Raccoon Eyes From Tanning – How To Fix And Prevent
Tanning under ultraviolet rays without eye protection can leave you with lasting eye damage, even after one-time use.
Eye protection is key to maintaining healthy eyes, all while getting a bronze tan. However, sometimes eye protection can cause raccoon eyes.
This is the term given to the white circles left around your eyes where your tanning goggles were placed, while the rest of your body is beautifully bronzed.
Nobody wants to walk around looking like a raccoon, especially after getting a beautiful-looking tan.
Luckily, it can be covered up or avoided completely with a few easy-to-follow steps and precautions that you can practice on your own.
How To Cover Raccoon Eyes – 3 Easy Steps
If you are stuck with raccoon eyes after a tanning session at a salon, you might find yourself freaking out a bit.
Don’t worry, with some simple makeup essentials, you will be able to cover up the lighter areas around your eyes and blend them in to match the rest of your beautiful new tan.
Applying your makeup properly is essential to making your tan look natural, without the raccoon eye statement look that you definitely weren’t going for.
1. Find the Right Colour Foundation
To cover up the lighter areas under your eyes, you will need to match the colour of your foundation to the colour of your new tan.
A good waterproof foundation will be able to hide the lighter spots around your eyes.
You will need to use a shade lighter than the colour on the rest of your body, as the area under your eyes is usually lighter than the rest of your face.
Some waterproof foundations can be quite pricey, but it is actually worth spending the money to buy a decent one.
It will probably last longer, and you will achieve much better coverage than a cheaper, watered-down foundation.
DermaBlend is my favourite foundation because it has SPF 25, is lightweight and blendable, and comes in a shade suitable for everyone.
2. Apply Foundation
The correct application will mean that the foundation looks very natural and blended in with your new tan. Here is the correct way to apply the foundation to cover raccoon eyes:
- Dot the foundation around the eye.
- Pat the foundation down and blend the liquid in using your finger.
- Slowly expand the area by rubbing and circling towards the outside of the lighter circle.
- Leave the foundation for two minutes to allow it to dry and set correctly.
- Do not pull or rub the skin too hard; it is a delicate area, and you could cause damage to your skin.
By blending the foundation towards the outside of the lighter circle, you will be creating a very natural, even tone. There should be no visible colour difference left if these steps are followed correctly, and your raccoon eyes will be completely covered and gone.
It doesn’t have to be too much of a chore if you are used to applying makeup every day; you just need to get into the habit of focusing on the raccoon eyes.
3. Apply Powder
Dusting loose powder over the foundation will help seal and set the foundation. It creates a more matte look and helps the cover appear more natural.
You can choose between a translucent powder and one that matches the shade of your tan. Both translucent and coloured powders can be used all over your face, so it is up to your preference. I personally love Anastasia Beverly Hills loose setting powder.
The benefit of translucent powder is that you can still use it even after losing your tan. A good powder brush will set the powder evenly and not be too heavy on the skin.
How to Avoid Raccoon Eyes From Tanning
If you are not too keen on having to apply foundation when you want to cover up the lighter circles around your eyes, there are a few ways to avoid getting raccoon eyes in the first place.
In no way should you avoid wearing eye protection, but there are ways to minimise the lighter circles caused by the very important tanning goggles.
1. Reposition Your Tanning Goggles
While under the ultraviolet rays in the tanning bed, you can keep repositioning your eye goggles, moving them around to sit on different areas around your eyes.
You should keep your eyes covered at all times, but the outside of the goggles can be moved every so often to allow different areas around the eyes to be tanned.
If you are using tanning goggles with an elastic band, be sure to adjust them frequently as well. You really don’t want to be left with a tan line on either side of your face.
Most eye goggles can be worn on the eyes without a band, so check with your tanning salon to see what options they have available.
2. Disposable Eye Wear
Instead of using the tanning goggles that are on offer at the tanning salon, you can opt to bring along your own disposable eyewear.
Some tanning salons may offer these services, but they may come with an additional charge, so be sure to check beforehand.
Disposable goggles can only be used once, but they are more hygienic than shared goggles. The disposable goggles are adhesive stickers that are folded into a cone and placed over the eyes.
The surface area around the eyes is smaller, so more skin is being tanned in the tanning bed.
Types of Tanning Goggles
A good pair of tanning goggles can help you prevent the prevalence of raccoon eyes. They either cover less area around the eye or can be repositioned to open up different areas for tanning during your session.
Check with your tanning salon to see if they have your favourite pair of tanning goggles available; if not, it is worthwhile to buy your own and take them with you when you go for a tan.
There are numerous options available online; you just need to take the time to find what you want and what suits you.
Here are some of the different types of tanning goggles available for you to use.
Strapped Goggles
Some tanning goggles come with straps to keep the goggles securely in place. The upside is that the goggles will be held firmly in place while you tan, even when you turn around in bed.
The downside is that the side strips and strap over the bridge of your nose will cause tan lines.
These are less than ideal, but some goggles have adjustable straps that allow you to loosen them, allowing you to move the strap around while tanning to help avoid tan lines.
Adhesive Goggles
Adhesive goggles are a one-use option for tanning. They stick on your eyelids and form a cone shape.
They minimise tan lines and cover a small surface area around the eyes. The adhesive eye protection stickers allow you to move around in the tanning bed and stand up afterwards.
They are generally more hygienic than reusable goggles, especially when sharing them with other customers at the tanning salon.
No-Strap Goggles
Many people opt for this option because it leaves no tan lines on the side of the face.
The piece that joins the goggles over the bridge of the nose is high, so there won’t be any tan lines over the bridge of the nose.
You can open your eyes in the tanning bed while wearing the goggles, as long as they have ultraviolet protection lenses.
The problem, however, is that with no straps, you can’t really move around much.
You will have to manually keep the goggles in place when moving around in the tanning bed, and you can’t lie on your stomach with them.
Soft Pod Goggles
Soft pod goggles are comfortable to wear for extended periods, but they usually do not have straps, which can restrict your movement in the tanning bed.
You will have to keep the goggles in place on your own when moving around.
How Ultraviolet Damages Your Eyes
It cannot be overstated how important it is to protect your eyes when tanning, whether in a tanning bed or outdoors in the sun.
Closing your eyes in a tanning bed isn’t enough to protect your eyes from the rays; your eyelids are only very thin skin covering your eyes, and the ultraviolet rays can pass through this thin skin to still damage your eyes.
You need proper eye protection to prevent the ultraviolet rays from doing damage. Tanning beds can expose your eyes to more than 100 times the ultraviolet radiation of the sun.
Damage to the eyes can range from temporary to permanent, and can be very severe if serious injury occurs.
Photokeratitis
Photokeratitis is a temporary condition. It is considered a form of sunburn on the eyes. It can cause pain, tearing and swelling.
Vision usually becomes hazy, and the irritation can feel as if there is sand or dirt in the eye.
Eye drops or a topical solution, prescribed by a doctor, can usually help repair the eyes from sunburn, as well as soothe symptoms and irritation.
Pingueculae
A pinguecula is a small growth that starts as a yellow spot or bumps found on the conjunctiva. It is usually found on the side of the eye nearest to the nose.
It is a deposit of fat, protein or calcium. If left untreated, it can develop into a pterygium.
Surgery is only necessary if eye drops do not remove the pingueculae and if they continue to grow, eventually developing into a pterygium.
It can be caused by ultraviolet damage to the eyes, leading to irritation and reddening of the eye.
Pterygia
A pterygium is a small growth on the conjunctiva or mucous membrane that covers the white part of the eye and the cornea.
The growth is benign and noncancerous but can cause discomfort. It is shaped like a wedge and is visible to the naked eye.
It can usually be treated with eye drops prescribed by a doctor, but surgery may be necessary if the condition does not improve with eye drops.
Cataracts
Cataracts can be caused by exposure to the sun or ultraviolet rays from tanning beds. It isn’t just caused by old age, as many people think.
Cataracts can cause clouding of the eyes or yellowing of the eyes. It affects vision and often makes it very difficult to see clearly.
Eventually, vision may become severely depleted, and colours may even become distorted as well.
Surgery is available to remove cataracts, and it is typically performed in stages, with surgery usually done weeks apart if needed in both eyes.
Surgery is usually done when vision has degenerated to a point where it is difficult to function.
Macular Degeneration
Indoor tanning without proper eye protection can be a factor in the onset of macular degeneration. It is the gradual damage to the eyes that can significantly reduce vision.
It starts off with blurred or reduced vision, which then worsens over time. It is an incurable disease, and the effects cannot be reversed once they have set in.
Ultraviolet rays from tanning beds can play a significant role in the development of macular degeneration if adequate protection is not used.
Final Thoughts
Depending on where you go to get your tan done, your salon might not be able to provide you with goggles that help prevent raccoon eyes.
You might need to take along your own disposable goggles or, rather, deal with the raccoon eyes by using foundation and powder to cover them up after your tanning session.
Whatever you choose to do, remember that having raccoon eyes is better than having damage to your eyes.
The goggles you use to protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet radiation do work; simply closing your eyes does not suffice.
There are options available to help prevent raccoon eyes or to manage them once you have them; you just need to choose the best option for you and proceed accordingly.
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