoor tanning bed lotion help speed up tanning sessions, good quality lotions also will include antioxidants and other nutrients to help build up your skin to a healthy glow, reducing the risk of wrinkles and helping to fight the signs of aging.

Always remember to read the instructions when you are trying out a new indoor tanning bed lotion. By properly following instructions, including exfoliation steps, you can make sure that your next tanning bed session is a successful one. Getting that base tan for the new summer seasons shouldn’t be hard, and maintaining your tan all year round with indoor tanning can be a breeze with a good indoor tanning bed lotion protecting your skin.