Your skin

Your first point of reference for your lotion should be your skin.

- What is your skin type?

The colour of your skin will really affect how long you should spend tanning. The fairer the skin, the less time that should be spent on a sunbed. To find out your skin type and how long you should be spending on a sunbed, click here.

- How sensitive is it?

If you have tanned before and never had any issues then you should not need to worry about this section. However, if you have sensitive skin you should look for a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, product. Whilst these products are designed to be as gentle to skin as possible, we still advise that you do a patch test prior to tanning. A patch test is when you apply a small amount of lotion to a small area to see how your skin reacts. 

For those with sensitive skin, we recommend either Beachin’ or Totally Beachin’ for your body and Smooth Faces for your face. These lotions are all fragrance free and have been designed with skin sensitivities in mind. 

If you do have sensitive skin, we always advise that you avoid tingle products!

What is your tanning goal?

Another factor to bear in mind when choosing your lotion should be your tanning goal. Are you tanning for a special occasion and need immediate results? Are you a regular tanner looking to build a base tan? Are you simply tanning to increase your vitamin D levels?

Our tanning accelerators can be split into three main categories: Intensifiers, Bronzers, and Tingles, all which will offer different results.

Intensifiers: These do not contain bronzing or tingle agents. instead, they intensify your tanning session thanks to deep hydration and skin nourishment. This ensures your skin is in peak condition, and healthy skin will always promise a deeper, longer-lasting tan. Some of our premium Intensifiers contain Amino Acids and Vitamins which also help to accelerate the body’s natural melanin production.

These lotions are ideal for those: with fair skin; who are building up a base tan; who do not like bronzers; who are looking to increase their vitamin D levels whilst keeping skin happy and healthy

Bronzers: The majority of Tanning Lotions contain natural/immediate or delayed bronzers. The bronzer you need depends upon your tanning goal. When using tanning products that contain bronzers, we advise that you avoid bathing until 8 hours after tanning, else this may affect the tan's development.

To find out more about our different bronzing agents, click here.

Tingles: Tingle products increase skin’s microcirculation and oxygenation to produce deep, dark tanning results as well as an instant flushed glow. As the name suggests, these lotions cause a tingling/sizzling sensation whilst tanning. They are designed for advanced tanners and not for individuals with sensitive skin. Some tanners will use tingles on hard-to-tan areas such as the legs due to the increased circulation which promises for darker, faster results. Check out our tingle products here. 

All of our Australian Gold products contain the essentials for healthy tanned skin, assuming you tan safely and responsibly. This is due to the premium blend of moisturisers that provides the basis for all of their products; arguably the most important factor in a good tanning accelerator. What varies with the range and price of the product are the additional ingredients that we have found promote even healthier, gorgeous skin. Such ingredients include Aloe Vera, Shea butter, coconut oil, caffeine, and supplementary vitamins such as A and E. Check out the product descriptions to discover what extras are included.