SUNBATHING Yesterday and Today

The culture of sunbathing has undergone numerous transformations over the centuries. Today, healthy, sun-kissed skin is considered the best souvenir from a vacation. However, this hasn’t always been the case. Ancient Greek and Roman women prized porcelain-like complexions. To lighten their skin, women used various methods, including milk baths. There was a time when tanned skin held pejorative connotations, associated with lower social status and outdoor labor. It wasn’t until the 20th century that a fashion for sun-kissed skin emerged.

French fashion designer Coco Chanel played a significant role in popularizing this trend when she publicly flaunted her sun-kissed appearance in 1923, causing a scandal among the traditionally fair-skinned upper class. Additionally, F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "Tender Is the Night," depicting stars sunbathing on the French Riviera, contributed to the spread of the new trend. Since then, tanned skin has remained popular. If you want to prolong the essence of summer while ensuring safety, a good solution is self-tanning.

The translation of the Polish word “opalać się,” meaning to sunbathe, literally refers to sunbathing. Skin cells—melanocytes bathed in UV radiation—produce the pigmented pigment melanin, which colors the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. Natural tanning depends primarily on skin phototype and melanocyte activity. However, awareness of the harmful effects of UV radiation and tanning beds has increased over time. Much is said about accelerating the skin aging process and the increased risk of developing serious skin cancers. In response to these issues, the field of cosmetics introduced self-tanning products, providing a safe way to achieve a healthy and uniform tan year-round. The main ingredient in self-tanners is dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which induces skin browning through reactions with amino acids building the stratum corneum of the epidermis. Tanned skin appears after a few hours, with the outcome dependent on skin type, skin moisture level, and the DHA concentration in the self-tanning product. The duration of this artificial tan is 5-7 days, with its gradual fading linked to the natural shedding of dead skin cells. Interestingly, the bronzing properties of DHA were discovered accidentally. In a hospital, children were given a syrup to lower blood sugar levels. Wherever the syrup spilled on the skin, darkened traces appeared. This led to the creation of the first self-tanning cosmetic with this ingredient in 1960, and ten years later, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it for this purpose. A noteworthy recent discovery is erythrulose, which is chemically similar to DHA but significantly more stable. Choosing self-tanning products with this ingredient can help avoid the drawbacks that may occur with DHA-containing self-tanners, which often provide irregular and short-lived tans and come with an unpleasant odor post-application. The range of self-tanning products is growing. In the cosmetic market, they are available in the form of lotions, foams, mists, or drops. During their application, it’s essential to remember proper preparation. Before applying, it is recommended to exfoliate the body, removing dead skin cells to ensure even product distribution.

Centuries have witnessed the rise and fall of many tanning trends. A beautiful, honeyed skin tone hasn’t always looked attractive. Today, however, we know that if we want to preserve summer on our skin, we can use a self-tanner to gently bronze it and enjoy a tan throughout the year without worrying about negative consequences.