Can Pale People Tan?

If you have fair skin, you might be hesitant to spend time in the sun building a natural tan, because when you usually spend time in the sun, you often end up burning, turning red, peeling, and not even having a tan to show for it.

You can tan fairly easily, but you just need to be more cautious when doing so, as fair skin is much more prone to burning in the sun, so you need to be patient when building a tan.

Keep reading to find out more about how to get a tan with fair skin and the safest way to do so!

Why Is It Difficult To Tan With Fair Skin?

Fair skin contains less melanin than darker skin.

Melanin is a substance in your skin that protects it from ultraviolet radiation from the sun and reduces damage done to the skin.

Melanin is a dark pigment that absorbs light that hits your body, stopping UV rays from penetrating your skin.

People with fair skin have less melanin, so they have less protection from UV damage and a lower chance of developing a tan.

For this reason, individuals with pale skin must take extra precautions when exposed to the sun to minimise the risk of their skin becoming burned and red, rather than tanning.

How To Get A Tan With Fair Skin

Now that you know why tanning with pale skin is a risk, you can have a look at all the ways you can tan pale skin safely, to develop a darker, sun-kissed tone without looking like a red lobster!

Here is how to get a tan with fair skin, and some extra tips to remember:

Use Sunscreen

It may seem counterproductive to use sunscreen when trying to tan, but if you have fair skin, it is really essential, and you shouldn’t spend any time in the sun without it.

You need to remember that sunscreen does not prevent you from tanning, but it will prevent you from burning, which is key to developing a beautiful golden tan.

Protecting your skin with sunscreen gives it the chance to increase melanin, which can result in a darker tone. Without sunscreen, you will end up burning and damaging your skin, and no tan will develop.

You do not need a very strong sunscreen; an SPF30 would be ideal to use.

Tan Slowly

If you have pale skin, you will never be able to build a tan in one day.

Spending too much time in the sun, hoping to build up a deep tan in one go, will only lead to a very painful, red sunburn.

Start by spending only 15–20 minutes in the sun when building your base tan.

A base tan is essential to build up first, as it offers some protection to your skin and gives you a good base to build your darker tan on from there.

Once your skin has built a base tan, you can increase your time in the sun by 5–10 minutes from there on. Do this slowly as well to ensure that your skin does not become burned.

If you plan to use a tanning bed, start by spending only 3–4 minutes in the bed. Gradually increase this time by one or two minutes as your tan develops.

Don’t Rush Your Tanning

No matter how excited you might be to develop a dark tan, you have to take it slow. You cannot sit in the sun or visit a tanning bed every day, as you will just end up severely damaging your skin.

You have to give your skin some time to rest between tanning sessions, and don’t think that you will notice a tan the moment you leave the sun.

It can take a while for your skin to darken, so there shouldn’t be a rush to jump back into the sun!

Use Tanning Products

Because of your fair skin, you might need a little kickstart to your tanning process! One of the best things you can do to tan pale skin is using a tanning accelerator (we suggest trying this one from Dark Tans Exclusive, as it’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor use).

Tanning accelerators can help your skin tan more quickly in the sun and also provide hydration and nourishment to the skin.

The extra nourishment from the tanning lotion will help prevent your skin from drying out, and it will go a long way to prevent your skin from burning and peeling.

Tan accelerators also contain ingredients that help your skin make the most of the UV rays, which means you will build a tan up quicker.

However, make sure to still use sunscreen over this for extra protection.

Keep Your Skin Moisturised

You need to work on your tan even after you are out of the sun or tanning bed.

The best tan will develop if you keep your skin hydrated and moisturised.

You should moisturise your skin at least twice a day, providing intense nourishment.

Spending time in the sun, no matter how many precautions you take, can be very drying on your skin.

Therefore, moisturising your skin is crucial to keep it healthy and prevent it from peeling and losing its tan.

Keep A Tanning Schedule

While we do not recommend tanning too often or every day, it is still advisable to maintain a tanning schedule to gradually build up your tan.

You will first need to build up a base tan by spending short amounts of time in the sun. Once you have done this, you can safely start increasing the time you spend exposed to UV rays.

We recommend waiting at least 3–4 days between tanning sessions, to give your skin time to recover from being in the sun, and to give yourself the chance to moisturise your skin intensely before it goes back under the rays again!

Extra Tanning Tips For Pale Skin

Here are a few more tips for tanning with pale skin:

• Ensure the sunscreen you use is a broad-spectrum product to protect against both UVB and UVA rays.
• Be sure to avoid the midday sun, as it can be too harsh for your skin, even when sunscreen is applied. Depending on where you live, the most dangerous times of day to tan could be between 10 am and 4 pm.
• Take note of areas of your skin that are more sensitive or those that are covered more often, as these are likely to burn more easily in the sun. Pay extra attention to covering these with sunscreen.
• If you want to enjoy a tan while building up your natural tan, you could use a self-tanner or a bronzer to give yourself a temporary tan. Ensure that you choose a shade that matches your skin tone and is not too dark.

Can Pale Skin Tan?

Pale skin can tan, but you really do need to be careful when tanning fair skin. Due to the lower amount of melanin found in fair skin, it burns more easily and is more difficult to tan.

To protect your skin from burning, wear sunscreen when tanning and limit your tanning sessions to short periods in the sun, spaced every few days.

Keep your skin moisturised and hydrated between tanning sessions.

If you feel like your skin is burning rather than tanning, consider giving it a break before the next session and reducing your time spent in the sun.

If you plan to use a tanning bed, consult with the tanning technician about how to safely and gradually build up a tan on your pale skin. They should be able to create a personalised tanning schedule for you.

For pale skin, it’s best to tan slowly and gradually; trying to tan too quickly can cause harm.

Related Questions

Does tanning permanently darken your skin?

Tanning does not permanently darken your skin. It darkens the outer layer of your skin, which sheds over time, so the tan will only last as long as your skin takes to naturally exfoliate and regenerate.

The typical duration of a tan is a few weeks.

How do you tan brown instead of burning?

To avoid turning red and burning, you should use sunscreen when tanning.

This takes the harmful edge out of the sun’s rays, giving your skin a better chance of tanning than burning.

You should also limit the amount of time you spend in the sun, as prolonged exposure can lead to sunburn.

Avoid the midday sun too, as the sun’s rays can be particularly strong during this time, and your skin will burn much more easily.

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