Faking It: The Difference Between a Developing and an Instant Tan

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Beauty by the Geeks is a blog that wants to de-mystify all the science behind beauty products and all your beauty bothers. Tonnes of products are being sold with science but what does it all really mean?! We’re going to try our best to explain the science behind beauty so…LET THE BEAUTY MEET THE GEEK!!

Faking It: The Difference Between a Developing and an Instant Tan


It’s that time of year when the sky is dull and dreary, and we’re waking up just praying this treacherous weather won’t ruin our morning’s efforts. We’ve little hope of seeing a ray of sunshine, never mind enough to get a tan! So we’ve all turned to our winter savior--fake tanning. 

Even a fake tan isn't problematic in this weather, though! The other night, running late, I slathered on a generous layer of instant tanning lotion, only to head out into a snowstorm and arrive at my destination looking soggy and streaky rather than sun-kissed. If I had applied my normal tan the night before, things probably wouldn’t have ended so disastrously.

So what’s the difference between an instant tan and a developing tan?
One stays on for days and one washes off instantly; but they look pretty much the same. Why?

The answer:  Dihydroxyacetone (DHA)

This molecule is used in the majority of developing fake tans but not instant ones. DHA works by producing a temporary stain to the skin, and this process does take a couple of hours to develop (like your tan!). It is a colorless chemical that allows you to achieve the glowing look without all the health risks that come with UV rays. 

This skin stain doesn’t stain the skin in the way you might imagine. It is actually a pretty cool chemical reaction in your stratum corneum (A.K.A the outermost layer of your skin). 

The reaction is between the DHA and amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) in this skin layer. The result is a temporary colour change to your cells, making them appear as if you have a tan. This reaction is very similar to the Maillard Reaction, which is responsible for processes like the browning of bread. 

The good news is this reaction has proved to be non–toxic, and DHA does not seem to penetrate any deeper than this outer layer of cells, which are only dead cells serving to protect the underlying layers of skin (so no biggie really!). For this reason, it is FSA approved. DHA has rarely been reported to have any adverse affects.

Instant tanning products do not have this molecule, and that’s why we can consider them a bit more like make-up. They tint and stain the skin, but only until they are washed off, acting a bit like a shimmery, bronze foundation. 

What do we prefer at Beauty by the Geeks?

Normally a combination of the two! Instant is fab for covering up any streaks from bad application of your developing tan, and it’s good to have a bit of tan left when you get out of the shower. 

Both are way better for your skin than any kind of UV exposure, and using most fake tans is considered harmless. However, remember this top tip… don’t wear instant in the rain.


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Sources 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11701979?dopt=Abstract
http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=526657#qundefined
http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=526467#qundefined

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About the Bloggers

The Geeks behind it Let us introduce ourselves! We’re Rose Brown and Brigitte West the geeks behind the blog! Hailing from opposite ends of the country, we met at Newcastle University whilst studying medical science degrees.   We're not ashamed to admit, WE LOVE SCIENCE! However it's not bacteria on petri dishes that gets us ticking, it’s the science behind our beauty products! We started the blog for that exact reason to show the female population that science isn’t what it used to be. We want to acknowledge and highlight the pioneering work of female scientists and use beauty as the vehicle to encourage young girls into science! Let’s bulldoze the anorak stereotype and introduce the sassy side of science!

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