It's summer and everyone wants a golden bronze tan. Here's how everyone's chasing the rays and getting beach ready right now.
It’s summer and everyone wants a golden tan. It’s nothing new, from Brigitte Bardot through to whatever media starlet influences trends on social media at any given point in time.
Cape Town’s Clifton Beach and Ballito on the KZN North Coast, through to salons and tanning beds, it’s an annual fixation from tan maxxing to UV chasing and all over tanning.
Tan maxxing is the buzz right now. It’s about going as dark as possible without using the sun’s rays.
People layer self-tan mousses, drops, sprays and bronzing lotions in quick succession, sometimes topping up daily to build what influencers call the ultimate bronze.
“Tan maxxing is everywhere online at the moment,” said Darelle Gardner of Colour Rush hair and beauty salon in Sunninghill. “We have people coming in who already have two layers of self-tan on at home and still want a spray to take it even further. If the skin is well prepped and hydrated, it can look incredible, but it is easy to push too far,” she said.
“Dryness, patchiness and an unnatural tone can creep in if the skin is not looked after.”
The results may be instant, but they are short-lived. This is because the colour sits on the outer layer of skin; it fades as those cells shed, usually within a week.
So many ways to bronze
Psychologist Dr Jonathan Redelinghuys said the bigger risk is not physical in this instance, as there is no sun damage, for example.
However, it can be psychological.
“The danger with tan maxxing is not harm from the products themselves, which are generally safe when used properly, but the emotional toll it can create in its wake,” he said.
“It can become an escalating pursuit where a person no longer feels comfortable in their natural skin tone. The pressure to constantly darken and have the ultimate tan can feed into body image concerns and become an exhausting chase.”
Others are going back to the source, but with a strategy.
UV chasing is all about tanning by forecast. People track the daily UV index on weather apps and plan their sun exposure for what they believe are the safest and most effective rays.
“Clients talk about this a lot,” said Gardner. “They will say things like the UV is at seven today, so it is the perfect time to tan. It has almost become like timing a gym workout.”
While it may feel like a controlled way to build colour without burning, Dr Redelinghuys cautioned that any exposure to the sun carries risk.
“There is no such thing as a safe UV tan,” said Dr Redelinghuys. “Even controlled exposure causes cumulative damage to the skin. It increases the risk of skin cancer, speeds up ageing and contributes to pigmentation problems. The fact that it is planned or timed does not remove those dangers.”
Naked under the sun
All over, tanning is big this summer, too.
It means going fully nude under the sun or on tanning beds and using products from head to toe to get the same result. It’s tan maxxing and UV chasing all rolled up into one.
“There has been a definite rise in people wanting an all-over look,” said Gardner.
“We hear it from pre-honeymoon brides especially, from people going on island holidays, even from fitness competitors,” she said. “They want an even tone with zero tan lines showing anywhere.”
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It’s about looking perfect and being able to slip on any kind of swimwear cut without baring tell-tale lines.
Dr Redelinghuys said it reflects how social media, in particular, is pushing perfection, and it’s a growing trend and concern.
“It speaks to how appearance ideals keep changing,” he said. “People feel they must not only be tanned but tanned evenly and completely. That expectation can become unhealthy, especially if it leads to risk-taking behaviour like excessive UV exposure or unsafe products.”
Play it safe
Gardner said the appeal is understandable, but balance is the only way to play it safe.
“I love the confidence a tan can give someone,” she said. “It makes people feel good. But I always tell clients that healthy skin comes first. Prep your skin, keep it hydrated and do it safely. A glow should never come at the cost of your health.”
Dr Redelinghuys said that tanning or tan maxxing or going naked under the sun must be done without throwing caution to the wind.
“The skin is the body’s largest organ and its first line of defence,” he said. “When appearance goals start to override health concerns, that is when it becomes a problem. Enjoy tanning if you choose to, but do it with care and perspective. And don’t forget the sunblock.”
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