Which product to choose for tanning?

Returning from vacation with an amber tan is customary in France. It's a sign that you've been to the seaside and enjoyed your vacation. However, to ensure a consistent tan, some products are more suitable than others. Here's which product to choose to guarantee a perfect, long-lasting tan.

Is Monoï de Tahiti a tanning oil?

There's an urban belief that Polynesian monoï is a tanning oil. In fact, many brands sell it as such. In reality, it is absolutely not intended for such use.

Tahitian monoi may smell like vacations, reminiscent of white sandy beaches and turquoise water, but it is not a tanning oil. In fact, monoï offers no protection whatsoever against UVA and UVB rays. Exposure to the sun during the hottest hours of the day can be extremely harmful to the skin and health.

Monoï is therefore not a tanning oil, but rather pre- and post-sun care. It cares for the skin and moisturizes generously. But which oils are good for tanning?

The different types of tanning oils

There's no secret about it: to tan well, it's essential to have well-moisturized skin. Without it, the sun's rays will only have a drying effect and your skin won't tint. For this, vegetable oils remain the best and most accessible. However, using such a product for tanning does not protect the skin from the sun's rays! To ensure proper protection of the epidermis, nothing beats a high SPF sun cream.

To put it simply, all plant oils are ideal before exposure. They ensure that the skin is elastic and well moisturized. This is the only way to ensure a faster, longer-lasting tan. So it's essential to coat your body all year round with sweet almond, coconut, monoi, apricot kernel and other oils to prepare your skin for the sun's rays.

After exposure, these same oils are essential to soothe the skin and restore the moisture it has lost. So, after a day at the beach and a good shower, it's important to apply plant oils to the body. It also helps your tan last longer.

There are a multitude of plant oils with proven moisturizing and antioxidant effects. In this sense, it's possible to vary the pleasures. Olive oil is perfect, as is black cumin oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, sesame oil and so on.

What about monoi for tanning?

Strongly discouraged by Polynesians themselves, monoi oil is not at all suitable for sun exposure.

Instead, monoï is considered a skin protector. It nourishes the skin, leaving it soft, supple and intensely moisturized. It acts against the effects of the sun, repairing any damage.

As its action is remarkably intense, it acts as a tan extender. In fact, when applied after the sun, it keeps the skin healthy, enabling it to maintain a flawless tan. Its benefits can help prolong an amber tan for several weeks longer.