DIY Tanning Oil

Who doesn’t love a nice healthy tan? I’ve created this DIY tanning oil recipe so that you can get that glowy, bronzed look with all-natural ingredients including grapeseed oil, coconut oil, olive oil,  and jojoba oil (and most are available in your kitchen right now!). Let’s be honest, with the current world situation, most of us (including me) had to cancel their long-awaited travel summer plans, so a beach day seems like a far-fetched fantasy right now…

However, it surely doesn’t mean we have to deprive ourselves of the goodness of tanning and all that vitamin D available from the sun! All you need is an outdoor space, some sunshine, and this DIY tanning oil to make it all better!

This DIY tanning oil is similar to the popular Bali tanning body oil, but ours doesn’t have any fragrance. Keep reading, and you’ll find out why fragrance-free products are actually MUCH better for your skin.

What is fragrance and why you should stay away from it?

When products smell nice, it automatically makes you think that it’s good for you. But that’s actually not the case at all. Fragrances contain phthalates, a chemical that helps the scents last longer. Like other toxic chemicals, fragrance chemicals can pass from the skin and into the blood, leading to adverse reactions. And what’s worse is that skincare manufacturers are not required to label their fragrance ingredients on the product; which basically means that you have no idea what fragrance chemicals are added to your products.

So, before you decide to buy a product that smells ‘heavenly’, I urge you to think about the damage it can cause your health.

DIY Tanning Oil Ingredients

• Grapeseed oil

Grapeseed oil offers protection against sun damage and is rich in Vitamin E, which ensures that the body remains deeply hydrated during the tanning process.

• Coconut oil (or monoi)

  Coconut oil works perfectly for sensitive skin. It has a natural SFP of 4-5. Not only does it promise a deep, rich tan, it also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. You can also choose to replace coconut oil by the authentic and traditional monoi, more on monoi below!

• Olive oil

  Rich in Vitamin E, olive oil ensures you have a soothing, hydrating tanning experience. It has a natural SFP of 8 and protects your skin from UV rays, helps you get an even tan, and even speed up the tanning process.

• Jojoba oil

  Jojoba oil is a great oil that is similar to our skin sebum and does not leave a greasy feeling. It’s also a great natural skin moisturizer. If you don’t have it on hand, you can replace it with the same amount of grapeseed oil.

• Ylang ylang essential oil (Optional)

  This is totally optional but ylang-ylang is such a summer, happy, exotic, and heavenly scent that I thought it would go perfectly with my homemade tanning oil. It reminds me somehow of the Tiare flower scent, a tropical island scent!

What is traditional monoi?

Monoi de Tahiti is an infused oil which is made through a meticulous extraction process known as effleurage.

Monoi de Tahiti is made from the Tiaré flower, the floral emblem of French Polynesia known for its exotic, heady and heavenly scent. Before the blossoms open, the flowers are hand-picked and delivered to a perfumery plant to be infused in oil for at least a fortnight. This process unleashes the flower’s unique properties and scent.

Finding authentic monoi oil can be a difficult task, as a lot of them have added fragrances. I’ve listed two brands that I trust for natural monoi oil.

• Personally, I like this brand. The only downside to it is that it’s not made the traditional way and uses tiare flower extract (not effleurage). But if that isn’t a problem for you, this is perfect.
• While this particular one follows the traditional process, it leans a little towards the pricier end. But trust me, its authenticity can’t be matched by any other brand.

Substitution DIY tanning oil according to your skin type

We can’t use a ‘one size fits all’ approach with our skin. Before you make this DIY tanning oil, it’s very important that you go through the ingredients list and figure out whether they’ll suit your skin. To help you out, I’ve come up with a few substitute oils that you can use, which might suit your skin type better.

If you have a pale complexion, add avocado oil to your tanning oil instead of olive oil. It has a natural SPF of 15, and will protect your skin better from sun damage.

In case your skin is very pale, raspberry seed oil will save the day, as it has an SPF of 40.

No matter what oil you use, it’s VERY important that you apply a layer of natural sunscreen before your tanning oil to avoid sunburns.

How to prep your skin before using your DIY tanning oil?

To ensure that your tanning experience is a success and not a blotchy disaster, it’s important to prep your skin.

Exfoliation is the key to an even, beautiful tan. It removes dead skin cells, unclogs pores, and prevents uneven skin tone. You can use a scrub like my DIY pineapple and coconut body scrub , or my DIY coffee scrub . I guarantee you’ll step out of the shower with your skin feeling luscious, replenished, and ready for the tan!

How dangerous are commercial tanning oils?

Let’s take this tanning oil as an example – The Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Dry Oil.

To be honest, the ingredient concerns are quite terrifying. There is a concern about chemical contamination, lung irritation, and even organ system toxicity. Imagine the damage it could to your health if you consistently used this product.

And this is just one tanning oil. Most commercial tanning oils contain several harmful toxic chemicals, preservatives, and artificial colors and fragrances that should be kept far, far away from your skin.

Knowing how easy it is to make your own tanning oil using 100% natural ingredients, it would be silly to buy a nasty commercial version!

The danger of sunburns

While tanning can be a relaxing experience, it can quickly become a harmful one if you get sunburns. Not only do sunburns look and feel painful, they also increase the risk of other skin damage and diseases such as dehydrated or wrinkled skin, hyperpigmentation and even skin cancer such as melanoma.

Sunburns can be prevented by adequately protecting your skin, which is why I cannot stress enough on the importance of using natural sunscreen before applying your DIY tanning oil.

Always avoid sun tanning between 10 am and 3 pm when the sun is the strongest and limit your sunbath for 20 minutes at a time.

The story of getting a tan and why it is so fashionable

If you’re a sucker for the bronzed, tanned skin trend, you have only one person to thank – the pioneer fashion queen, Coco Chanel herself!

Back in the 1920s, while on a Mediterranean cruise, Coco Chanel caught too much sun. When photographs of her tanned look surfaced, it immediately started the trend of tanning. Her friend, Prince Jean-Louis de Faucigny-Lucigne later said:  “I think she may have invented sunbathing. At that time, she invented everything.”

Well, Mr Jean-Louis, we couldn’t agree with you more!